All in Temptation
Does life, or those you encounter in it, attempt to lead you away from the will that God has planned for you? Once we have prayed that God reveal His will for us, and we begin working towards it, are we tempted by the world to go a different route? Sometimes we are offered great positions, power, or treasure, and it can look good to us, even holy, but if it isn’t what God has planned for us then it is a ruse, a lie, and in the end, a curse. So how do we resist these apparent gifts, or honors, and remain in the humble will of God?
Do we claim to be Christians, saying that we value The Word of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but keep being led astray by our past passions, and the desires of the flesh? Are we receiving manna from heaven, but continue to think, and dream, about the way our old lives smelled or tasted? We can successfully resist making a meal of the great sins we once knew, but what tempts us most is the lingering scent of them... the small tastes, and pleasures that lead us time and again to the physical doorway of those sins. We crucify the sin, but do we nail the temptation of them to the cross as well?
Are there people who seek to undermine our faith in Jesus Christ, or who wish to destroy our belief in God? Do we feel less than competent when it comes to defending scripture in a scholarly setting, or standing up to ridicule? Well, whatever comes against us will be defeated, and God’s power within us will prevail because His hand is upon us. No matter our shortcomings, He has filled every crack and chink in our armor from within using the knowledge of His Holy Spirit, and has provided us a sword for our defense hammered out in the forge of His Word.
Do we think that we can flirt with the coals of temptation and not be burnt, or draw Close to the flicker of sin and not erupt into flames ourselves? Are we on the verge of such occurrences today? Are we speaking about someone negatively, calling it a correction, or warning, when in fact it is bitterness and hatred? Surely our words, and actions, will rub against us like a rasp, and we will find ourselves bleeding, or worn away.
For most of us it is unsettling that God would search our hearts, and few, if any, would honestly invite Him to do so without some trepidation. Our natures, and personalities, incline us towards certain temptations and sins, and we have become so comfortable in our weaknesses that we scarcely visit these places within our hearts intent on confronting them. Are we bold enough to invite God To know our hearts? Do we have the courage ourselves to visit these innermost places that we find uncomfortable to our faith?
Are you dealing with temptation in your life right now? Is there a fragrance that wafts around you like a vapor and whose scent lures you towards something sinful? Perhaps it is an attraction to someone other than your spouse, or to a person who is already married. Maybe you are hungry, and are being drawn to steal a meal, or thirsty and want to grab another’s flask. Whatever it is, and temptations abound, do you linger in these thoughts, or do you pray for freedom and release from them? Do you ask God for an escape?
In this time of Coronavirus , complete with its “Safer at Home”, and “Social Distancing”, mandates, Pastors and churches have for the most part complied with these ordinances, but with tithes dwindling, and bills to pay, there is a temptation to go ahead with normal church activities by convincing ourselves, and our members, that as believers, and people of faith, God will miraculously protect us, and treat us differently than others. Satan tried to convince Jesus to behave in this same manner during his third temptation when he tried to convince Christ to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple. Jesus resisted by refusing to “tempt the Lord”. Are we prepared to face the consequences of tempting God by our actions today? Actions that don’t mirror those of Jesus?
Glory, honor, fame, fortune, power, these are all temptations valued highly by man’s carnal self, and their control over us can be spiritually devastating, and even bleed over into our physical wellbeing as well. How far would any of us be willing to go for them, or to resist them? Would we abandon our faith for them? Would we drop down on our knees to someone who could give them to us as if they were a god? How do we face such temptation?
When we are faced with temptation of any variety we should realize that no one goes through life without being tempted, and not just once, but many times. The question is never one of whether we will be tempted, but rather, how we will face that temptation and overcome it. Jesus teaches us to fortify ourselves within the armory of scripture.
Sometimes we are tempted in places that should be safe. Jesus was tempted in His safe place, on the pinnacle of the temple, the house of God, and we can be tempted in our churches as well. Have you ever had a squabble on Sunday morning with someone at church, and found that you couldn’t sleep at all that night... or did you go home smug in the fact that you had really told that so and so a thing or two?
As Christians, we believe that we can identify sin and avoid it, but we aren’t always tempted by obvious sin; many times we are confronted by things that we might be inclined to rationalize , and that are less obvious. There is a fine line between conversation and gossip, or stretching the truth and telling an outright lie. How well do we identify and resist such subtle sins?
We travel the sandy wilderness of life, time, and across the perilous pits of sin; like skittering ants we run because the way ahead is fraught with danger. The funneled traps of ant lions have been constructed everywhere to bring us to our demise as we seek the holiness, and righteousness of God... these traps are the work of Satan, but we are instructed to clothe ourselves each day in the armor of God, and promised to be defended by His strong right arm... so that in His care we can walk boldly in faith, and find His truth sustains us against Satan’s schemes.
Are we like the scribes of old? Do we question Jesus, and His authority, within our hearts? Sometimes we are tempted to doubt His ability, or question our faith in His power, but are there times when we question the authority of Jesus himself, and look to God in fear and trembling asking “Is this truly your Son?” Even in our minds, for just an instant, does Satan’s lie seem plausible?
How do you confront sin? Do you look it in the eye and try to overpower it? Do you ignore it and go about your business, or perhaps you do what any animal does when it doesn’t want to fight... it runs. Getting as far away from evil as quickly as we can is a good strategy when it comes to temptation and sin. Confronting Satan isn’t something to be taken lightly.