TEMPTATION

Winifred L. Kakumba

It is a desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise, a course of action that attracts or tempts someone. It is anything that, for any reason, exerts a force or influence to seduce and draw the mind and heart of man from the obedience which God requires of him to any kind of sin.

A person’s inner nature, what he possesses in the inner, spiritual part of his being, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the true nature of the person being tempted and reveals the possibilities of his nature. Every person actually determines or sets the level of his own temptation, because temptation will come to him in accordance with the level of his controlling, inner nature.

James 1:12-15; - “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Temptation comes from evil desire inside us, not from God, It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and we allow it to become an action. Sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way. The best time to stop a temptation is before it is too strong or moving too fast to control. 

People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? 1 Corinthians 10:13(NIV)…“No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 

Beware of thinking that you are tempted as no one else–what you go through is the common inheritance of the human race, not something that no one has ever before endured. God does not save us from temptations–He sustains us in the midst of them. Hebrews 2:18 says; “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” and

Hebrews 4:15-16 says; “15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Can a Christian be tempted? People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? God tests people but does not tempt them by trying to seduce them to sin. God allows Satan to tempt people in order to refine their faith and to help grow in their dependence on Christ (Job 1:1-22)

Importance of Trials and temptations

• They shape us; they prepare us for the future
• They make us strong - James 1:2-4 ”Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  We certainly do not feel blessed in the midst of trials. In fact, we may wonder if we are cursed. We may wonder in the midst of a trial if it is ever going to end, if there is any real hope that it is going to turn out okay, but there is an end to this time that will be far more glorious than we can imagine in our present circumstances. To endure, like counting it joy, is not something that we do by sheer will power. To endure is to continue to turn to God as our only source of life. It is to count on Him to give us His presence and His peace in the midst of whatever we are facing. And it is to live as if He is working his transforming and redeeming will through this current suffering. It is to wait on Him to give us wisdom and light when all we seem to have to offer Him is our darkness and there is surely an end point. We endure not for the sake of the current chaos, but for the promised resolution. God will bring good out of this, and we count on Him to do this. We await the crown of life which is the same as being "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
• Trials and temptations help us to grow spiritually and in faith
• They shape our character and morals
• They make us trust God
• Prepare us for special tasks so that we can be witnesses and help other believers

How to overcome temptation?

• Surrender your all (not part) of your life to Jesus. James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
• Stay away from; old company, old practices, the old cultures and hang out places, of unbelievers and develop a new culture (2 Corinthians 5:7) of life. 2 Corinthians 6:14 – “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?”

May God give you the grace to overcome temptations