Temptation

“When you meet up with temptation, you know you are not going his way. If you never meet Temptation you must be going in the same direction ” says Mark Rutland. Temptation is not easy to survive and comes to us all usually at our weakest moments. The devil is charming and can mask as light of good. It happen more when we have neglected our time with God and when we are physically tired . Resisting temptation is accomplished by prayer “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak Mat6:13 and Mark 14:38.”, avoiding compromising situations , Bible study , and being accountable to someone. Temptation means a test of the possessions held within the inner, spiritual part of our being by a power outside us and foreign to us. — Oswald Chambers. Temptation is not always clearly visible.

Temptation is birthed in the heart and mind long before it takes full expression in one’s actions. “But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:14–15 “When a man listens to the voice of the tempter within him, he is inclined to do as others do, not to resist when temptation seems great. But when he looks into the laws of God, and hears the words of Christ, his natural sense of right and wrong is restored to him, and he becomes elevated, purified, and sanctified.” Benjamin Jowett

Know temptation will come back and back again. “when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time”. Luke 4:13 The devil waited to tempt Jesus again. The devil wants what he can’t have and he will come after the righteous hard. It would be great if we could “Flee temptation… and don’t leave a forwarding address.” We will survive the trial.
“You are those who have stood by me in my trials”. Luke 22:28 To have someone to help you in your trials is a must. We cannot survive most temptations alone. “Pray that you may not enter into temptation. Luke 22:40 Prayer is the greatest weapon of surviving temptation. Part of a Martin Luther Prayer is : “Preserve us from the suggestions of the devil, that we may not consent to pride, become self-satisfied, and despise others for the sake of riches, rank, power, knowledge, beauty, or other good gifts of Thine. Preserve us, that we fall not into hatred or envy for any cause. Preserve us, that we yield not to despair, that great temptation of our faith, neither now nor at our last hour.”

Read 1st Tim 6:3-16 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to Godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
God will make a way when you are tempted. Know it is there. Don’t feel as if there is no hope. Because we are strong in Christ and can overcome with him. “No temptation has taken you except what is human; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able. But with the temptation, He will also make the way out, so that you may be able to bear it.” 1st Cor 10:13
Surviving temptation comes from acquiring good godly habits of prayer, bible study and having an acct partner like Timothy had with Paul Pray to God as Christ did” do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” Mat 6:13 and Luke 11:4