Years ago I came across a spiritual equation that I have never forgotten: “temptation plus opportunity equals trouble.”When you temptation and opportunity get together you have do have a problem unless you know what to do!
Temptation pays a visit to each of us every day and most of us struggle to say no.
When it comes to temptation, many are like the little got boy that got a spanking for eating cookies the mother had told him to get away from. The little boy blamed his friend who told him to do it.
The mother said, “ You should have turned a deaf ear to him.”
The little boy said, “But Mommy, I don’t have a deaf ear.”
I want to help you discover how to overcome temptation!
I.EXPECT TEMPTATION
Temptation is a fact of life. We must constantly be aware of the possibility; yea, probability of being tempted day by day.
We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 10:13,“There hath no temptation taken you but such is common to man.” The word “common” speaks of that which is human, after the manner of man and characteristic of man.
We must expect temptation.
A. Even the godly are tempted.
Being a Christian – a good Christian – does not immunize us from temptation.
The great British preacher, Charles Spurgeon, in 1899 preached a sermon from our text verse. He said in that message,, “I know that you are tempted to think that you are a lone traveler on a road that nobody has ever traversed before you; but if you carefully examine the track, you can discover the footprints of some of the best of God’s servants who have passed along that wearisome road.”
Let no man think himself to be so holy that he will not be tempted. The holiest of and highest of all men was tempted.
Heb 4:15–“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
B.Even the guarded are tempted.
No matter how godly you are or how guarded you are, temptation will come your way.
See James 1:13. Not a matter of “if” we are tempted but “when” we are tempted. The best of saints may be tempted to the worst of sins, and to face this is to face reality.
Historian Shelby Foote tells of a soldier who wounded at the battle of Shiloh during the Civil War. He was ordered to go to the rear. In a few minutes he returned to his commanding officer and said, “Captain, give me a gun. This fight ain’t got no rear.”
The battle with temptation “ain’t got no rear.”Day by day we face the probability of temptation.
II. DETECT TEMPTATION
We must be wide awake and watchful lest Satan blindside us with temptation.
On the TV show Hee Haw, Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, "Well then, stay out of them places!"
A. Recognize the source of temptation
In order to defeat temptation, it is important to recognize where it comes from. Temptation comes from three sources: world, flesh, and the devil.
B. Realize the force of temptation.
Temptation is powerful. Don’t play with temptation.
“One-half the trouble of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly, and not saying no soon enough.”
There was a story told of a little boy excited about going to summer camp. Because of his recent illness, his parents made it clear that if he went to camp, under no circumstance should he go swimming.
When he returned from camp, his mother found his swimming trunks among his dirty clothes. Immediately she went to him and asked, “Didn’t we tell you to not go swimming?”
“Mommy,” he said, “l didn’t go swimming.”
“Then why did you take your swimming trunks?” she asked.
“Just in case I was tempted to go swimming,” he replied.
In his case, he did others so often do . . . “make provision for the flesh,” (Rom. 13:14). You know what your own particular weakness is, so don’t feed it. Don’t fan the flame it. Don’t play with temptation.
There is a story told about a little boy in a grocery store that I think illustrates the force of temptation. The boy was standing near an open box of peanut butter cookies. “Now then, young man,” said the grocer as he approached the young man. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing,” replied the boy, “Nothing.”
“Well it looks to me like you were trying to take a cookie.”
“You’re wrong, mister, I’m trying not to!”
III. REJECT TEMPTATION
As a child of God you have three enemies that will tempt you: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Temptation comes from three sources: the world, the flesh, and the devil. The world is an external foe; the flesh is an internal foe, and the devil is an infernal foe.
A. To Overcome The Flesh We Need FLIGHT
The key to defeating fleshly temptations is to flee them.
When you flee temptation, don't leave a forwarding address.
See 1 Corinthians 6:18, 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:9-11; 2 Timothy 2:22).
Have you read the story of David and Bathsheba lately? David wouldn’t have ever given in to the temptation of his flesh if he’d had done as Joseph did when Potiphar’s wife approached him.
He who would not fall down ought not to walk in slippery places.
B.To Overcome The World We Need FAITH
1 John 5:4declares “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
In Moses we observe one overcoming the temptations of the world. Let us see how he did it.
See Hebrews 11:23-27.
1.Moses overcame THE THRONE of this world by faith (23,24)
2. Moses overcame the THRILLS of this world by faith (25)
3.Moses overcame the TREASURESof this world by faith (26).
C. To Overcome The Devil We NeedFIGHT
James 4:7“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Three times our Champion routs the devil by saying- "It is written." He had the authority and the power to tell Satan to leave, but instead He employed the written Word of God. As Man He was showing how we too may be victorious in the hour of temptation against the devil.
You resist the devil using the eternal Word of God.
An absolute reliance on God's precious Word, an acquaintance with its priceless truths, will assure victory to the weakest saint against the devil. There is no substitute for the sword of the Spirit.
Conclusion
FLIGHT, FAITH, AND FIGHT ARE VITAL IN OVERCOMING THE TEMPTATIONS THAT COME OUR WAY!
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