Christianity: More Than A Religion

Temptation

We have all been tempted before. We know what it is like. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it". Now keep in mind that God cannot tempt us but when we are tempted he helps us get through it. James 1:13-14 says "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire". when we fall into temptation we know it is wrong. In fact temptation means "a desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise". When we fall into temptation we are doing what we want instead of what God wants and that is not good.

For people that say "but everyone is tempted" that is true but not everyone lets themselves be tempted. I love looking at when Jesus was tempted. It shows that we can overcome it as well. Matthew 4:1-11 says, "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, and On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

I know this is a lot so I will try to break it down. Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights. Jesus must have been hungry because he went without food  and for that long. He was in the wilderness. Notice how the devil starts by talking about bread. Jesus was hungry so he could have turned those stones into bread but he didn't. He quoted scripture to defend himself. When the devil wanted him to throw himself down he quoted scripture. When he asked Jesus to worship him he quoted scripture. Notice how when he says "be gone Satan" he flees from him and that is what we all should do. When we are tempted the devil will try to use anything against us so we need to be ready by quoting scripture. If we tell Satan to flee from us he will. It is just a matter of whether we want to follow our evil desires or not.