TEMPTATIONS

TEMPTATIONS

When one is tempted, there is a form of pressure applied to the thinking faculty of the individual and this pressure is mainly designed to create wrong emotions which would lead to wrong actions.

A temptation is mostly an inducement and or an enticement.

Now to quickly differentiate between trials, persecutions and temptations as the effects of these three makes the use of the words many attimes careless because a person may be going through a trial and it seems as if it were a temptation or a persecution.

A trial is GOD-intended. The plan of which being to confirm the love for GOD in the life of a Christian or one who claims to be a child of GOD.

This ascertains if the love professed by such individual is not entirely informed by all the rosyness that the Lord permits for such person and that at the absence of the good, such person wouldn't mind even causing GOD if that were offered to him as a way of escape from the hardship faced at such times (Job. 1).

A persecution is the suffering meted out to someone who proclaims being a child of GOD by the world around him simply because they find it rather difficult to understand why you the Christian wouldn't find sin "sweet" as they would and they would hence seek to make life difficult for such person, denying him/her whatever is the entitlement of such individuals and going further to even request hitting the other cheek (Luke.6:29, Matt. 5:39) but we can say HALLELUYAH because GOD already gave us a heads-up on persecution that even in all these, we need to remain happy and confident for he has overcome the world (John. 16:33, Rom. 8:37).

Now a temptation is majorly "devil-inspired". A temptation only becomes an offence when you fall for the wrong emotions to create a wrong action. No temptation on its own is sin but indulging in that enticement introduced by the devil leads to the offence against GOD.

One of the most famous temptations in the scripture was that aimed at our Lord JESUS CHRIST (Matt. 4), good thing is that He didn't compromise or entertain the ideas of the devil but at every instance, he was quick to reply with the word of GOD, hence He didn't sin.

Another temptation story worthy of note is that in the garden of Eden when man fell (Gen. 3:1-7). The devil deceived the woman, planting wrong emotions into her mind, leading her to consider it thereby sinning against GOD by disobeying a prior laid down instruction.

Joseph in the house of Potiphar also is another temptation story worthy of note. His master's wife offered him what the world would consider as a "golden opportunity", an affair with her and a supposed get-away from ordinary household slavery because if he went on to satisfy her sexual advances, his promotion to the position of chief servant of Potiphar's yard was sure but Joseph saw straight through the that lie and quickly understood the truth of GOD's word, that He just couldn't afford to sin against GOD and his master.

Though this led him to jail but that was truly where his elevation was because he soon became prime minister of all Egypt as opposed to being chief servant of Mr. Potiphar's house. (Gen. 39:1-20). Selah.

Let's also consider Daniel, a slave in captivity, given the choicest foods, imagine eating from the king's table, now many of us would see nothing wrong in such a meal because atleast Daniel didn't go lobbying for the meal, it was offered him on a platter but Daniel wouldn't be lost, he saw through the enticement/temptation of eventually been drawn to the worship of the gods of the land, which for him was a strong dedicated No-No, so he settled with vegetables and water and GOD being GOD vindicated him and his colleagues keeping them fresher even till they appeared before the king. (Dan.1:8-15).

Permit me to premise a bit on James 1:12-18. I'd try paraphrasing Vs. 13 which says do not say when you are tempted that it is the hand of GOD because our GOD cannot tempt with evil. Temptations come when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires, these evil desires would then conceive and give birth to sin and sin when it is full grown would lead to death.

Before a temptation would lead to sin, the individual must have permitted a discussion session with the devil and since his only interest is to steal, kill and destroy (John. 10:10), he plants seeds of lies in such hearts and one who refuses to see them as the lies that they are would begin to consider them as the truth and before you know it, it conceives and bears fruits unto death.

JESUS in His time of temptation always met the lies of GOD with the truths from the word of GOD because that is the only way of escape.

Now to imagine how someone who is lacking in the word of truth, the word of GOD, just how would he fight back the lies of the devil. How?

2Tim. 3:16 gives a accurate list of the functions and usefulness of the word of GOD in our lives and also how we are to make use of it during temptations.

Now, since the devil remains a roaring lion constantly on the prowl seeking whom to devour (1Pet.5:8), what then is the Christian supposed to do?

Seek JESUS - Now how does seeking JESUS help us overcome temptations?

He has been tempted as we are and yet He overcame (Heb. 2:18 ;4:15-16), why not let Him teach you how best to stand fast in the day of temptation. Recently I read an online post which says "do not say the Lord is silent when your bible is closed". Oh how true that is.

You seek JESUS by communing with Him, reading and understanding His word and hence living it out

Another very important step is to RESIST the devil and he would flee from you (James. 4:7).

Now, knowing also that many of us can multitask well, it becomes imperative to identify that we should not multitask seeking JESUS and not resisting the devil because many attimes in our seeking JESUS we still are able to create out enough reserved time to permit the thoughts of the devil hence drawing us closer in the day of temptations to bear fruits unto death.

In resisting, avoid every appearances of evil (1Thess. 5:22), resist even unto death, knowing that the death of sin is far worse (Heb. 12:4).

In resisting, watch and pray (Matt. 26:41, Mark. 14:38, Luke. 22:40) and also in resisting be on guard (2Pet. 3:17).

I've come to notice that there is a form nowadays of being available for the use of the devil even while being on the "Lord's side".

Truly GOD cannot be mocked (Gal. 6:7), and His foundations stand sure bearing this seal, GOD knows those that are His and let all such flee unrighteousness (2Tim. 2:19).

Finally, do not allow sin to reign in your bodies so as not to fulfil its lust (Rom. 6:12-14).

Honor the Lord with all that is yours and even though the devil brings temptations, the victory we have is that just as CHRIST JESUS , young Joseph and Daniel, we could also stand and shout HALLELUYAH at the end as we have fought and won...AMEN.

Next time you are tempted, be quick to ask yourself, consider it carefully, where exactly and into which lusts have I been drawn into, seek JESUS immediately, RESIST the devil and do not let sin reign in your body.

GOD BLESS YOU.