Introduction
We
saw on the previous page how Satan uses deception as one of his
main strategies, getting people to believe a lie. We now
move on to his second strategy, that of tempting people to do
wrong. Temptation is Satan's strategy of enticing or inciting people
to do wrong.
1.
The First Temptation
Again
we consider that first attack of Satan in the Garden of Eden. What are
the components of the situation:
1.1
God sets clear boundaries, i.e. we know right and wrong
Gen 2:16,17
- there
was a clear indication of the one tree from which they shouldn't eat
- there
was a clear indication of the fatal consequences that would follow
Find
Gen 3:1-6 to have the study passage before you
1.2
Satan seeks to deny those boundaries
Gen 3:1
- he
sought to raise questions about what was actually said.
1.3
Satan seeks to deny the consequences of crossing those boundaries
Gen 3:4
- he
sought to deny the consequences
1.4
Satan seeks to get us to think wrongly and then act wrongly
Gen 3:6a
- he
was obviously seeking to get Eve to be disobedient to God and do what
had been forbidden
- she
saw that it “looked good” but forgot the restriction and consequence
1.5
Very often Satan seeks to get us to involve others Gen
3:6b
- by
getting others involved means we can justify it (everybody does it!)
SUMMARY : What are the stages
of downfall?
- thinking
about wrong
- listening
to the enemy
- who
seeks to incite & excite
- thinking
wrongly about the wrong
- justifying
it in your own mind
- focusing
on the wrong
- developing
a desire to do wrong
- speaking
or doing wrong
- possibly
involving others in it
- to
share the guilt or justify it
2.
Is Temptation Sin?
Read
Mt 4:1-11, Heb 2:18 & Heb 4:15
- sin
is actually doing wrong
- temptation
is seeking to get you to do wrong
3.
Results of Succumbing to Temptation
Look
up Gen 3:7-12 to have the study passage before you.
3.1
Sense of guilt and need to cover up Gen 3:7
- because
God has given everyone a conscience, and in particular has given every
Christian His own Holy Spirit, we become instantly aware that we've
done wrong
- when
we realise we've done wrong, we try to cover it up, i.e. we either
try to hide it or justify it
3.2
Sense of guilt and fear and hiding from God Gen 3:8,10
- although
as Christians our eternal destiny is not changed by a single failure
(sin), our relationship or communion with God is changed
- we
want to run away and hide, or not be up front with God.
3.3
Self-Justification or blaming others Gen 3:12
- we
try to off load the guilt by sharing it around, or justifying it by
blaming others
- none
of these techniques actually change the situation; we are still guilty!
3.4
Destructive Consequences Gal 6:7,8
- giving
way to temptation produces sin
- sins
may appear “little” (e.g. lying) or “big” (e.g. killing someone)
- yet
they all have further consequences
- e.g.
the liar has seared their conscience, justifies their lies, is
estranged from God, and may well have to tell further lies to
cover up
- e.g.
the murderer does all the same things but is also answerable to
the laws of the country and may end up in prison
SUMMARY: Succumbing to temptation
- results
in sin
- which
results in a breakdown in relationship with God
- may
include a breakdown in relationship with others
- may
cause destructive things to happen in your own life.
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4.
The Difference between “Temptation” and “Testing”
The
Hebrew and Greek words that are used for these three words are all the
same in overall meaning.
The
Hebrew “nasah” = to try or to prove but is often translated “tempt”.
The
main Greek word “peirazo” = to try, test or prove and similarly is often
translated as “tempt”
Depending
on the version you use you find some interchange on the English word
used in the translation.
When
we look at WHO brings these things we see WHY there is a different emphasis.
When
we look at the Scriptures we find:
Satan
TEMPTS i.e. seeks to bring downfall (N.B. God doesn't
tempt anyone - Jas 1:13 )
God
TESTS i.e. allows temptation to check the state of
the heart because He wants you to overcome/pass the test! - Jas 1:2,3,12
)
A
TRIAL is simply something that tests the state of our
heart.
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5.
What are the Areas of Attack?
5.1
To give up on our faith (& deny the truth)
1
Thess 3:5 / 2 Cor 11:3
- God
has given us the truth in the Scriptures
- this
truth is how things work, how God has made things to work
- Satan
will try to make us deny these truths and live contrary to them
- God
has communicated the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus to us
- Satan
tries to get us to add to the Gospel or vary it.
5.2
To give way to sensual desires contrary to God's Law (self
gratification)
Jas
1:14
- God
has given us our senses for our pleasure
- the
use of those senses is to be limited, to achieve greatest pleasure
- excess
use of those senses produces pain and upset
- excess
eating is gluttony and results in obesity and breakdown in heath
- excess
of drinking is drunkenness and leads to a wide range of upsets &
ills
- excess
of sex becomes illicit sex and results in a variety of social &
physical ills
- Satan
seeks to stir us on into each of these areas
5.3
To have wrong self-centred ambitions (selfish godless goals)
1
Tim 6:9,10
- a
desire to succeed or achieve is not wrong in itself
- God
has made us with the need for self-fulfilment
- when
that need goes to excess it creates over ambition which is then only
fulfilled at the expense of integrity and of others
SUMMARY : Temptation may be:
1.
TO DENY THE TRUTH
To
challenge the truth of what God has said
e.g. Mt 4:3,6 "IF you are the Son"
(this challenged Mt 3:17 "This is my Son")
- to
challenge a declaration of truth by God
- to
challenge the meaning of a prohibition and deny it
- to
challenge the consequences of rejecting it
2.
TO PLACE SELF AT THE FOREFRONT
- GRATIFYING
self, e.g. Mt 4:3 "tell these stones to become
bread"
- over
eating (gluttony)
- over
drinking (drunkenness)
- wrong
use of drugs (abuse)
- illicit
sexual activity (outside marriage)
- bad
sleep patterns (too much or too little)
- DEFENDING
of self, e.g. Mt 4:6 "throw yourself down"
- not
trusting in God
- taking
God's place
- defending
our reputation
- keeping
quiet when challenged as a Christian
- becoming
isolationist or critical of others
- PROMOTION
of self, e.g. Mt 4:9 "All this I will give you if…"
- selfish
ambition
- entering
into wrong relationships
- use
wrong methods
- super-spirituality
or false asceticism
- disobedience
to the word of God
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6.
How do we Overcome Temptation
Look
up 1 Cor 10:13 for the following:
6.1
Realise it's not as difficult as it might seem
- what
you have to resist is not different from what others have to resist
1 Cor 10:13a
- God
will only allow what you CAN cope with 1 Cor 10:13b
6.2
Look to God for means of deliverance.
- God
will provide the means for you to overcome 1 Cor 10:13c
- sometimes
he'll give you right thinking to overcome it e.g. Gen 39:7-9
or Jas 1:5
- sometimes
it will be simply to flee it e.g. Gen 39:11,12
6.3
Be alert & prayerful
- recognising
the potential for attack means we need to remain alert
- talking
to God about all these issues takes the steam out of them
- listening
to God means He can warn us when a particular thing is coming
Mt 26:41
6.4
Simply say “No” to wrong Tit 2:11,12
- at
the end of the day the responsibility is ours to say no
- it
is an act of self-discipline (fruit of Spirit) to say no.
6.5
Submit your Life to God, THEN resist the enemy Jas 4:7
- this
is the divine order of wisdom
- first
give yourself over to God so He is ruling in your circumstance
- then
you will be in a fit state to resist the enemy
- then
the outcome is guaranteed
6.6
Hold onto the basics of your faith
- make
sure you are well grounded in basic doctrine
Eph 6:14-18
- ensure
truth holds everything in your life together
- ensure
you are righteous in all your relationships with others
- remember
Jesus death (the Gospel) is the cause of your peace with God
- seek
to operate in faith as you respond to His word
- cover
your mind with the truth that you are saved
- use
His word to cut through untruth
- as
you pray, let the Spirit lead you
If
you hold onto all of these, you will overcome all the wiles of the enemy.
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7.
What if we do fall?
There
are likely to be times when we do fail (hopefully not often), but what
happens then? Do we give up? No, there are clear things to do:
7.1
Be honest & up front with God and repent!
- there
is NO progression without confession! 1 Jn 1:9
7.2
Remember Jesus is working on our behalf
- Jesus
is always seeking and working to restore you
1 Jn 2:1,2
7.3
Remember, the Father is for us
- the
Father is ALWAYS totally for us, Calvary is the proof of that!
Rom 8:31 …God is for us…….
7.4
Remember Father is more concerned with restoration that condemnation
- God
wants his ‘sons' to grow up; He's not wanting to hold us back
Gal 6:1
/ Rom 8:1
7.5
Take Steps to Avoid Falling again
- you
don't want to keep on doing the same thing over and over
- therefore
work at avoiding that same sin by God's strength & grace
Summary: To put it right when we give
way and sin:
- Repent,
say sorry & seek forgiveness & cleansing
- Trust
that Jesus is speaking up for you, and be thankful
- Trust
that the Father is for you and wants to restore you, and be thankful
- Look
to avoiding that situation of temptation.