| OVERCOMING
TEMPTATIONIntroductionA. Text: Eph. 6:10,11.B. Lot made a serious mistake
when he moved his family to the depraved environment of Sodom, but it is to
his creditthat he continued to be vexed by what was around him – 2 Pt.
2:7,8.C. What eff ect does our ungodly environment have on us today?D.
Temptation is becoming an ever more powerful daily experience.1. We are
surrounded by it as a result of the new “pluralism” of our society, the
decaying morals of our culture, thepervasive infl uence of the media, etc.2.
Th e typical high school student “faces more temptation on his way to school
each morning than his grandfatherdid on Saturday night when he was out
looking for it” (James Dobson).E. What is our attitude toward the dangerous
reality of temptation?F. Dealing with temptation as we should is one valuable
way we can infl uence those we come in contact with daily.I. UNDERSTANDING
TEMPTATIONA. A “temptation” is not the exactly same as a “trial” — a trial is
generally a diffi culty that tests and strengthens our faith,while a
temptation is specifi cally an enticement to sin – Jas. 1:2,3,13-15. Cf. Mt.
6:13.B. God is not the author of temptation; Satan is – Jas. 1:13. Cf. Mt.
4:3; 1 Th ess. 3:5.C. It is not a sin to be tempted — sin occurs when our
will gives assent to the temptation – Hb. 4:15. Cf. Jas. 1:14,15.D. Th e
three avenues through which the devil tempted Eve and the Lord are the three
basic ways temptation is alwayspresented – Gen. 3:6; Mt. 4:1-11. Cf. 1 Jn.
2:16.E. Satan is shrewd — he makes the “passing pleasures of sin” (Hb. 11:25)
look attractive by concealing their real consequences- 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:3. Cf.
Jn. 8:44; 1 Th ess. 3:5; Rev. 12:9.F. His basic lie is: your situation is
unique! Cf. Gal. 6:7,8.G. Th e devil never gives up on us. Cf. Lk. 4:13.II.
DEALING SOBERLY WITH TEMPTATIONA. Temptation is serious business — it is
dangerous to be naive or overconfi dent about it. Cf. Mk. 14:38.B. We are
being foolish if we think:1. We won’t be tempted.2. Temptation will hold no
power over us.3. We will easily defeat temptation.4. We can’t fall to
temptation.– 13 –C. None of us is exempt from temptation or immune to its
power – 1 Cor. 10:12. Cf. Gal. 6:1.1. We need to be able to recognize
temptation for what it is.2. We need to have the insight and honesty to
identify the points at which we are personally most vulnerable to sin— it is
dangerous for Satan to know more about our “Achilles heel” than we do!3. We
need to learn from our own past failures in the face of temptation.4. We need
to listen to the wisdom and warnings of others who have “been there.”D. We
cannot go “out of the world” (1 Cor. 5:10), but we can very oft en avoid
temptation – Mt. 6:13.E. Strength and courage are not the same as
foolhardiness — discretion is oft en the better part of valor – e.g. 2 Tim.
2:22.Cf. 1 Cor. 6:18; 10:14; 1 Tim. 6:11.F. When temptation cannot be
avoided, we can resist it. We are not the helpless victims of forces
completely outside ourcontrol – 1 Pt. 5:8,9.G. We need to determine not to
“defi le ourselves” – e.g. Dan. 1:8. Cf. Job 31:1.H. We need to “be strong
and of good courage” (Josh. 1:9). Cf. 1 Cor. 16:13.I. We must both “resist
the devil” and “submit to God” (Jas. 4:7,8) — one without the other is not
enough.1. Many people talk about submitting to God, but few are willing to
resist the devil.2. We must be decisive: “No! I will not do this!” Cf. Gen.
39:9.III. DEALING WITH TEMPTATION IN THE STRENGTH OF GODA. We will not be
able to deal eff ectively with temptation if we do not accept God’s help –
Eph. 6:10-13. Cf. 2 Cor. 6:7.B. Th e Lord defeated Satan with “It is written”
— one of the most important things we can do is store up God’s word inour
hearts – Psa. 119:11. Cf. Eph. 6:17.C. God “knows how to deliver the godly
out of temptations” (2 Pt. 2:9). Cf. Rom. 16:20; Hb. 7:25.D. God promises to
protect us – 1 Pt. 1:5. Cf. Lk. 22:31,32; Jn. 10:28,29; Phil. 4:7,13; |
