Temptation

All of us experience temptations. So did the Savior, but He “gave no heed unto them” (D&C 20:22). Similarly, we do not have to yield simply because a temptation surfaces. We may want to, but we don’t have to. 3. Satan, who is called the tempter (Mt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5), is out to get us. He doesn’t care how spiritual we are, or how secure we are in our Christian homes; he is going to tempt us to sin hoping to lead us away from God and our families. FIRST, TO RESIST TEMPTATION, WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT TEMPTATION IS. Temptation is an enticement or an allurement to sin against the will of God.
2. James explains temptation this way:
(Jam. 1:13-15) “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” 3. These verses teach several things about temptation.
a. First, God does not tempt us to sin, in fact, (1 Cor. 10:13) explains that God provides us with a way out of temptation. God allows us to be tempted in order to refine our faith and to help us grow in our dependence upon Him.
b. Second, temptation in of itself is not sin. Jesus was tempted, however, He was without sin. Temptation only becomes sin when we give into the temptation.
4. Temptation is a process.
a. Temptation starts with a harmless thought or desire that entices us to do something that we are not supposed to do.
b. Next the initial thought is then entertained and explored. We contemplate committing the sin.
c. And then after entertaining the thought, we commit the act of sin to fulfill our cravings and desires.
5. Here is another example of how temptation works:
a. In the early chapters of Genesis, Eve was given the desire to eat the fruit, which God had forbidden her to do
(1) We, likewise, are constantly bombarded with desires to commit sin. (b) We are tempted to get angry and seek revenge upon our enemies.
(c) We are tempted to lust after other human beings.
(d) All of us are flooded with desires to commit sin.
b. Next Eve entertained the thought--if I eat the fruit I will gain wisdom and be like God. She justified the sin. (1) We also entertain tempting thoughts so that we can justify or rationalize committing the sinful act. We say things like:
(a) Everybody’s doing it.
(b) No one’s perfect.
(c) God will forgive me, so I might as well do it.
(d) God wants me to have a little fun.
(e) I didn’t know it was wrong.
(f) When we are tempted to sin, we entertain the desire and think of the benefits of the sin.
c. Then after spending some time thinking about it, Eve committed the sin. Right after committing the sin, both Adam and Eve hid from God.
1) After we commit sin, Satan wants us to feel so guilty that we alienate ourselves from God. And when we alienate ourselves from God, it will produce spiritual death--the type of spiritual death James talked about. If we are going to conquer temptation we must stop the temptation from going past the first stage. We are all going to have tempting thoughts and desires; however, we must not entertain those thoughts. If we do, then chances are we will commit the sin.
II. SECOND, TO RESIST TEMPTATION, WE MUST PREDETERMINE IN OUR MINDS THAT WE WILL NOT GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION AND SIN AGAINST GOD.
1. No matter how desirable, alluring, appealing, tantalizing, or inviting the sin may be, we must not commit it. We cannot get suckered into Satan’s web of deceit. Nothing in this world is worth our souls, or our godly reputations.
2. We must say "no" to the temptation; we must say “no” to sin!
ILLUSTRATION:
In (Gen. 39), Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph to go to bed with her. The Bible says in (Gen. 39:6-8) “Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. How did this young and handsome man resist should a temptation?
The answer is in verse 9: “My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Joseph predetermined in his mind that he would not commit such a sin against God.
3. To resist temptation, we must predetermine in our minds not to sin against God.
III. THIRD, TO RESIST TEMPTATION, WE MUST RELY UPON THE STRENGTH OF GOD.
1. In the Scriptures, we are told time and time again to rely upon God’s strength to fight off temptation.
(Eph. 6:10-11) “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
2. When Satan attacks us with his devilish schemes, we must not fight him alone. We must send God to get rid of him.
3. When we are tempted, we need to go immediately to God in prayer and ask Him to help us resist the urge to commit the sin.
CONCLUSION:
1. Every day we battle temptation, and at times we lose the battle. But we must keep fighting and fighting to defeat it.
2. The Bible tells us that we can resist temptation.
3. How to resist temptation…
a. We must understand what temptation is.
b. We must predetermine in our minds that we will not give into the temptation and sin against God.
c. We must rely upon the strength of God to help us overcome temptation.