Temptation in the life of christian Youths

Temptation in the life of christian Youths

Memory Verse: James 4:7. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

To ‘tempt’ means to entice somebody to do wrong by promise of pleasure or gain. Temptation is one of the most familiar experiences of the true child of God, but some seem to be tempted much more than others. No one can escape from temptation, since Satan the tempter is right in the world. The Lord taught us to include this petition in our daily prayer, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Textual source? Some saints are greatly troubled because they are tempted, for they think they must be so ungodly and wicked to be tempted. This ought not to be. To be tempted is not sin; but to yield to temptation is sin. Our CAC Hymn 633 sings “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you, some other to win…” You must, as a child of God, do all within your power to win others for Christ and to edify the Body of Christ

The first Adam was tempted but did not yield; rather, He triumphed over the tempter. So, in Christ Jesus there is grace to always overcome temptations. We cannot stop birds from flying over our heads, we can however, stop them from nesting in our hair; we cannot stop evil thoughts from passing through our minds, but through the Holy Spirit’s enablement, we can reject them and not dwell upon them. 

Someone asked a little girl what she always did when temptations came her way. She replied, “Temptations are like Satan knocking at my heart and when I see him there I tell Jesus to answer the door!” Yes, Satan flees when the mighty conquering Jesus appears and speaks of Calvary. James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man that endures temptation. ‘The one, who resists temptations, and becomes the victor through the blood and the cross of Jesus Christ, is truly blessed of the LORD. 1 Cor.10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

I.      SOURCES OF TEMPTATIONS

1.     Negative: 

It is not in God Jas.1:13, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted He any man.” In the case of Job. God gave Satan permission to tempt Job within certain restricted boundaries. Job1:12, 2:6

2.     Positive:

a.     Satan – Mat.4:1, Satan, tempting the Lord Jesus

b.     The flesh Jas. 1:14, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

This is manifested in three specific forms:

i.       The lust of the flesh 1 John 2:16

ii.      The lust of the eyes 1 John 2:16

iii.     The pride of life – 1 John 2:16

c.      Evil associates Pro. 1:10, “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

d.     Christian friends in Mathew 16:22, 23, Jesus rebuked Satan speaking through Peter, “He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me.”

II.   SOME REASONS FOR TEMPTATIONS

1.     As a test of our faith Jas. 1:2,3; “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fal into diverse temptations: knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.” Yes, because Jesus was severely tempted here on earth, He can succor us in time of need

2.     As a test of obedience Gen.22:1, “And it came to pass after these things, that God did test Abraham, and said unto him… Take now your son, your only son Isaac.. and offer him… “God tests men to know the depth of their love, and the sincerity of their obedience. Words are easy; we say we love god and that we would obey Him under all circumstances, but how can this be proven except by some form of testing? So, God tests sometimes before He promotes

III.  LOAD-LIMIT OF TEMPTATIONS

1 Cor. 10:13, “… not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able…”, God knows our load limit; He knows how much we can take; how much pressure or strain we can withstand. Sometimes we see a bar across a bridge; this means that heavier vehicles must be prevented from using the bridge. God limits our temptations in several ways:

1.     He sets the time limit of the temptation. He knows whether in one more hour we might have yielded to that insidious attack

2.     He sets the timing of the temptation-he only allows it when we are mature enough to withstand that particular type of temptation

3.     He guides the stress or amount of pressure during the actual temptation. The eyes and counsels of the Lord watch over us each moment. Just when we think we will weaken and sin the Lord removes the pressure and makes a way to escape Hallelujah

IV.  METHODS OF TEMPTATIONS

1.     Through poverty Pro. 30:9, “…Lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain…”

2.     Through prosperity Pro. 30:9, “Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord?”

3.     Through worldly glory Balaam in Num. 22:17, “For I will promote thee unto very great honor…”

4.     Through discouragement Psa. 42:11, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” Elijah desiring suicide under the Juniper tree 1 Kings 19:4

V.      TYPES OF TEMPTATIONS

1.     To unbelief Job 2:9 “…curse God, and die”; also the “if” in Matt. 4:3

2.     To presumption Matt. 4:6; Jesus to cast Himself down from the temple and presumptuously to expect the angels to protect Him (subtle temptation to suicide)

3.     To worship the God of this world Matt.4:9, Satan to Christ, “Fall down and worship me.”

4.     To pride: Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 4:30, “Is not this great Babylon that I have built…”

5.     To pleasure; Demas in II Tim.4:10, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present evil world”

6.     To power; Simon Magus in Acts 8:19, money to get the power of the Holy spirit to regain the community popularity and power that he once possessed

7.     To Society: Lot’s wife in Gen. 19:1-6

8.     To Possessions: Achan, in Joshua 7:1-24, earth, gold, silver and garments

9.     To Sex: Solomon, in Neh. 13:26 and David in II Sam. 11:2-4

10.         To Money: Judas Iscariot, in John 13:21-30

11.         To False Humility “I’m no good, I can’t do anything, I can’t preach; sing, etc

VI.  RESULTS OF TEMPTATIONS

1.     Temptations if yielded to, become sin 1 Tim.6:9, and the saint is weakened in testimony

2.     If resisted, the Lord is glorified, and the saint grows stronger to resist other temptations; the person grows in faith and maturity, obedience is confirmed

VII.  HOW TO GET VICTORY OVER TEMPTATIONS

1.     By the faithfulness of God 1 Cor. 10:13; Rev. 3:10, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” We can rely on the faithfulness of God, 1 Cor.1:9 God is constant and stable. He can never change

2.     By using the Word of God appropriately: Jesus quoted Scriptures three times in Matt. 4

3.     By the intercession of Christ Luke 22:31, 32, “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.”

4.     By personal prayer Matt. 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.”

5.     By fleeing II Tim. 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts.” Pro. 4:14,15; “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away”

6.     By resisting Jas. 4:7 “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”

7.     By accepting the way of escape 1 Cor. 10:13

CONCLUSION

Temptations are common to all men; every Christian must expect to be tempted. Praise the LORD for the possibility of victory through the resurrection power of Jesus Christ that brings glory to His Name. Beware of yielding to sin; to fall is easy, but the scars often remain. But conscious and let immediate restorations avail through confession, repentance and the Blood of Christ 1 John 1:9. You can decide to help someone in any form, so as not to yield to temptation but to resist Satan, and edify the Body of Christ. 
God will reward you here on earth and hereafter when Christ returns for His Church. Remain rapturable, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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