“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
Temptation is a test or trial designed to give people the opportunity to do evil and sin against God. The devil is the tempter, actively working to lead people away from God (Matt 4:3). He manipulates the truth to create doubt and makes sin appear desirable and harmless. “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” (Jam 1:13-14). In this article, we are reminded that even though the weight of temptation may feel unbearable at times, it is possible for us to resist it and stand firm in our faith.
EVERYONE IS FACING TEMPTATIONS
When faced with temptation, it is easy for you to feel like you are the only one going through it. The truth is temptation is a challenge everyone faces in different forms throughout life. People struggle with the same evil thoughts, desires and situations. Even Jesus Christ endured the same temptations we are encountering. The wonderful thing is that He did not succumb to the pressure or yield to sin. As Hebrews 4:15 reminds us: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
TEMPTATIONS ARE BEARABLE
It is important to note that God does not tempt us, rather He allows us to be tested. He is always faithful and will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. All our temptations are measured according to our ability to endure. He has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to help us resist every kind of temptation. It is through fellowship with the Holy Spirit that we develop the fruit of self-control, giving us the desire and ability to resist temptation.
The Bible encourages us to walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:16). This enables us to overcome the pull of temptation and stand firm against it. In moments of trial, it may feel as though the weight of temptation is unbearable, but God through His faithfulness and grace will never allow us to face more than we can endure (2 Cor 12:9).
THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY OUT
God finds no pleasure in seeing us struggle under the weight of temptation. He desires for us to live in freedom from sin and promises to provide a way of escape every time we are tempted. We have to take responsibility to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God, resist the enemy and he will flee from us (Jam 4:7). Often times we try to handle temptation by relying on our own strength and willpower, but true victory comes when we surrender our struggles to God in prayer, submitting to His Word and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
God assures us in Isaiah 41:13: “I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I am here to help you’”. God is not only aware of our temptations but actively involved in helping us to overcome them. We should flee from situations that lead to temptations (2 Tim 2:22).
Temptation is a challenge that believers are expected to face. It is a chance to grow closer to God by relying on His strength, wisdom and grace. When we love Him and seek to please Him, resisting temptation becomes far less daunting. The key to overcoming temptation lies in our willingness to submit to God’s will and seek His help. May we be encouraged to resist sin and remain faithful to God.
Further study: Matthew 4:1-11; James 1:12
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