We often talk about temptation only when we can see the noticeable effect of it, sin, chaos, destruction. It’s hardly a topic of discussion in our day-to-day lives. However, temptation is an active phenomenon the believer is faced with everyday. The devil’s sole purpose is to derail us from God’s plan and that is his goal with every temptation that comes our way.

So when you think of temptations, realise that it’s beyond one “big” act of disobedience that comes with obvious consequences. We are constantly being tempted with hidden invitations to think differently, act differently and reduce our yieldeness and consecration to God’s will.

Satan’s goal has never been for you to err only in a particular act, but to derail you completely from God’s plan for your life. The experiences of Jesus and Israel show us this clearly.

Jesus

Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

Hebrews 2:17-18

17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus wasn’t just tempted in a particular season, we see from scriptures that he was tempted as a man on the Earth. This is because Jesus was fully man (he was hungry, felt pain, slept, wept etc ) and fully God on the Earth.

Matt 3:16-17 tells us that after Jesus was baptized he received a word from God stating “this is my beloved son, in whom I’m well pleased”. Romans 1: 4 (And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead) helps us seethat it wasn’t just a pronouncement of title, it was an assignment. Having received this assignment he was led to the wilderness to pray.

However, Matthew puts it as “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness” to be “tempted of the devil” Matthew 4:1

Here, we see three things play out here:

• God’s word
• ​An opportunity to respond to God’s word
• And the devil’s action to derail man from that word

The Children Of Israel

Exodus 6:6 -7 Therefore say to the children of Israel: “I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.”

God had sent his word through Moses to the children of Isreal, after which He led them through the wilderness.

Exodus 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And then came temptation in the cause of their journey in the wilderness.

Exodus 16:2-3

2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and

Aaron in the wilderness:

• And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Again, we see the same pattern:

• God’s word on His plan for man
• An opportunity to respond to God’s word
• And the devil’s action to derail man from that word, that is, temptation.

However, unlike them Jesus didn’t fall, his response: Matthew 4:3-4: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God

Jesus responded to the devil during the last two temptations in the wilderness and the devil eventually left him for a season. Matt 4:4-11

Israel did not overcome like Jesus did.

1 Corinthians 10: 6-10 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Their fall was called idolatry because their actions showed that they esteemed material things over God. They wanted the pleasures and comfort of life over God’s plan for them. So you see that the essence of the temptation wasn’t really about the individual sinful actions but the shift from God’s plan in their heart.

James’ Explanation

James 1:1-4 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Here, James talks to believers who as a result of persecution are faced with several temptations. They were going through persecution because of God’s word that came to them- preach the gospel to all men. The persecutions presented them with an opportunity to yield to God and live out His plan or yield to the temptation to abandon His plan.

We learn that although temptation comes to derail us from God’s plan, when we choose to stand strong in the face of the temptation like Jesus did, it strengthens our faith. James says the man will be mature (perfect) and lacking nothing (in his walk).

Notwithstanding, James states emphatically that temptation doesn’t come from God, lest you think God causes persecution or sufferings in order to strengthen our faith.

James 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Hence, from James, the pattern remains the same and clearer

●​ God’s word to do his will

●​ An opportunity to respond to God’s word

●​ The devil’s action to derail man

●​ Man’s response- to stand strong in the faith or fall- to the devil’s temptation

●​ And man’s walk as a result of his response from the temptation- a mature/strong man or a weak/immature man in his walk with God.

In conclusion, Paul says in 1 Cor 10:13-14, 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. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Common to man- human

With- a union or togetherness

This means

• No temptation that you’ll or you are facing is peculiar to you. The temptation to derail from God’s will is human, it happens to us all and will continue as long as we are on earth.
• God is faithful and always present in temptation for good. He provides us with his word and a way of escape.
• We overcome temptation by responding to God’s word and taking the way of escape he has provided. The bestresponse in the time of temptation is to flee from every appearance of evil.
  
  How to ensure you always win
• Devote yourself to spiritual growth- prayer, study and meditating on the scriptures. The hour of temptation is not the time for prayer and study, it’s the time for action. And you can only act from what your mind has been earlier fed with.
• Ensure you’re not without the protective defence of God’s family- a local church you’re accountable to. Sin thrives in secret or isolation.
• Obey quickly. Don’t make grey what the word of God explains in clear white and black. Act swiftly.