A Tempting Offer – Part 2

Yes, Jesus was tempted “in every way” just like we are. But the Bible says, “yet without sin”. How did He do that? Can we do that? Let’s take a look….

Jesus learned or developed a perfect and powerful method of handling the barrage of temptation thrown at Him by Satan. We all know the story of Jesus being led into the wilderness to be tempted and tested. He had not eaten in 40 days. He was in a desert. He was tired, hot, famished, thirsty, alone. He, like us, was vulnerable. The enemy thrives on vulnerable.

What happens when you are trying desperately to lose the spare tire around your middle…..someone makes your favorite dessert, or you go out to your favorite restaurant. What about when you and your wife haven’t had any intimate encounters in a couple of weeks….? You get to go on a road trip out of town all alone. And you can pretty much guess what things will be like at home after you’ve had a killer day at the office. Yes – the enemy knows when your weak, tired, on edge, and vulnerable and you can bet your bottom dollar he will try to take advantage.

Satan approaches Jesus where He is most vulnerable first – food. He is starving. I have fasted for a few days before, and I guess I am just a woos. I can’t make it very long. Jesus is on day 40, and a little hot bread would taste mighty good.  But Jesus models for all of us the ultimate method of resisting temptation when it comes our way (and it will).

Even though He is quite hungry, He doesn’t give the enemy the time of day. He doesn’t mull over his offer. He doesn’t try to rationalize how God would understand since He is so hungry, and must keep His strength up to do ministry. He doesn’t consider it at all. It is as if He doesn’t even hear it. He immediately 1) takes his thought life “captive” (see  2 Cor. 10:5), then  2) speaks the truth (God’s Word) out loud to the tempter (he doesn’t wrestle in his mind), and uses His God-given authority to rebuke and rebuff the temptation.

Does the enemy run off and hide? Not a chance. He comes right back and tries another angle. Twice more, he circles around and tries to touch another nerve to get Jesus to bite. All three times Jesus follows the same pattern. Do you think there could be a lesson here for us?

You will be tempted, so “be alert”. Especially when you are most vulnerable. Expect it.

Satan is a liar and cannot tell the truth. The temptation will always come as a thought. It is a lie. “You deserve…..”, “No one will know….”, “It won’t hurt anyone…”, “I’ll stop after this time….”. – Satan has a thousand “reasons” to throw at you. If he can get you to bite the hook and agree with one of them, he will start reeling you in. Don’t stop to think about what he is whispering. Don’t listen. Don’t ponder. Don’t agree. Act now.

Speak God’s Word out loud regarding the temptation you are facing.

Satan is not omniscient. He doesn’t know or hear your thoughts. You cannot argue with, or confront him in your mind. Like Jesus, we must learn to speak to the tempter when temptation comes. It is not enough to think, or wish or hope it goes away. We have to know and use the authority of God’s Words….the Bible.  Speak the Word appropriate to the situation. Example: “I will set no unclean thing before my eyes” – or “I am a child of the King and my body is the temple of His Holy Spirit”. The Bible is full of truth regarding who you are and what you have as a child of the King and a joint heir with Christ. You are bigger than this. Don’t fall for his schemes.

Use your God-given authority to rebuke and resist his assaults.

Luke 10:19 says – I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy;  We have the authority of Jesus when we are confronted by the enemy. In His name, we can vanquish all the assaults and schemes of the enemy. Also – memorize:

2 Corinthians 10:4 – The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

You and I have all the authority we need to not only resist temptation – but to live our life in daily victory over sin. The enemy will come. The temptations will enter our mind. What we do with them from there will determine whether we continue to “do those things I don’t want to do” which keep us in guilt and shame – or use the authority we have been given, and the sword of the Spirit (the Word) against them and begin to experience a life of victory and joy.

Let’s Live Like Who We Are.

Huz

A Tempting Offer

Let’s face it – we’re all tempted. Most likely every day, in some way, we are tempted spiritually, mentally or physically. It is a part of living in a fallen, sinful world and it is part of living in a war zone. As I hope you know by now, we live in a world where the clash between good and evil rages all around us every single day. Whether we acknowledge it or not, or engage in it or not, doesn’t make it any less a reality.

Since creation, our enemy has been diabolically and deliberately out to destroy us (and our marriages). The Bible informs us that our enemy has “schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11, Eph. 6:11). In this post, let’s talk about one scheme we are all very familiar with – temptation. One of the many descriptions the Bible uses for the enemy, is “the tempter”. We should never question where a tempting thought comes from – straight from the evil one or one of his “principalities, powers, or spiritual minions. James 1:13 reminds us that God does not tempt anyone.

So – is it okay to be tempted? Absolutely! Everyone has been, is being, or will be – even Jesus was tempted. The difference is, the Bible says – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).  Did you catch that? He was tempted in every way, yet He did not sin. Was He tempted to have a lustful thought toward an attractive woman, or to say  unkind and hurtful words, or live a totally selfish day doing whatever He wanted to do? “In every way” means just that.

But He was God, you say. Of course He could resist. He had special powers that we don’t have.

Not so fast. Philippians 2 reminds us that Christ stripped himself of his divinity, and humbly took the form of a human being. Jesus said of himself -

I can do nothing of my own initiative ( John 5, John 8 )and, the Son of Man can do nothing of himself also in John 5.

Temptation is part of life. We know it is coming and we know where it comes from – yet, we still find ourselves looking, thinking and acting in ways we know we shouldn’t. How did Jesus handle temptation? When does temptation become sin? How can I find victory over those attitudes and actions that keep bringing me down?

Tune in next time….

Huz

Victoria’s Secret

Actually, it’s no secret at all. Man’s primary sex organ is our eyes – and today’s marketing firms and retail outlets know it full well. We are instinctively attracted to beauty – and not just female beauty. We love being outdoors, fishing, hiking, camping, hunting, biking – because we are drawn to God’s beauty in creation. The cool, crisp Fall air. The sight of mallards cupping to land in your hunting hole. A beautiful rainbow trout on the end of your line. Mountains, beaches, rivers, etc., – these are things of beauty. Something deep in our masculine soul shouts “Yes!” when we experience things like these.

Trouble is – one of the most beautiful things God ever created is called “woman”. When Adam laid eyes on her, he exclaimed “WOW”. I am sure Eve was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen – and he had seen them all. Ever since, man has been magnetically attracted to beautiful women. It truly is in our DNA to look. Our wives don’t really understand because their DNA isn’t like that. They notice attractive men, but they are not as tempted to linger as we are, and there in is the potential problem.

It’s not the looking that is the problem, it’s the lingering, the pondering, the imagining that entices us. Remember what James tells us in James 1:14-15 – But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 

Looking is not the temptation. Looking is not the sin. It is actually possible for a man to look upon a beautiful woman and say “wow, she is beautiful” and not sin at all.

The danger is what happens in our mind. See the words in the above verse – lured, enticed by his own desire. If we are not walking in the Spirit, and actively taking our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, we will not be able to withstand the enemy’s luring, justifying voice of temptation. It is our mind that is the primary battlefield for this, and all other, spiritual battles. That is why it is critical for all of us to constantly renew our minds with the Word, and actively practice taking our thoughts captive.

The Word tells us very plainly and emphatically – “Above ALL else, guard your heart (mind)”. Above all else is a pretty bold statement. In Romans 12:2 we are instructed to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that God’s Word judges the thoughts and attitudes of our heart (mind). The way to freedom over lust and sexual temptation is to do just that. We must marinate our minds in God’s Word every single day. We have to know what He says and what He offers us in order to even be willing to take our thoughts captive.

If you are being lured away by looking, or lingering….. the Bible is very clear – flee.

Don’t think, just run. Turn away and run to the Word. Guard your heart.

Victoria knows our secret. But we also know hers.

Huz