James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life what God has promised to those who love Him.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life what God has promised to those who love Him.
Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it is to do the wrong thing. Temptation simply provides the choice. While temptation is Satan's primary weapon to destroy you, God wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ.
On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it is to do the wrong thing. Temptation simply provides the choice. While temptation is Satan's primary weapon to destroy you, God wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ.
Galatians 5:22-24
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
God teaches us love by putting some unlovely people around us. It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving to you. God teaches us real joy in the midst of sorrow, when we turn to Him. Happiness depends on eternal circumstances, but joy is based on your relationship to God.
God develops real peace within us, not by making things go the way we planned, but by allowing times of chaos and confusions. We learn real peace by choosing to trust God in circumstances in which we are tempted to worry or be afraid. Patience is developed in circumstances in which we're forced to wait and are tempted to be angry or have a short fuse.
God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice. You can't claim to be good if you've never been tempted to be bad. You can't claim to be faithful if you've never had the opportunity to be unfaithful. Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be dishonest; humility grows when we refuse to be prideful; endurance develops every time you reject the temptation to give up.
How temptations work:
1. Satan identifies a desire inside of you
Eg: Sinful desire - to get revenge/control others/desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure.
Temptation starts when Satan suggests that you give in to an evil desire. Always beware of shortcuts. They are often temptations!
1. Satan identifies a desire inside of you
Eg: Sinful desire - to get revenge/control others/desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure.
Temptation starts when Satan suggests that you give in to an evil desire. Always beware of shortcuts. They are often temptations!
Mark 7:21-22
For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
2. Doubt
Hebrews 3:12
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
Hebrews 3:12
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
3. Deception
Satan says, "You will not die. You'll be wiser like God. You can get away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else is doing it. It is only a little sin." But a little sin is like being pregnant: It will eventually show itself.
Satan says, "You will not die. You'll be wiser like God. You can get away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else is doing it. It is only a little sin." But a little sin is like being pregnant: It will eventually show itself.
4. Disobedient
You finally act on the thought you've been toying with in your mind.
James 1:14-15
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.
You finally act on the thought you've been toying with in your mind.
James 1:14-15
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.
Overcoming Temptation:
1. Refuse to be intimidated
Be realistic about the inevitability of temptation; you will never be able to avoid it completely.
1. Refuse to be intimidated
Be realistic about the inevitability of temptation; you will never be able to avoid it completely.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
2. Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it
There are certain situations that make you more vulnerable to temptation. Identify them and then prepare to avoid those situations as much as possible.
There are certain situations that make you more vulnerable to temptation. Identify them and then prepare to avoid those situations as much as possible.
Ephesians 4:27
Do not give the devil a foothold.
Do not give the devil a foothold.
Wise planning reduces temptations
Proverbs 4:26-27
Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:26-27
Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil.
Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright avoids evil;
he who guards his way guards his life.
The highway of the upright avoids evil;
he who guards his way guards his life.
3. Request God's help
Heaven has a 24 hour emergency hotline.
Psalm 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.
Heaven has a 24 hour emergency hotline.
Psalm 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.
God is waiting to help us defeat temptation, why don't we turn to Him more often? Honestly, sometimes we don't want to be helped! At other times we're embarrassed to ask because we keep giving in to the same temptation over and over. But God never gets irritated, bored or impatient when we keep coming back to Him.
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
God's love is everlasting, and His patience endures forever. Ask Him for the power to do the right thing and then expect Him to provide it. Temptation keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow stronger when wind blows against a tree, so every time we stand up to temptation, we become more like Jesus.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when He has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when He has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
Verse to remember: James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when He has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when He has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
Discipline!
Discipline!
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