TRIUMPHING OVER TEMPTATIONS

Pastor John P. Lutz

A woodpecker is an annoying bird to be around, but he also is relentless. As he searches for insects to consume, he moves from tree to tree. “The secret of his success is simple. When a woodpecker finds a suitable tree, he begins to drill a hole. If the wood is too hard or no bugs are found, he simply moves over a bit and starts again. Over and over he continues, until he meets with success. Satan uses temptation in much the same way. He will try one temptation on us and then if not successful will move over a bit and try another. And so he will continue, over and over again, until he finds a soft spot in us that he can use to his advantage.” 1 This is how the devil operates and this is this why the Bible admonishes us to know our enemy. He is not to gain superiority over the Christian. Paul said, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices” (II Corinthians 2:11).

Every Christian struggles with fleshly temptations. It is a constant, daily battle to overcome them. But God never designed for believers to live a defeated life. It was never His intention for us to be pushed around and enslaved to our sin habits. This is why we are charged to put His “spiritual armor” on every day for protection (Ephesians 6:10-18). We have the victory in Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25). “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:57). One little girl explained how she faced temptations and gained the victory by saying: "When the devil knocks at my door, I send Jesus to answer it."

Perhaps as you read this booklet you find yourself discouraged about your unclean thought life, or your unpredictable anger, or your uncontrollable tongue. Well, my friend, there is hope! Christ has provided the panacea. With His Word, you and I can triumph over temptations! The Apostle John wrote, “I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one” (I John 2:14).

WHAT ARE OUR TEMPTATIONS?

Our temptations are generally described as an invitation to sin or an enticement to do wrong, “with the implied promise of greater good to be derived from following the way of disobedience.” 2 The term “temptation” is used in the Bible to communicate two shades of meaning. Harper’s Bible Dictionaryexplains this two-fold purpose:

“ The first is that of ‘testing’ or ‘proving by testing,’ to determine the depth and seriousness of one’s commitment to God (i.e. God’s command to Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice in Genesis 22:1-19; the testing of Job in Job 1-2). The intent of this testing is ultimately to strengthen the person’s faith and adoration to God. The secondnuance of temptation is more in line with modern popular understandings of the term, namely, an enticement toward sin leading to a deliberate act of evil against God or one’s neighbor.” The Scriptures are clear, however, that God does not tempt us to do evil. James said, “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” (James 1:13).

The devil, known as the supreme “tempter” (Matthew 4:3), tempts in order to bring out the worst in us; nevertheless, God tests us to bring out our best. The Scriptures command us to resist our temptations and pray for deliverance. In Luke 11:4, Jesus told his disciples to pray: “And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” God will not allow believers to be tempted beyond their Spirit-given ability to endure” (I Corinthians 10:13; II Peter 2:9). “Temptation is not sin, for Christ was tempted as we are, yet remained sinless (Hebrews 4:15). Temptation becomes sin only when and as the suggestion of evil is accepted and yielded to.” 3

There are numerous types of temptations that confront the Christian: an unforgiving spirit, a harmful tongue, a worldly attitude, an ungodly thought life, evil companionship, over-indulgence in food, covetousness, etc. Believers from the Old and New Testament era have all had their share of struggles.

• With Moses, it was murder.
• With Elijah, it was deep depression.
• With Peter, it was public denial.
• With Samson, it was recurring lust.
• With Thomas, it was cynical doubting.
• With Jacob, it was deception. 4

WHERE DO WE FIND HELP IN THE SCRIPTURES?

The Christian needs the daily nourishment of God’s Word if he expects to overcome his sin habits and mature. The Psalmist said, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors” (Psalm 119:24). The Bible is a source book and manual for all soul work and is comprehensive in the diagnosis of every spiritual matter. II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that the Scripture is profitable for doctrine (what to believe), for reproof (when you err), for correction (how to get right again), and for instruction in righteousness (how to stay on the right path in life). Growth is imperative for victory and can only be attained through Bible study and proper meditation of God’s Word. The mind is like an advanced computer. Whatever we put into it will come out in our lives. If we saturate our minds with the Word, the result will be holy and righteous living.

The Bible is sometimes characterized as milk and meat. Milk speaks of the basic doctrines, while meat refers to the more difficult truths. I Peter 2:2 states, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” Knowledge of the Word is crucial if we desire to triumph over our temptations. Our spiritual vitality is in direct proportion to our time alone with God. George Mueller once said: “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. I solemnly state this from the experience of 54 years. The first 3 years after conversion I neglected the word of God. Since I began to search it diligently the blessing has been wonderful. Great has been the blessing from consecutive, diligent, daily study.”

I Corinthians 10:13

II Peter 2:9

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.”

Hebrews 2:18

“For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (aid) them that are tempted.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Romans 8:37

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Psalm 1:1-2

“Blessed (happy) is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Psalm 119:9-11

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Luke 22:31-32

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

WHAT MUST WE REMEMBER?

The devil is the author of our temptations. David experienced this firsthand in I Chronicles 21:1- “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” The Scriptures tell us that Christ was “led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1). The source of all temptations comes from the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).

• God is able to rescue believers from their temptations. Peter said, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (II Peter 2:9). We are also reminded in Rev. 3:10 that Christ delivers us from “the hour of temptation.”

• Our temptations come from lusts. James 1:14 says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” The Greek word (“drawn away”) describes an individual who is attracted and lured into a trap. The strong cravings of our sinful flesh pull us away from God.

• Wrong associations and environments are the instruments of temptation. This is especially important for young people to remember. Solomon warned in the book of Proverbs, “A violent man enticeth his neighbor, and leadeth him into the way that is not good” (16:29).

• Our surrender to temptations reveals a distrust of God’s care and providence over our lives. We are foolishly driven to seek happiness and satisfaction outside of Christ. Once we experience the pain and disappointment of our own pursuits, we eventually adhere to Romans 8:32- “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Jesus stated in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

• God’s people are commanded to respond properly to temptation- avoid it (Proverbs 4:14-15), resist it (Ephesians 6:16), watch it (Matthew 26:41), pray (Matthew 6:13), restore others (Galatians 6:1).

• Jesus Christ is our perfect model in enduring and overcoming temptations (Luke 10:25; Hebrews 2:18; Matt. 4:4,7,10-11; John 17:15). Mark 1:13 says, “And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.”

HOW DO WE HAVE CONTINUAL VICTORY?

Unfortunately, most Christians want to be delivered from their temptations, but “would like to keep in touch” 5 with them. Wilbur Chapman once said: "My life is governed by this rule: Anything that dims my vision of Christ or takes away my taste for Bible study or cramps my prayer life or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it."

1. There must be a cry for Christlikeness and holiness if we ever hope to have continual victory.

Paul’s prayer for the young Galatian Christians was for “Christ to be formed” in them (Galatians 4:19). Paul himself said, “ That I may know him (Christ), and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). Overcoming our foe and all his subtle tactics begins with a pursuit for the “excellency of the knowledge of Christ.” A. W. Tozer remarked:

“At the root of all true spiritual growth is a set of right and sanctified desires. The whole Bible teaches that we can have whatever we want badly enough if, it hardly need be said, our desire is according to the will of God. The desire after God and holiness is back of all real spiritually, and when that desire becomes dominant in the life nothing can prevent us from having what we want. The longing cry of the God-hungry soul can be expressed in the five words of the song, ‘Oh, to be like Thee!’ While this longing persists there will be steady growth in grace and a constant progress toward Christlikeness.”

Christ is our supreme role model. We are “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10). If we ever hope to conquer fleshy attacks and fiery darts, we must look to him for victory. The Apostle alluded to this in II Corinthians, when he said, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (3:5). Jesus is our example in the following ways:

• He defeated Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11)

• He resisted by using the Word of God (Matthew 4:4,7,10)

• He sympathizes with those under temptations (Hebrews 4:15)

• He is able to assist those in the midst of temptations (Hebrews 2:18)

• He is willing to intercede on behalf of His children (Luke 22:31-32)

2. There must be a deeper understanding of who God is.

The more we know about the character and unfailing love of our God, the greater our desire to please Him and not hurt Him with our sinfulness. Our yielding to temptations hurts God. His heart is broken - not just His law (Genesis 39:7-14; Ephesians 4:30).

Over the years, as a pastor, I have noticed that the two most common problems that church men face and need help in are: a) constructive use of anger; b) control of sensual lusts. These temptation problems could be solved much more effectively if believers had an intimate knowledge of the God of heaven.  

He is the Creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1–31; Ephesians 3:9). There is only one true and living God (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is a spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; II Corinthians 6:18). He delivers from sin all those who come to him by faith in His Son (Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:8-9).

Isaiah 45:5-7

“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me… I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”

God is perfect in all His attributes! He has incommunicable and communicable attributes: eternality (Psalms 90:1-2), immutability (James 1:17), omnipresence (Psalms 139:7-10), omnipotence (Matthew 19:26), omniscience (Genesis 6:5), holiness (I Peter 1:15-16), faithfulness (I Corintians10:13), mercy (James 5:13), truth (John 14:6), love (I John 4:8,16), etc.

God controls all humans and history! He regularly maintains, directs, and governs all creatures and affairs (I Chronicles 29:11). If we resist our temptations, we glorify Him. Glorifying God is the chief purpose of all saints (Psalms 22:23; Isaiah 42:12). To glorify God means to magnify, praise, extol and ascribe worth to Him.

I Corinthians 6:20

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

3. There must be a forgiving spirit in us.

I’m absolutely convinced that Joseph (Genesis 39) would have fallen into immorality if he had let bitterness and an unforgiving spirit take over his life. Genuine forgiveness must run deep. It is not a thin surface patch on a relationship, but an inner change of heart toward the offender. One of the reasons we may be living a defeated Christian life is that we are not willing to forgive and forget. C.S. Lewis had this to say about forgiveness:

"I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him."

We are often tempted not to forgive others that have injured or hurt us. Too often we think we have extended forgiveness when we have only covered over our resentment.6 Matthew 18:21-22 says, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” This means innumerable times! The number seven was not to set a limit on the number of times to forgive (Psalms 119:164), but exactly the opposite. Jesus meant that forgiveness should be granted unendingly (Colossians 3:13). Are you a forgiving person?

4. There must be an attitude of resistance.

The Christian life is not a playground but a battleground. We are doing battle with sin every minute of the day. There is never a cease-fire in this life; there is never a truce. Peace is impossible - sin never takes a day off. According to I John 3:9, no one who is born of God can be at peace with sin. David is an example of someone who temporarily did not resist and was ambushed. Are you resisting or succumbing (I Peter 5:9)? One author said: “If you cut the flesh any slack, you’ll watch it regroup and revive. You may even end up worse off than you were before.” 7

James 4:7

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Galatians 5:16-17

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

5. There must be a consciousness of watching and praying.

In the spiritual arena, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We must be alert and on guard. The believer has to be in a constant state of prayer (II Chronicles 7:14; John 15:5-7; Acts 4:31; Psalms 65:2). Jesus said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

The Bible Illustrator shares an example of our need to be watchful:

“Some time ago, a scientific magazine published an article concerning a certain species of alligator. Being lazy beasts, they seldom hunt for their dinner, but just wait for their unwary victims to come to them. They lie near the bank with open mouths, acting as if they are dead. Soon flies begin to light on their moist tongues, and several other insects gather. This crowd attracts bigger game. A lizard will crawl up to the alligator to feed on the bugs; then a frog joins the party. Presently a whole menagerie is there; then there is a sudden "earthquake" -- WHAM -- the giant jaws come together and the party is over!”

II Corinthians 11:14-15

“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

God never gives real power to unbroken and sinful people (I Peter 5:6-7; Proverbs 22:4; Isaiah 57:15). However, in spite of the devil’s temptations, the Bible remains quick and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). It is a source of victory for us. God asked the prophet Jeremiah, “Is not my word like a fire?…like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (23:29)?8 Are you defeating your daily temptations with the Word of God?

Christian, the more we know the Scriptures, the better we can march through Satan’s kingdom, cutting right through our temptations and triumphing over them. Christ destroyed the power and influence of sin at Calvary’s cross (Colossians 2:15). Chesterton, who described sin as a Rhino, once said:

“If the rhinoceros were to enter this restaurant now, there is no denying he would have great power here. But I should be the first to rise and assure him that he has no authority whatsoever.”9

1 The Bible Illustrator

2 Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary

3 The New Bible Dictionary

4 The Bible Illustrator

5 Orbin, Robert. The Bible Illustrator

6 The Bible Illustrator

7 Lungaard, Kris. The Enemy Within

8 Getting the Most Out of God’s Word

9 Lungaard, Kris. The Enemy Within