“And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” (Mat 26:40-41)
Journal,
In this entry we want to look at what temptations are, how they work in a believer’s, life, and how to deal with issues of temptations.
Where Jesus says, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” this statement is very telling with regard to temptations. It allows us to see up front that a temptation is not something we want to enter into . Secondly, it tells us that temptations have their strongest avenue through our flesh life. (The flesh life refers to that part of our lives that is not under the influence of the Holy Spirit.)
Solicitations to Evil
Solicitations to evil come in many forms, but the source is the same, and the goal is pretty much the same. The word ‘temptation‘ (peirasmos) speaks of an
enticement to sin. The purpose of a temptation is to distort a believer’s faith, that is, to pull a believer away from the Lord’s spiritual oversight.
Keep in mind that a temptation is Satan’s working power. When we are in a temptation it means that Satan is seeking to bring us under his influence. A temptation from Satan, is his invitation to take part in what he has for us.
While it should be understood that a temptation of itself is not a sin, it should also be understood that a temptation can be very powerful. This is why Jesus said we must pray so that we won’t enter into a temptation.
In the Greek text, “enter into temptation” is ‘eiserchomai eis peirasmos.’ The ‘eis‘ denotes a movement from one realm of reality into another. When we enter ‘into‘ a temptation, we are actually passing into another reality. The reality in this case proves to be Satan’s doing. But once the temptation has completed its work, the one who has fallen into this ‘alternate‘ reality, and afterwards returns to their right mind, they then wonder how it could ever have happened. This shows the power of a temptation.
A false reality
Remember that a temptation has to do with a false reality. In the realm of darkness, black becomes white, and sin is not sinful. In the temptation there is a
distortion of God Himself. It is in this realm of false reality that we find the false prophet. The false prophet manipulates and distorts the truths of God.
It cannot be emphasized enough – This false reality is an issue of spiritual warfare. Satan is trying to place chains on the believer’s life that will make the believer unable to serve the Lord in a worthy way.
Paul explained it this way:
“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Rom 6:15-16)
The prophet Malachi gave the warning about believing what is not true about God:
“You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied Him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them,’ or, ‘Where is the God of justice?'” (Mal 2:17)
Did you catch it? The false prophet and the false reality says that sin doesn’t really matter because everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord. Do you see anything wrong with this picture? I hope so.
The process of deception
James gives us the process of a temptation. Listen carefully;
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted (tested) by God’ (or, ‘God is in this.’); for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone (with evil). But each one is tempted when he is carried away (demonic allurement) and enticed by his own lust (strong desire). Then when lust has conceived (the door has been walked through), it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished it brings forth death. (Something always dies. Only God can restore life.) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (James 1:13-16)
Where James says, ‘Do not be deceived,’ the word ‘deceived’ is ‘planao.’ It speaks of something that causes a wandering, or a misleading. The idea behind the word ‘deceive‘, in the Hebrew includes the thought of ‘stealing the heart.‘
Satan’s goal is to twist and turn a person’s heart. And Satan has a way of working a temptation where the person is convinced that the thing being offered is actually of God.
This even extends to the believer’s testimony. Paul tells us not to become like the world. The way to win the lost is to offer them something that they don’t already have. The strongest attraction that a Christian has is that sense of the holy that overflows throughout their life.
It was the sense of holy that drew people to the Lord Jesus.
The apostle Paul give us our instructions:
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:1-2)
Where nothing is sacred
As I shared earlier, a temptation is the working power of sin. Before the fall, Adam and Eve did not know about the power of sin. After the fall they became
well acquainted. And through the fall the human race became even more acquainted with the working of sin.
My point is that Satan doesn’t always spring a temptation on us where we instantly fall. Most often he works the pieces together in a way that when the proper moment comes, we step right through the door. Satan reasons us into sin where the forbidden doesn’t really mean forbidden, and sacred doesn’t really mean sacred.
Remember the temptation of Eve? The serpent said to her,
“Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?'”
Satan draws Eve into an area of reasoning, and by this process she comes under his power.
Satan is good at using words to paint a picture or working a puzzle. He does it stroke by stroke, piece by piece, thought by thought. All the while Satan is undermining the believer’s sense of the holy. This is why the apostle warns us about the “schemes of the devil.” (A scheme is a well thought out plan. ‘Methodeia‘ means to use craft.)
Making a defense
There is a principle in hermeneutics that says the first time you see a word or concept in Scripture, that setting will carry the definitive idea of what that word or concept means throughout Scripture. The first time we come across the word ‘deceive’ in the Scriptures, is when Eve says to the Lord,
“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Gen3:13)
The temptation of Eve, can serve as sort of a background for how temptations work in our lives.
The Scriptures tell us how to deal with temptations with regard to the power that we have in Christ Jesus:
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:11-12)
Then we have this with regard to our thought life. Remember that all temptations begin with our thought life. If the enemy can gain control over our thinking, he can gain control over the rest of our life.
Listen to Paul:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2Co 10:3-5)
And finally we have the most important element in learning to live out our victory of Jesus Christ. It all has to do with the heart.
Peter gives us this remedy:
“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled,
“…but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” (1Pe 3:13-15)
Are you ready to take the high road of faith and sanctification?
Here is your song. As you listen to this song, use the words that you see as your prayer to the Lord. Make it personal.
It is never too late to sanctify your heart before the Lord. This moment is for you.
Much love to you in Jesus,
Buddy
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