Temptation Serie5

Temptation Series

Part 5

“Your Cue to Flee Temptation”

2 Tim 2:22

1 Cor. 6:18

Gen. 39:11

The word “FLEE” is a strong word. It means “to run away, to escape.”

When this word is used in the Bible it is always in the context of a person running away from something as if in terror.

When Jesus was arrested, it says that “…all the disciples left him, and fled.”

Same word! Flee for your life, run away in order to escape!

There are times when we are called to stand our ground in hand to hand combat with the enemy.

And there are other times when we are called to flee as if our lives depended on it.

The primary sin found in scripture we are to flee from is sexual sin, the sin of immorality.

But the command to flee can also include those sins where we might have a particular weakness.

It may be drinking, or drugs, or the tendency to involve yourself in some other destructive sin.

Whatever it may be:

We should flee when to linger too long weakens our resolve and greatly increases the chances we will give in.

Martin Luther once said, "Don't sit near the fire if your head is made of butter."

The closer we get to the fire, the hotter the fire feels to us. Even though the fire remains at the same temperature, the heat affects us according to our nearness to it.

TEMPTATION FACT: “It is hard to pick forbidden fruit if you are a hundred yards away, but it is easy if you are at an arm's length.”

80% of victory over temptation is to avoid the scene of temptation.

ILLUS: One day a couple of boys tried to walk through a corral when a bull saw them and began to charge.

One of the boys said, "Let's stop and pray."

The other boy said, "No, let's run and pray!"

Which one do you think got out alive?

They didn't need to resist the bull inside of the corral. They needed to run out of the area where they were vulnerable.

FACT: There’s nothing cowardly about letting the Tempter see your back as you wisely turn and flee.

Now, since Paul aimed his warning at those experiencing sexual temptation, I want to focus first on that.

It is here where the enemy is particularly crafty.

He knows that it is much harder to take a child of God down in a blatant, obvious temptation to sexual sin.

So he must paint his temptation in a more acceptable context.

He does this by tempting the child of God through the gateway of emotions—such as through a friendship, or a working relationship, or mutual interests that can produce a natural affinity between two people.

So let me share with you today some warning signs that are your cue to flee before you’re too close to the flame to turn back:

FIRST, IF YOU’RE MARRIED, LISTEN UP!

Cue #1:

When you find yourself thinking about how much you enjoy being with a “friend, co-worker, or ministry partner.” -- FLEE!

FACT: Just because you like being around them does not mean you’re getting some kind of “sign” that you’ve found your soul mate.

You already have your soul mate and His name is Jesus!

Cue #2 that it’s time to flee:

When you look forward to spending more time with this person, and you make sure you look especially nice when you know you’re gonna see them…

ALL OF A SUDDEN you’re hittin’ the gym, pullin that dusty treadmill out of the closet, dropping that weight, toning up and slimming down, paying special attention to how you look…for them.

The Bible says you better FLEE!

Cue #3

If you’re beginning to fantasize about being with this person in ways that would be wrong in real life…

LISTEN CAREFULLY: Thinking it precedes doing it, dreaming it precedes acting on it.

The Bible says this is your cue to FLEE!

A 4th cue to flee is:

When you become secretive about your interaction with your “friend” because people like your spouse might “misunderstand” your friendship.

HINT: If your spouse wouldn’t understand, God probably doesn’t either.

The Bible says FLEE!

A 5th cue to flee is:

If you begin receiving cards, e-mails or presents from this person that you would not want your spouse to see.

Friend, you need to FLEE!

FACT: The greatest safety net you have is your spouse. Keep no secrets from them.

If you think you’ve got something to hide, you’ve probably got something to hide.

Another cue to flee is:

When you find yourself comparing your spouse in an unfavorable way to your new “friend.”

ALWAYS REMEMBER: Your new friend is putting on his or her best face literally and figuratively around you.

Sir, you haven’t seen her without makeup and her hair in curlers.

Lady, you haven’t seen him on a Saturday morning when he doesn’t care anymore about sucking in his gut to impress you!

ILLUS: The story is told of a man fell in love with an opera singer. But he fell in love with her voice without really getting to know her.

All he knew was that she had a voice like a bird that he could listen to the rest of his days.

After courting her and a whirl-wind marriage, they began their honeymoon.

At the hotel, she disappeared into the bathroom where she removed her false eyelashes, her wig, her false teeth, her makeup, and her prosthetic leg.

She reappeared at the bathroom door and asked, “What do you think?”

He took one look and cried, “Sing woman, sing!”

One final cue to FLEE is:

If you start confiding in your “friend” about your marital problems.

This is a trap.

Never share your marital struggles with a member of the opposite sex. It’s none of their business and you are only inviting disaster.

Now let’s go back to the issue of keeping secrets, whether you’re single or married:

Anytime we feel we must keep something secret is a sure sign that sin is crouching at our door.

If you feel you’ve got to keep it secret, it’s probably something you shouldn’t be keeping at all!

For instance, by God’s grace there is nothing in my life that I would feel the need to hide from a Christian friend, my spouse or the church.

WHY? Because I know that Satan operates in darkness, in the shadows of a secret.

Our enemy will do his best to convince you that your “secret” is too terrible to tell anyone about.

He wants to lock you in a secret prison cell through shame, fear and pride.

HERE IS THE REMEMDY:

Get it out

If you are experiencing sexual attraction to someone—or experiencing some other kind of temptation for more than a few days (single or married) – go to your spouse or someone you can trust in the Body of Christ, and get it out.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: Darkness is overcome by light, so bring the secret out into the light of day.

After getting it out:

Pray it up

Ask your spouse, or friend, or counselor for prayer.

“Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and PRAY also for one another, that you may be healed and restored.”—James 5:16

After getting it out and praying it up:

Lock the door

We lock the door to our sin by being accountable to others.

Rick Warren wrote the following words about accountability:

“If you’re losing the battle against a persistent bad habit, an addiction, or a temptation, and you're stuck in a repeating cycle of:

good intention—failure—guilt

good intention—failure—guilt,

…you will not get better on your own.

You need the help of other people.

Some temptations are only overcome with the help of a partner who prays for you, encourages you, and holds you accountable.

PRAY: Do you need to flee a temptation today? Do you need to share your battle with someone else? Let’s pray…