VICTORY AGAINST TEMPTATION

James 4:1–8 KJV 1900

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Paul described a kind of wrestling far different than most televised wrestling today, which is nothing more than entertainment aside. show.

Hulk Hogan and some other hunk throw each other out of the ring while everybody screams. But in Paul's day, wrestling matches were serious, grim events. Usually, two slaves wrestled in a final match until one could no longer get up. The winner would then climb to his feet and put his foot on the neck of the loser.

Why would a wrestler risk blindness like that? Because the slave who won was set free along with his family. Their names were inscribed on the wall of city, he never had to pay taxes again, and his children would have access to the finest education. It was worth the risk.

When you and I wrestle principalities and powers in the demonic realm, there's much at stake too. If we lose or fail to resist, we fall into sin that breaks our spiritual fellowship with the Father and can lead us into increasing spiritual attacks and bondage.

Have you been losing your battles with temptation? Let me encourage you to get alone with the Lord and pray, "Lord, show me where I'm vulnerable." It could be worry; it could be bitterness. I don't know what your temptation "hot buttons" are, but I know who does the enemy of your soul. So does the Lord, and He can show you what they are so that you can be prepared to resist the tempter when he comes.

The best form of resistance is the one Jesus used, the Word. Find specific Scriptures that speak to your needs and be ready to use them when Satan comes against you. You can resist the tempter and walk in the light.

There is a sin that easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1). We all have it. I wish to eliminate mine, but God has not seen fit to remove it. But He says, "Jim, I'll give you something better. I'll give you more grace" (see James 4:6). Remember, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Now that we know we're on the winning cam in Chris, we need to understand how to live like a winner. As I suggested in the last chapter, it's not always easy to tell the winners from the losers when you look around. That's because even though Satan is a defeated enemy, he's still in there fighting. And even though he knows the war is lost, he still wins a lot of battles against God's people. Why is this, given the power Christ has and given that we are seated with Him?

I believe it goes back to something I mentioned earlier: the fact that many Christians have never once resisted the devil in spiritual warfare. Yet, as we have seen in James 4:7, we are told to "resist the devil."

Recognizing the Tempter

This lesson will discuss what it means to "resist the devil." I've shared this material with thousands of missionaries, pastors, other Christian workers, and laypeople worldwide, and many have told me how much it helped them see how the enemy works and how we can stand against him. I hope you'll find practical help here for your daily Christian life because spiritual warfare is not the exception but the rule for the child of God. The apostle Paul said we all wrestle against demonic spirits (see Ephesians 6:12).

In Chapter 12 we asked some tough questions; let me begin this chapter with several more. How can we resist an enemy we can't see if we don't know he's there? Why is it we don't recognize his temptations until after we fail? That seems late. Do we have to lie in the ditch before we realize, "I think I've just come to grips with the enemy"?

We want to deal with these issues so we can get on the front side of temptation before we run off the road and wind up in the ditch. But to do this we've got to know how Satan operates because he usually doesn't knock and say, "Logan, this is the devil. I'm here to wipe you out today."

We'll find some answers to our questions in the book of James, a portion of Scripture I thank God for day after day. The reason we don't recognize the enemy's involvement in temptation is found in James 1:12-14

James 1:12–14 KJV 1900

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 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: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

The first thing James tells us is that if we endure temptation, it's a sign that we love the Lord Jesus (v. 12). The second thing is that if we are tempted to do evil, we can know it's not from God, because He does not tempt us. God tries or tests us to draw us to Himself, while Satan tempts us to draw us away from God and to Himself.

God's Tests

This is so important. How do you know if what you're facing is a temptation from the enemy or a test from God? A question to ask yourself is, If I give in to these thoughts if I go ahead and do them, will I find myself being drawn closer to the Lord or pulled away from Him? If the situation is a test from God, you will be spiritually stronger if you follow the leading.

Now, you and I can fail God's test, and the failure may draw us away from Him. But that's an entirely different matter than yielding to sin.

God’s testing aims to draw us into a deeper, closer walk with Him.

God's Revelation - Offering your best

After God tests us, He often reveals aspects of His character we would have never known if we hadn't gone through the test. Just ask Abraham. If Abraham had failed the test in the offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah, he would never have known God as Jehovah Jireh, "the LORD will provide" (Genesis 22:14). But because Abraham endured the test, God revealed to him His character as the Provider for His people.

Haven't you had this happen to you? You go through some tests, and you see God's sufficiency in a way you had never seen it before.

Looking back over our family life, I'm thankful for the tests God has put the Logan family through. I wouldn’t ever want to repeat many of them, but God was faithful and we learned something new and wonderful about Him each time.

One test I wouldn't want to repeat was the time we thought our second daughter, Terri, was just a baby and was dying. We didn't know what to do. The one thing we were afraid to do was give her to the Lord.

We wrestled with this, but finally, we got on our knees and said, "Lord, you can take our little girl if that's what You want to do." It was the hardest thing we ever did.

The most awful thoughts would come. Here I am in Bible school, preparing to serve God. That's what happens. You're going to serve God, and your little girl gets sick and will die.

Yes, I was accusing God. Do you know where those thoughts came from? Can you smell the brimstone? I can now, but at that time I didn't recognize it. I didn't understand the enemy, didn't realize that he put those thoughts there. I was struggling with God. Here I was ready to be His servant, and He was going to take my daughter. I thought, That's what you get. You might as well go back.

God saw fit not to take our daughter. Now I understand that the temptation to doubt God, to question His goodness and character, and to throw in the towel was not from Him -no temptation to doubt and discouragement ever is.

Understanding the Enemy's Temptations

On the contrary, James says in verse 14 that all of us are tempted when we are "drawn away of [our] own desires, and enticed

James 4:14 KJV 1900

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

No One Is Exempt

Notice first that "every" person is tempted. That underscores what Paul said about our wrestling with the forces of evil in spiritual warfare. No Christian is exempt from the battle.

TEMPTATION MEANT TO KILL

Also, James says every one of us is tempted in exactly the same way. Not in exactly the same things, but in the same way-through our lusts.

Before we can hope to recognize and resist Satan's involvement in our temptations, we have to understand how he works. Satan only tempts us to do what we would secretly do anyway. Otherwise, it's no temptation. It doesn't have any appeal to us.

All of us are vulnerable to temptation. Satan knows your combination, and mine too. So when I'm tempted, it seems so normal that I don't recognize the one behind it. He's only asking me to do what I'm weak at anyway. I don't recognize the true source of the temptation because what I'm being tempted to do does not seem unusual, or "off the wall," for me.

Again, what may tempt others may not tempt you, but you can be sure Satan will tempt you in your vulnerable areas. When I'm counseling with or teaching men, I make this point by asking them a question:

"If you were standing on a street corner in downtown Sioux City [or their hometown] and you suddenly got the thought to drop your pants, what would you do?"

Invariably, the men laugh and say, "Nothing." Why? Because for most of them, that's such an off the wall thing to do they wouldn't even consider it.

But do you know what? For some men I've dealt with, that temptation wouldn't be a cause for laughter. They would think about it. Their hands would sweat. They would have to fight hard not to do it. Why?

Because they are battling a form of sexual bondage that makes actions like that seem appealing.

Or consider four men riding along in a car.

All of a sudden they pass an adult bookstore. The two men in the front seat have been to stores like this one. Going there is a tremendous battle for them. The two guys in the back seat have never had a problem with pornography.

So guess what happens? While the two guys in the front seat check out the address, the guys in the back seat say, "Look at that place. Someone ought to burn it down." To these men, it's not a temptation; it's an eyesore and detestable.

Don't Judge Others

PORNOGRAPHY - The two in the back seat abhor pornography and can't understand why anyone would mess with it. But let's suppose these same two men happen to have tremendous problems with lust for material things.

GREED - They'd do or sacrifice almost anything to get ahead, to be able to have a new car, better clothing, or a larger house.

ALCOHOL - Do you know what most of us have a tendency to do? If we're the kind of person who goes after money, we look down our noses at the people who use pornography. They're the bad guys. And the pornography users reason that at least they're not cheating or hurting someone else by looking at a few pictures. We all tend to justify our particular sin.

GOSSIP -

Remember, we are neither to judge others nor think ourselves superior because of the areas in which we are immune to temptation. As Paul warns, we are to "take heed lest [we fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

LYING -

PRIDE -

Knowing What to Resist

Interestingly, we are never told in the Bible to resist temptation. Do you know of a verse that says we should resist temptation? No, the Bible always tells us to resist the tempter.

The Wrong Focus

Why is this? Because if we try to resist the temptation, what are we looking at? The very thing that wipes us out.

One week I spoke on the principles of spiritual warfare with a particular mission group. Before arriving, I had decided I was going to lose weight during the conference, which I thought would be easy because everyone knows missionaries don't get paid much and the meals probably would be simple. Then one day at the conference I'm walking through the meal line and find my mouth start to water. Satan must have cooked the desserts here last night, I told myself. There before my eyes was this piece of strawberry pie with whipped cream on it. And it was free. What could I do?

The Right Focus

Let me give you an illustration of how we are to resist, using our great example, Jesus. He shows that we resist with God's truth, the Scripture.

In Luke 4 we read that He was tempted even though He was filled with the Spirit: "Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil" (w. 1-2a).

Notice that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for one purpose: to be tempted. So we learn something very important and encouraging right off. It's no sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted in "all points" like we're tempted (Hebrews 4:15

Hebrews 4:15 KJV 1900

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

What Satan does, though, is tell us, "You thought about it. You might as well do it." That's right out of the pit, because it may not have been my thought at all, but an intruding thought from him. That means I don't have to entertain it or act on it.

Peter (Matthew 16:23) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:3) had intruding thoughts from Satan. The problem was that they didn't resist those thoughts, and it cost the latter two their lives. Ananias and Sapphira were judged because they acted on Satan's thoughts, not because they had them.

In Luke 4:3 we read that Satan spoke to the Lord Jesus. Did Jesus hear what Satan said to Him? Yes, He did, and He heard Satan's wrong advice. We know that because He answered each temptation specifically.

Thus Jesus received wrong thoughts.

But notice that Jesus never acted on those wrong thoughts He thoroughly renounced them, as a matter of fact. My point is that receiving a wrong thought does not make me a sinner. It's what I do with it. In order for me to be tempted, the temptation has to register in my mind.

There is a difference between an intruding thoughts and my thinking.

Sin will be conceived only if I make the enemy's intruding thought part of my thinking.

Notice that when Jesus resisted the enemy the first time, Satan didn't flee, did he? He came at Jesus again, and Jesus resisted him a second time with Scripture, and then a third time. Wrestling the enemy is not just a little skirmish, a little side show. Satan often will persist; our job is to resist, in the power of God's Word and in the strength of the Spirit.

Look how skillfully Jesus used Scripture to defeat the devil. We know that all Scripture is inspired and profitable. So when Jesus was tempted by the enemy, why didn't He say, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"? Isn't that Scripture? Isn't it profitable? Yes, but it didn't deal with the problem at hand. Jesus used specific Scriptures for specific temptation.

The second thing you need to know is that Jesus did not quote

Scripture word for word. I believe this is an example of the use of the Greek word rhema, which like logos also means "word." We'll talk more about this when we discuss the Christian's armor in chapter 14, because the "Word of God" in Ephesians 6:17 is rhema.

Basically this word means that we can use the truth of God's Word at the moment it's needed. Jesus and Satan were not having a Scripture-quoting contest. Jesus countered temptation with the truth of Scripture, and that's what mattered. If you can quote every verse word perfectly, that's great. But it's not necessary in the heat of spiritual battle.

Temptation: An Empowering Experience

When Jesus' temptation was finished, He "returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee" (Luke 4:14). What a wonderful progression here. Jesus was filled with the Spirit, He underwent tremendous temptation and resisted successfully in the power of the Spirit, and he returned empowered by the very Spirit He was filled with.

Did you know that temptation can be one of the most empowering experiences of your life when you stand your ground and resist Satan in the power of the Spirit? You don't need to be afraid of an encounter with the enemy.

We’re talking about the opposite of a physical strength battle where you hang on with grit and determination. Can you have a measure of victory over temptation in the power of the flesh?

Yes, you can. I know alcoholics and former drug addicts who have gone through various programs and no longer drink or use drugs. But they are not Christians.

We can have victory with grit and determination.

But if the enemy tempts the flesh and you have victory over it in the flesh, guess who won? The flesh. And if you fail and fall back, guess who won? The flesh wins either way.

How to Resist the Devil

Thankfully, as Christians we don't have to resist Satan in the power of the flesh. God has provided a better way. Before we look at some biblical instructions for resisting Satan, it will help to note some general truths about resisting temptation.

First, we must see that when we resist the enemy, we stand against an outward attack. The enemy is on the outside. When someone in the New Testament was demonized, Jesus cast the spirit or spirits out of that person.

But if the evil spirits attacked from the outside, Jesus didn’t cast them out. He resisted them. So as we do battle with che enemy out-side, if we resist him with truth, what will he do? He will go. Wouldn't it be neat if resisting only once would do it? But that wasn't the case even with Jesus. Satan is always looking for his opportune time.

Second, it's encouraging to know that sometimes, after we have gone through a real battle, God will put a special hedge of protection around us for a while. Then He lifts it so we can wrestle again and learn to stand. He protects us in that battle, and then He'll let us wrestle again.

Draw Near to God

We return to the book of James, this time to chapter 4, and look at the apostle's instructions for resisting. The first one I want you to notice is in verse 8, which tells us what to do after we have gone through a time of temptation: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

That's exactly the opposite of what we are naturally inclined to do after battling temptation. We think, "Oh, that was so terrible. My thoughts were so bad. I'm so embarrassed. I just want to hide from God." But God wants us to draw close to Him. Isn't that beautiful?

So often we see in Scripture that what God tells us to do is the opposite of what we would normally do. For example, it is not normal for a man to love his wife the way he should. That's why God commanded him to do it. It's unnatural. It's not natural for a woman to submit to her husband. If it was, God wouldn't have mentioned it.

But He commanded it.

So at the very time when you feel most inclined to pull away from God, He urges you to draw close. If you will do that, what will He do?

He'll draw close to you. That's why I say that temptation can be a very empowering experience. Instead of separating you from the Lord, it can give you a very sweet time with Him.

Cleanse Your Heart

James continues in 4:8: "Cleanse your hands, you sinners." Do you know what that speaks of to me? It means I got a little dirty in the battle and must ask God for cleansing. What cleanses the dirt of sin off my hands? The blood of Christ (1 John 1:9).

Next, at the end of verse 8, James tells us to deal with our secret desires. "Purify your hearts, you double-minded.” A double-minded person wants to walk with God and yet not deal with his secret desires- the things the enemy uses to tempt him.

We have to deal very firmly with these desires. James acknowledges that the process can be painful when he urges us, "Lament and mourn and weep!

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom" (v. 9).

Humble Yourself

When we have done that, we are ready to humble ourselves "in the sight of the Lord" (v. 10). What does He do in response? Push our faces in the dirt? No, He lifts us up!

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil," James tells us in 4:7.

Then he tells us how to resist: by drawing near to God, purifying our hearts of sin and secret desires, and humbling ourselves before Him.

It's a winning strategy every time because it's God's strategy!

A Serious Wrestling Match

In the next STUDY, we will consider how to prepare for battle by wearing spiritual armor. For now, let's consider the imagery Paul had in mind when he said we wrestle against forces we cannot see:

Ephesians 6:12-13

Resisting Satan

Regarding spiritual victory in our lives, we must remember that we are in a battle that is not against "flesh and blood" but spiritual evil forces (Ephesians 6:12). We must resist Satan. Here are ways to resist effectively.

1. Humble yourself before God James 4:6). Acknowledge your need of grace (divine empowering) and guidance. Pray as David did in Psalm

23:3, "Father, lead me in the right paths, for Your reputation is at stake."

2. Submit yourself to God (James 4:7). Dedicate your body to glorifying God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), your mind to thinking His choughts (Philippians 4:8), your emotions to loving Him (Matthew 22:37), and your will to serving as unto God and not unto men (Ephesians 6:6-7).

3. Actively resist the devil (James 4:7).

Come against Satan using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11) and standing in His finished work on the cross. Read Revelation 12:11 and note the ways the saints overcame Satan. Identify the bait Satan is using to trap you (2 Timothy 2:26, see chapter 7).

4. Counterattack (Ephesians 6:18-20). Select prayer targets for each area of attack, and pray that these people will do great harm to Satan and his kingdom.

Use specific Scriptures against the temptation (Luke 4:4, 8, 12).

5. Draw near to God James 4:8. "Cleanse your hands," asking forgiveness for any violation of God's standards. "Purify your hearts," because the enemy uses our secret dreams and our double-mindedness against us. Use Psalm 139:23-24 as a guide for your prayers.

6. Get back in the race (Hebrews 12:1-2). Fix your gaze upon Christ and glance at the path for Satan's traps. To help you here, I highly recommend Joseph Carroll's book How to Worship Jesus Christ (see the bibliography).