Temptations and Trials.
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Temptations and Trials.
Tonight, we’re going to be talking about Trials and Temptations.
So many people think that once they choose to follow Christ that their lives will be easy and that is not the case.
Even once we become Christians we go through difficult times, and we’re still tempted to do the wrong things. We still sin and we still feel tempted to do the wrong things.
Maybe even though you’ve chosen to follow Christ and the Holy spirit is there to help you, you still have a hard time making the right choices.
We’re going to talk about where temptations come from, how to avoid them and what to do when we do make the wrong choice.
Let’s start by looking at temptation and how it affects us.
Define: Temptation is anything you encounter that encourages you to sin.
It could be Peer Pressure, friends encouraging you to do the wrong thing. Temptation can also come from your own thoughts or from Satan himself.
1. Temptation is unavoidable.
· We will all face temptation because we live in a fallen world filled with sinful people.
· Jesus faced temptation
Hebrews 4:15 says, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
James 1:12 says: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
· Blessed are those who endure- Endure means to withstand. Blessed are those who withstand the temptation, not just those who are tempted.
2. Temptation promises something it can’t deliver.
· Sin is pleasurable for a moment.
· Eve tempted by the Serpent “you will become like gods”
· Jesus tempted by Satan.
Matthew 4:1-11 - Read
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” 5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.
3. It is a sin to Give into temptation
· Eve gave in to temptation.
4. God does not tempt you to do the wrong thing, but He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle.
James 1:13 says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 says: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it.”
5. What happens when we fall?
· If we give into temptation and fall, we must repent. Turn away from the sin.
· Confess your sin to God and He will forgive us
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
· Be assured of your salvation.
· Remember that there is No condemnation to those who are in Christ
Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.
· Pray for Wisdom and self-control in the future.
· Don’t allow yourself to be in that situation again.
6. Finding Victory over Temptation
· Understand how temptation comes.
James 1:14-15; “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death”.
45 “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
Jesus fought temptation with scripture.
The Sword of the Spirit is the choice weapon at defeating temptation.
Hide God’s Word in your Heart! Psalms 119:11
Psalm 119:11 (NASB95)
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
2 Cor. 10:5 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,
Taking your thoughts captive simply means gaining control over what you think about yourself and life.
In Conclusion, Don’t worry when you feel tempted, it is completely normal to be tempted to do the wrong thing, but don’t give into temptation. Instead, you should pray, remind yourself of scriptures you’ve memorized and flee from the situation that is causing you to be tempted.
Break into our groups now to talk more about temptation.
Let’s close in prayer
Trials
Have you ever wondered why bad things happen? I mean when we become Christians, everything is supposed to be great in our lives, right?
Why do bad things happen to us even after we choose to follow Christ?
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Exemplified: Joseph Genesis 45:7-8
7 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Difficult situations will always be part of your life and when you’re going through tough times you need to remember…
God loves you.
God has a purpose.
God is all-knowing.
God is in control.
Sometimes things happen that just don’t make sense to us. I have a short Video about a girl who has gone through a really incredible trial in her life.
Bethany Hamilton “I am Second” -2:20
Sometimes we can see a purpose in the things that happen in our lives and other times, we might never see a purpose behind something bad that happens.
Remember, when you’re going through these truly difficult times in your life that God is with you. He loves you and that He is in control
We’re going to talk more about this in our groups, but first let’s pray.
