Temptation

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

*Our temptations need our permission to give birth to sin. DON’T LET THEM

PRAYER

E. God will test (with challenging circumstances), but will never tempt (with sin) (v. 12-13).

I. Examples God’s testing - Abraham, Joseph, Paul in prison

For us: Financial hardships, health challenges, loss of a loved one, wilderness season of waiting

Purpose of God’s testing - Growth into who/where God has called us to be. Strengthening of our faith - James 1:3

A. Go and… thank God for the tests He’s allowing you to endure because HE’s growing you/maturing you in the process in a way that He will use you to advance the kingdom and impact the lives of many.

Difference between test from God and temptation? Testing may be accompanied by hard times that may produce sorrow and hardship. Temptation is always connected to sin.

(last week we talked about wisdom, about how knowledge plus action=wisdom… well, temptation plus action=sin. It’s not a sin to be tempted; it’s a sin to act on your temptation and surrender to that temptation)

A challenging message: God loves us enough to meet us where we are, but loves us too much to leave us there. James exhorts us to grow in our faith..and tonight’s message is an exhortation to grow in our faith, specifically as our lives pertain to temptation. Tonight’s message will be a challenging one that will either be offensive or convicting, and I pray for the latter, that we allow God, by the power of His Word and His Spirit, to grow us in the faith tonight.

Temptation: My goal tonight, by the power of God’s Word, is to answer each of these questions, and in the process, confront and defeat temptation, and grow in our faith.

Where does it come from? The flesh and the enemy.

What does it look like? 1) Attractive, 2) Anti-God

What happens when we give in to it? Gives birth to sin (Destroys our intimacy with God, our sensitivity to God’s voice.)

How do we defeat it? 1) Avoid it, 2) Slay it with God’s Word

What happens when we do?

Sanctification graph.

E. (1. Where does it come from? The flesh, and ultimately, the enemy Temptation comes from the flesh (our own desires) and the enemy *Discuss Genesis 3 and our sin nature - the reason why we have these desires and the reason we need a savior who knew no sin.) (v.14 “lured and enticed by his own (fleshly) desire”)

(2. What does it look like? 1)To an extent, it’s going to be attractive…some more attractive than others, depending on who we are and what specifically we are inclined toward. 2) Contrary to God’s character.)

Part of our spiritual maturity is identifying our temptation and by the power of God overcoming that temptation. The fruit of the Spirit are the markers of Spiritual maturity, markers of God working within us, so the works of the flesh are the opposite. The more we are submitted to the works of the flesh, the further we are from God and who He has called us to be. The more we resist the works of the flesh, the closer we draw to God.We are inclined toward these things (maybe not all, maybe some more than others. The purpose of analyzing this scripture is for us to identify the temptations that pull us away from God, so that we may overcome them):

You are no less a Christian just because you may struggle with a different temptation than someone else. IT IS NOT A SIN TO BE TEMPTED. But Recognizing that you have a flesh pattern and battling its temptation is essential, as I’ll explain in a minute, in our walk with God.

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. If we are tempted by our own desires, as James says, then this is what that temptation looks like. So as I go through these, we’re not taking a survey, we’re not going to ask you if that’s your temptation, but be honest with yourself, because recognizing our temptations is critical in overcoming them…and in just a bit, we’ll talk about how God equips us to overcome them.

1. Sexual Immorality (Porneia)

Where we get the English word pornography - it means ANY type of sexual activity that takes place outside the confines of a Biblical marriage between a man and woman.

2. Impurity (Akatharsia)

Refers to anything that corrupts the heart in what we think, say, or do. That includes thoughts of hate and lust, damaging words, and impure actions. Impurity also looks like the vast majority of the options for the next thing for you to watch on Netflix.

3. Sensuality (Aselgeia)

Doing what feels good, gratifying our own pleasures regardless of how that may impact our own lives or the lives of others.

4. Idolatry (Eidololatreia)

Placing your ultimate value or trust in anything other than God. An idol is anything that we have to go to and ask permission from before we say yes to God. Can be an addiction or lifestyle, can be material items, can even be your family.

5. Sorcery (Pharmakeia)

It encompasses witchcraft, the occult, and any practices that seek to gain power through supernatural means apart from God through the use of medicine, drugs, or spells (where we get the word pharmacy). Can also be seeking a supernatural peace apart from God, including drugs. Crystals, tarot (teh-roh) cards…people who say, “I’m not a Christian; I’m just spiritual.” so are demons. Stay away from that stuff - it’s real and it’s dangerous.

6. Enmity (Echthra)

Actively hating someone or some group (because of who they are or what they’ve done) and wishing ill, instead of blessing, toward them.

7. Strife (Eris)

A desire for constant confrontation, a total lack of compromise, just because for some reason you feed on that.

8. Jealousy (Zelos)

Covetousness: I wish I had their house, their car, their job, their family, their marriage. This one is extremely common in the society in which we live.

Context: It can lead to envy, rivalry, and unhealthy competition, damaging relationships.

9. Fits of Anger (Thymoi)

There is such a thing as righteous anger, where we are angry in love. This ain’t it. This is a flesh pattern that ruins relationships, hurts ourselves, hurts others, and leads us to other sins.

10. Rivalries (Eritheia)

Think selfish ambition - I’ve got a goal and I’m going to reach that goal no matter the cost, which will inevitably hurt others and force us to take our eyes off God.

11. Dissensions (Dichostasia)

Being disagreeable for no good reason, just wanting to argue.

12. Divisions (Hairesis)

Group hate: This person supports the political party opposite of the one I vote for, so they’re the ENEMY. Can’t love them, can’t share common ground with them, certainly can’t share common ground with them. I don’t have any desire to see me and that person united in Christ; I just wanna see them lose.

13. Envy (Phthonos)

This is where we continually covet to the point that we begin to resent the ones who have more money, better house, better car, better marriage, better family.

14. Drunkenness (Methai)

Not a glass of wine at dinner. This is excessive consumption of alcohol leading to impaired judgment and lack of self-control that takes us straight into sin. When you start to lose control of your thoughts, words, and actions, it’s time to stop. This is one that we’ve normalized way too much and one that can kill our intimacy with God.

15. Orgies (Komoi)

Wild parties of excess - going to the club or going to the tailgate.

16. And Things Like These

This list is not exhaustive. A work of the flesh is any desire within us that pulls us away from God and toward sin.

If you battle with these things, good. If you don’t battle with these things, then it is doubtful that you are actually in Christ, because you’re probably submitted to them rather than God.

1 Jn 1:8 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1- we have to recognize our brokenness in sin in order to come to Christ, and 2- we have to identify the sin that we struggle with in order to grow in Christ.)

(we have to see our sin).

After you are saved, you will still sin, but you will not sin, as a child of God, without conviction and confession. Ask God, like David did, to search your heart where it's impure. Pray for Holy Spirit conviction for the sake of spiritual growth.

Sin doesn’t have little horns and a pitchfork. Sin is attractive. That’s why it’s tempting (if you’re trying to eat right, you’re not tempted with broccoli; you’re tempted with chocolate). And our flesh WANTS IT.

I. The flesh wants what it wants and it wants it now. And the goal of the flesh and of the enemy is for us to be separated from God no matter the cost. It doesn’t matter if you’re a billionaire away from God or homeless away from God….if your flesh has pulled you away from God, then its desire has been satisfied, and it's got what it wanted. It doesn’t matter our status or our standing; we all have a flesh to contend with. And if we are submitted to that flesh, then we are subject to the desires of the flesh.

Illustration: something that seeks a goal relentlessly no matter the cost - that’s the flesh and its goal to get you away from God

A. Examine yourself..what are your greatest areas of temptation? It is imperative that you identify them in order to keep them from becoming sin. And with that in mind, be aware of how those temptations present themselves.1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." When we aren’t watchful, when we are led by what feels good and what is simply self-gratifying, that’s when we find ourselves in trouble.

Next important question to address is this…

(3. What happens when we give in to temptation? Gives birth to sin (Destroys our intimacy with God, our sensitivity to God’s voice.))

I. Frog in boiling water?

Slippery slope:

Giving into a little temptation can put you in a deep hole of sin really quickly.

Frog in boiling water = Having an affair (nobody just wakes up and says “I’m going to have an affair”, or “I’m going to become an alcoholic”, or whatever the sin may be, no one just wakes up one day and decides that they’re going to let that sin totally control their lives). Confront the temptation before it conceives and gives birth to sin.

– That’s why it is extremely important to recognize sin and to live with a sensitivity to the Spirit. RESPOND to conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

…………….

Beware of the consequences. We are capable of, a little bit at a time, hardening our hearts against sin, hardening our hearts against the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and living a life of sin, living a life of full intimacy with our fleshly desires and zero intimacy with God.

So how do we prevent ourselves from getting there…by defeating temptation before it becomes sin.

E. Our job is to keep temptation from becoming sin. (v. 15) *keep it from giving birth. Question #4: (4. How do we defeat temptation? 1) Avoid it. 2) Slay it with God’s Word.)

IT IS NOT A SIN TO BE TEMPTED

Your temptation is not unique. It has been presented before, and it has been defeated before, millions of times, in the lives of other believers, by the power of God. God has provided a way out, victory over temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV): 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Jesus faced every temptation that we have. Hebrews 4:15 (ESV): 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin

A. 1 - Avoid situations (and people) that tempt you (That’s wisdom)

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Proverbs 4:14-15 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.

If your temptation is drunkenness, don’t go to the bar or the tailgate (and stay away from people who do).

If you are inclined toward gossip, then walk out of the room as soon as you hear it; stay away from people who love to gossip.

If you are tempted to look at inappropriate content on your phone, then have a trustworthy friend put a code on your phone blocking you from accessing that stuff. And stop watching shows and movies that make you want more of it.

Maybe you are tempted to have enmity in your heart towards a political party and all of those who support it. If you talk about Biden, or Pelosi, or Trump, more than you talk about Jesus, then it’s time to turn off the news, get off Facebook, and put your face in His book.

Oftentimes, the strategy to defeat temptation is as simple as AVOIDING TEMPTATION.

But when we can’t avoid temptation, then we are called by God to fight back. And the Word of God says that we only need one weapon to do that.

2 - Slay temptation with God’s Word.

Ephesians 6:17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, God’s Word gives us an arsenal of weapons to withstand the attacks of the enemy, called the armor of God. In the whole arsenal of equipment, the only offensive weapon is the Word of God. The Bible is a weapon for any circumstance you face in life, especially temptation.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” In Matthew 4 and Luke 4 when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil, His response to every temptation was these 3 words: “IT IS WRITTEN”. And those 3 words are the same 3 words that we can respond to with any temptation that comes our way.

The enemy says that we should desire to have what others have, and that we should even resent them for it, out of a place of our own anxiety and worry about not having enough. But IT IS WRITTEN in Phil. 4:6-7 that we should be thankful for what we do have, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will follow.

The enemy says that we should boldly seek after whatever we want in this life, regardless of the consequences (and we will be tempted to do so). But IT IS WRITTEN in Matthew 6:33 that we are to seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then He’ll give us everything we need.

The enemy says that we should hate those who have sinned against us, and we should seek to destroy them. But IT IS WRITTEN in Romans 12 that vengeance belongs to God and IT IS WRITTEN in Luke ch. 6 that we should bless those who curse us and pray for those who abuse us.

You want to be able to fight back when the enemy comes to attack? Be ready with the Word of God.

Ps. 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Temptation breeds sin. Temptation is defeated by the Word of God.

Be bold, be strong, in the Word, and let God fight your battles.

And when you do that, here’s what happens…last question:

(5. What happens when our temptation is defeated? ……)

1 - We live fruitful life of blessing (PS 1:1-3 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.)

2 - We become a living testimony that draws others to Christ (Matt 5:16 let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.)

3 - We walk in closeness with God (James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.)

We walk in an intimate relationship with God. We are sensitive to His calling, to His direction. We walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, and we fulfill the will of God in our own lives. We do just what He put us here on this earth to do.

Anointing (power of the Holy Spirit)

Challenge to congregation: 1) Put up safeguards (avoid places/people/get accountability partner). 2) Get in the Word, stay in the Word, know the Word.