Winning the Battle Over Temptation
Notes
Transcript
Intro; One of the key factors of “Becoming A Contagious Christian” is continuity.
Continuity- the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time:
Continuity in christian walk it is so vital for the testimony and witness of Christ to become effective in those who don’t know Him!
What breaks continuity is when the christian falls in SIN. And the thing that makes the christian fall into sin is TEMPTATION!
Tonight we’re going to look at “Winning the Battle Over Temptation”
Text; 1 John 2:12-17
12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
1. John’s Encouragement; 12-14
1. John’s Encouragement; 12-14
John wrote this letter to believers to encourage them in their faith overcoming the false teachings that were being spread around. He wanted them like us to become contagious christians in our walk. He uses three words to identify them as he gives encouragement; children, fathers and young men.
[12] First of all, each group he addresses falls under the heading “children”, “born ones” being adopted into the family of God through the forgiveness of sin by faith in Christ.
“Fathers” are mature believers in Christ who have a intimate knowledge of God and His Word [possibly classic believers]
“Young men” are those who are strong and growing in faith who have overcome the wicked one in Christ.
“Little children” are immature/new converts in the faith, but are being taught by the fathers and young men.
John is encouraging the family of God, regardless of which state of growth they are in, to continue to develop our relationship with God so we can walk as a “Contagious Christians” because temptation is always right around the next corner!
2. The Reason of Temptation; 15
2. The Reason of Temptation; 15
Temptation in itself is not sin, but the reason we are tempted can be!
Love- [ag-a pao] deep affection, direction of the will in finding one’s joy. It means taking pleasure in something, in this case, taking pleasure in what is opposed to God.
World- [kos-mos] cosmic, cosmetic, to put in order or arrange. When a woman puts on makeup they are “arranging” their face, putting it in order
To love the world is to adopt values and convictions contrary to God and His Word. The reason for temptation is to draw us away from God and His purpose for our lives into a lifestyle of worldliness.
Love the world- loving what the world offers such as riches, power, influence, recognition and self indulgence and arranging it in order before God.
Mark 10:17–22 (NKJV)
17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
The rich young ruler put things in order by the way he loved them. He put the love of the world before love of God! The reason for temptation comes through what we love!
3. Three Types of Temptation; 16
3. Three Types of Temptation; 16
There are only three area’s in life of which a person is tempted and falls into sin; the flesh, eyes and pride! And all three are in the world!
Lust of the flesh- means the cravings and desire for worldly things.
God has placed within man certain good desires and cravings but the world [values/convictions contrary to God] is what perverts them.
Thirst is a good desire both physically/spiritually, but drunkenness is a sin.
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Rest is refreshing and needed, but laziness is a sin.
Mark 6:31 (NKJV)
31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
25 The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.
Intimacy [sex] is good and God’s way to express love between the married couple and to have families. But the world uses sex to sell everything and satisfy a perverted heart.
18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
Lust of the eyes- a desire for the things we see
In the Garden, Eve saw the forbidden tree as pleasing to the eye because it would give her what she wanted, to be like God [Gen.3:6]
King David saw Bathsheba bathing and sees she beautiful and has a desire for her, so he took her [2 Sam. 11:2-3]
Our eyes see things that we really don’t need, but desire [lust] sets in and we often do whatever it takes at whatever the cost to satisfy our wants.
37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way.
Pride of life- the desire to impress people
We build bigger and better houses, buy new cars when the old one is just fine, purchase the finest clothes and jewelry all to impress our neighbors instead of honoring God.
I’ve heard it said, ‘Do not be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good.’ I’ve never met someone that was so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. On the contrary we are so earthly minded that we are no heavenly good.
Andrews, J. (2018). Understanding 1 John (p. 128). Wordsearch.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Thomas Gutherie gave a strong warning, “If you find yourself loving any pleasure above prayer, any book better than the Bible, any house more than the house of God, any table better than the Lord’s Table, or any person more than Christ … take alarm.”
4. Resisting Temptation; 17
4. Resisting Temptation; 17
Resisting temptation is a choice we make between loving the things that are temporary or the eternal.
The world and it’s pleasures are temporary and loving them is like building your life on the Titanic! It will sink and perish.
Mark 8:36 (NKJV)
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
The best way to resist temptation is not to settle, but to submit.
Settle- to reach an agreement, to barter [Satan barter’s with us to make you settle for less. That’s what he tried to do with Jesus during his tempting Him in the wilderness/ Mt. 4, Luke 4]
Submit- yield or surrender to another’s authority [Owner/steward relationship]
When we submit ourselves to the authority of Christ, we truly become focused not on things of this world, but of God and the world to come.
[Rev. 6-20] the bible describes the destruction of this present world and it’s inhabitants in graphic detail.
[Rev. 21-22] the bible describes the new heaven and earth and all the beauty and joy with God everlasting, prepared for those who love Him and live for Him.
John is contrasting two ways of life: a life lived for eternity and a life lived for time. A worldly person lives for the pleasures of the flesh, but a Contagious Christian lives for the joys of the Spirit.
Close;
What we love we will treasure. What we treasure we will place high value upon and guard with our life.
Whom or whatever we love, we will learn their ways!
Winning the Battle Over Temptation means we must love God over the world!
