Temp 4

Temp 4 

Understanding failure and handling it God's way

It is not God's will that you sin. He has given you the power to resist and overcome every temptation you will face. However, you may not always choose God's way of handling the temptation and we give in.

This is reality. But God is merciful and will forgive you when you confess your failures to Him. Being forgiven, righteous and holy doesn’t mean we are immune from sin. But it does mean we are Forgiven, not abandoned.

The greatest deceiver in the world is Satan. Sometimes he makes the temptation look so attractive, that it's hard to resist. So a couple things that will help you to hold your ground..is keeping a clear mind and an awareness of the consequences of sin

A. What happens when you give in to temptation?

Think of a time when you gave in to one of Satan's temptations. What happened afterwards? Were the consequences what you expected?

Lets look at some of the different things that happen when you give in to temptation. Even though this in not a set-list of consequences, you won’t experience these every time you fail to respond God's way, you may find it helpful to think about these consequences when you are tempted to sin. It might help convince you to follow God's way in filling your needs and desires.

YOU SIN

Every time you give in to one of Satan's temptations, you break one of God's laws. James describes the consequences of listening to the first thought.

James 1:14–16 NIV

but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

Satan will try to make you forget that following his way leads to sin. But like verse 16 says, don't let Satan deceive you. If you do sin, then confess your sin to God and seek His forgiveness.

2. YOU HURT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Satan will try to convince you that only good things will happen if you give in to his temptation. Don't believe him. Sin always has its price:

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NLT)

Sinning affects you, but it also affects others, sometimes more deeply than you might imagine. You may not see it immediately, but time will show the damage.

In the Old Testament, David's sin with Bathsheba had some devastating consequences. He committed adultery first and then killed Bathsheba's husband in trying to cover up his sin. Later the baby that was born as a result passed away.

The consequences of his choices also affected his future descendants, House of David. See 2 Samuel 12:10-12 for the details.

David was not thinking about all these painful consequences when he was tempted to sin with Bathsheba.

3. YOU WILL FILL THE NEED TEMPORARILY, BUT NEVER PERMANENTLY

Satan's quick solution is never a permanent solution to the needs in your life. The only way to find true satisfaction in life is to fill it God's way. The devil will try to get you to think about the immediate benefits of doing it his way. He doesn't want you to consider how long his solution will work.

4. FOLLOWING SATAN'S WAY INCREASES THE NEED OR THE INTENSITY OF THE DESIRE

After you have tasted the pleasure of immediate, selfish gratification, you may have a greater desire to continue to have that pleasure. The happiness you feel will last only a short time. As soon as the temporary pleasure wears off, the need or desire will still be there, but now with even greater intensity. (everyone is an addict)

5. GIVING IN ONCE WILL LEAD YOU INTO GREATER FRUSTRATION

You have a need; you want it to be met. Nothing seems to be happening from God's end. You get frustrated. Satan tempts you, so you give in to the frustration and try to fill the need his way. But soon the need is back and so is the frustration! Since the need in your life still has not been adequately filled, the frustration continues to grow.

6. GIVING IN ONCE MAKES IT EASIER TO GIVE IN THE NEXT TIME

"The first time is always the hardest. Next time you will enjoy it more." If the devil has used this argument on you, it's a sure sign that he is planning to tempt you again in this area.

If he succeeds the second and third time, he may try to convince you to forget about being a Christian. "See, it's just too hard for you to be a Christian. Look at yourself; that's the third time you've sinned this week." He will do everything he can to make you lose hope. When hope is gone, it's much easier to just give up and not even try to resist the temptation when it returns.

7. GIVING IN TO ONE TEMPTATION WILL LEAD YOU INTO GREATER TEMPTATIONS

Many times the devil will use the argument: "This is such a small thing. Go ahead and do it. It won't hurt anyone." If you get away with something small, he will soon be back with a bigger temptation. Satan also has an excellent plan to help you cover up any sin you commit.

But his cover-up plan usually involves committing another sin with even worse consequences.

The tragic story of David and Bathsheba's sin is a clear example of this

(2 Samuel 11 & 12). David's first temptation was to lust in his mind. Then he called for Bathsheba to come to his palace. He committed adultery, and she became pregnant. When David found this out, he attempted to cover up his sin by calling Bathsheba's husband home from the war.

When David's cover-up plan didn't work, he arranged to have Uriah killed. That part of the plan worked out just fine—until the prophet Nathan came and exposed the whole thing. One sin led to another until he was so bound, there was no way to escape.

When you give in to a temptation, you are allowing sin to have power in your life that it no longer should have. But sin brings with it delusion-and we often fail to see this sin having power in our life. (we have been set free)

This delusion leaves us with the impression that giving in to the temptation was harmless. This delusion makes it easier to give in to the next temptation. (you are forgiven but what about those watching you) how’s your witness If we are going to break the power of sin in our lives, we must start with God's truth and see each temptation from God's point of view. God hates sin-we need to do the same.

8. YOUR FAILURE CAN MAKE IT EASIER FOR OTHERS TO GIVE IN TO THE SAME TEMPTATION

Greg has been a Christian for three weeks now. He is really struggling to kick the smoking habit. The goals he put in place and his accountability partner are helping him some. But last night Greg almost gave in to the temptation to smoke. Someone around him had picked up a cigarette and was smoking it on the porch. That familiar smell of smoke made Satan's temptation much more difficult for Greg to handle.

The other person probably had no intentions of hurting Greg. He had not invited Greg to have a smoke with him. He thought that by sneaking to the porch and smoking the cigarette all by himself that he would not affect anyone else.

*When you give in to temptation, others will be affected by your sin.

We all have a responsibility to live a pure life. Jesus had some very stern words for the person whose words or actions tempt others to sin.

Luke 17:1–3 NLT

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves!….

The first person to give in to a temptation to sin, Eve, in the Garden of Eden, fell into this trap. As soon as she sinned, she went and got Adam to join with her in eating the fruit. When others see you sin, they have an easier time rationalizing that it is OK for them to do the same thing.

9. GIVING IN LEADS TO RATIONALIZING WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG

When you give in to a temptation to sin, the devil is ready and willing to help you rationalize your actions. He will provide you with plenty of excuses to explain why your actions were OK. He will show you why this situation is an exception to God's rules. Satan will distort the truth and try to get you to accept the idea that what you did really wasn't sin. He will do anything to lead you back into addiction to sin.

When you give in to a temptation and sin, the Holy Spirit will counsel you —He will speak to you in your heart reminding you of your new nature. But the devil will accuse you and try to act like the Holy Spirit.

You need to know the voice and heart of God. Know what his word says is true. But if you do not listen to what God is saying to you in your heart, you can be headed for big trouble. You can deceive yourself into believing that it's OK to participate in that sinful activity.

If you continue to ignore God when He speaks to you in your heart, you can "harden your heart." Your rationalizing of sin leads you to believe your own delusions, and you no longer listen to God when He speaks to your heart,

King David in the Old Testament took this wrong path in his sin with Bathsheba, See 2 Samuel 11 and 12. David's first sin led him to arrange for the death of Bathsheba's husband. Nine months later, Nathan, a prophet speaking for God, confronted his sin. Finally David repented. His prayer of repentance is Psalm 51.

10. YOU MAY FEEL GUILT

God will counsel us when we xo something against our new nature. But sometimes we don't hear Him, because we are going our own way instead of listening to Him. If you give in to a temptation, the Holy Spirit will make you aware of your righteous identity and in that your sin.

Many times this guilt will come immediately after you have filled your need Satan's way. You feel release from the tension and frustration which the need had been generating, Now that your mind is relaxed, you are able to evaluate your situation and see what really happened, If you are sensitive, God will make it clear, , that you were wrong

But don't fall into the trap of always using your feelings as a way of proving that something is right or wrong, Someone may say, "If I don't feel guilty about doing it, then I go ahead and do it." He may have done it so often, his conscience can no longer send its message.

But God's desire for us is clearly stated in the Bible. How you feel about His word or command does not make them right or wrong if God says something is sin, then we need to agree with Him, no matter what emotion we feel about it.

If you do give in to one of the devils temptations, then it's important that you confess your sin, whether you feel guilty or not. As you listen to become more sensitive to God, you will begin to feel the same way about sin as God does.

11. GOD WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU

If you sin, God will not turn His back on you. He loves you and wants to help you find true satisfaction in life. He wants to help you back to the right way of life. Because God loves you so much, He forgives you.

In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had sinned, God came looking for them. He didn't wait for them to come looking for Him. He does the same for us.

We need to be careful that we do not take the freedom we have for granted.

Obedience flows from a real understanding of the love relationship we have with Jesus.

Don't fall into the trap of sinning and then saying to yourself, "Oh, that's OK; God always forgives me when I pray." Having this kind of an attitude makes it hard to hear God's warning voice.

and Listening to Satan's temptations becomes very easy.

12. YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD MIGHT CHANGE

Some people become afraid of God after they sin. They expect Him to get angry and punish them. So they try to hide from God. If you have tried this, you know it doesn't work. We can't hide from God.

With a honest & repentant heart You do not need to fear God. He is not an angry God just waiting for a chance to destroy you. He loves you and is sad when you sin.

B. Why do people give in to temptation?

Whenever you give in to a temptation, you cannot blame anyone but yourself for your sin. It's not God's fault or Satan's fault. We are each responsible for the decisions we make. But let's take a look at some of the reasons why you might give in to temptations.

1. YOU'RE NOT PREPARED FOR THE TEMPTATION

God has promised, in 1 Corinthians 10:13, to make a way of escape every time we are tempted. Temptations can be resisted if you have done your preparation-prayer, Bible study, and drawing close to God.

Some times we are too weak to resist the temptation. That is not God's fault. He has made available all the strength you need. But if you have neglected your relationship with God and have become weak in your soul, it is much easier to sin.

Jesus was prepared for every temptation that Satan brought against Him. He knew how to evaluate it and determine which need or desire the devil was trying to get Him to fill. You, too, can be successful, if you take time to prepare for temptation.

2. YOU ARE TRYING TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE ON YOUR OWN

If you try to live the Christian life without God's help, you can be sure that trouble is not far ahead. It is impossible to resist all of the devil's temptations in your own strength.

Some people are not sure if they want to be a Christian. They are still trying to walk on the fence and have the best of both sides. The problem is this-you can't walk on the fence and draw close to God at the same time. If you do not take the Christian life seriously you can be an easy victim of Satan's temptations.

The only way to be successful in overcoming temptation each day is to be fully committed to following Christ. Anything less is sure to get you into trouble.

3. YOU GIVE UP ON TRYING TO DO IT GOD'S WAY

God created each one of us with needs and desires. He has promised to supply all our needs. But sometimes it's not easy to know what is God's way of filling a need or desire. Maybe you've had the experience of not being successful at filling a need God's way. The frustration builds up inside you because the need is still there. The devil comes along and says, "Here's an easy way to meet your need. You're stupid to try to do it God's way. It probably won't work for you, anyhow."

The devil tries to get you to think selfishly. "You deserve peace of mind and satisfaction right now." If you reject God's way of filling your need, you are saying, "I love myself more than I love God." God says in John 14:15 (GNB), "If you love me, you will obey my commandments." If you give in to temptation, you are putting your needs and desires over God's laws.

4. YOU ARE DECEIVED BY SATAN

The devil is a skilled craftsman at telling lies. Most of his te involve some form of deception. He deceived Eve into believing she ate the fruit of that one tree, she would not really die, become like God. It is true that she did not die physically a she ate the fruit. But she did not realize at the moment of 1 that she died spiritually when she disobeyed God.

Many people have been trapped by Satan's deceptions for long periods of time. In some cases almost everyone they know accepts as truth what the Bible labels as a deception. The new Christian may have real difficulty accepting what the Bible says is true, when it goes against everything he or she has personally experienced. Instructions are given to Christian teachers on how to help a person caught by Satan's traps.

2 Timothy 2:24–26 NLT

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

You have the promise from God that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth (John 16:13). The only way to keep yourself from being deceived by Satan is to know the truth. Studying God's Word and listening to God are two of the best methods for doing this. If a thought comes into your mind and you are not sure if it is from God, check to see what the Bible says about it. If it agrees with God's Word, you can be quite sure that it is OK for you to do it.

5. YOU DON'T TAKE SATAN AND HIS TEMPTATIONS SERIOUSLY

God tells us in James 4:7 to resist the devil when he comes with his temptations. Some people would like to be at peace with God and Satan.

They tolerate Satan. "He's made some mistakes in life. But he's not all bad." We need to take a clear stand on God's side and refuse to listen to Satan when he comes. If you don't resist the devil's suggestions, you will soon be trapped by him.

6. YOU MAY FEEL IT'S OK TO SIN BECAUSE GOD ALWAYS FORGIVES

The person who thinks that he can sin today and easily get God's forgiveness whenever he wants it is headed for big trouble. This kind of an attitude goes against what the Bible teaches as the right way to live.

(See Proverbs chapter 1, especially verses 20-33. We cannot abuse God's mercy. True repentance means turning your back on the sin and beginning a new way of responding to that particular need or temptation.

7. YOU LET YOUR DESIRES GET OUT OF CONTROL

Your desires and passions can become very strong if you allow them to. In fact, they will control your thoughts and actions if you do not stop them. Your emotions are very closely tied in with your desires. You probably have seen a person get so angry, that he loses control of his normal reasoning powers. In a time like this, the person usually says or does things that he later regrets.

If you are not careful, your desires can become so strong that you do not have the willpower to say no. In the book of Proverbs, God warns us to keep our desires under control. See also James 1:14-16.

Proverbs 7:24–25 NLT

So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words. Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path.

God gives this warning in Proverbs when talking about how to avoid sexual temptations.

8. YOU ARE SINCERE BUT STILL GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION

Let's say that you have been a Christian for several months now, and you really want to serve God. But there is one temptation you keep giving in to every time it comes. You know it's sin. You hate it and feel genuinely sorry for your failure every time you sin. But you seem unable to get the victory over it. What is the solution?

First, you must have God's help to overcome temptation. If you are trying to live the Christian life in your own strength, then the first thing you need to do is make sure that Christ is really in charge of your life.

Then you must consciously put God first in every situation you face.

You must be honest with God. At the moment of the temptation, you should tell God what is happening inside you. If you really feel like giving in to the temptation, admit this to God. It may be easy for you to pray to God after the temptation is past and you've failed. It may be a lot harder to get your eyes off the temptation before you give in and talk to God before your desire or need has been satisfied. But it's a powerful way of preventing your falling.

Another part of your problem may be that you are not working at filling the need or desire God's way. You may know that to follow Satan's temptation is sin, but at the same time, are doing nothing to discover God's solution to the problem. Or maybe you know God's way to fill the need, but have not committed yourself to follow God. You must make a decision to follow God's way, and then let nothing change your mind.

C. What should you do after you have given in to a temptation?

If you have given in to a temptation and sinned, don't give up. God has not rejected you. Don't stay in your sin, either. No matter how big or small your failure has been, you need to take action immediately.

1. ADMIT YOUR FAILURE

Don't try to ignore your sin or cover it up. Admit it to God and yourself. and expose it.

Confess your sin, and God will forgive you. Admitting your sin can be the first step to overcoming the problem that led to your failure. You may also find it helpful to confess your sin to another Christian, if you feel that person can help you discover God's way to overcoming this problem.

If your sin has affected other people, you must go and confess your sin to them and ask for their forgiveness.

2. IDENTIFY THE NEED OR DESIRE IN YOUR LIFE, AND MAKE PLANS TO FILL IT GOD'S WAY

You will have to know God's way of filling your needs and desires if you want to successfully resist temptations to sin. Even though you may still be experiencing the temporary satisfaction of filling the need Satan's way, you can be sure that his solution is only temporary. Your need will return, so plan today how you will fill it next time. You may want to ask another Christian to help you, or to pray with you.

3. EVALUATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO CHRIST

When you fail and give in to Satan's temptations, you can use this as an opportunity to draw closer to God. Tell God what you want to do, and then make whatever changes necessary to keep Jesus first in your life.

4. CLAIM THE PROMISES OF GOD FOR POWER

God's promises are not just for the famous Christian leaders in our world today. You have just as much right to claim these promises as any of them. The promise of Philippians 4:13 (NLB) is true for you: "I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength." The promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 is a good one to memorize and quote to yourself, especially when you don't feel close to God, Find other verses that relate to the specific temptations that are the most difficult for you to overcome, and quote those verses to yourself throughout each day. There are books listing the promises of God which you may find helpful in locating verses related to some of the temptations you are facing. Ask your facilitator for assistance in locating these 

5. Don’t go on a guilt trip

Don't dwell on your failures. The devil loves to accuse you after you have failed. He will do all he can to discourage you and make you believe you are a total failure. Don't let him deceive you with his arguments. If you have confessed your sins to God, you don't need to spend the next three days in a gloomy attitude, punishing yourself for your failure.

The devil wants you to feel sorry for yourself and so depressed about your failure, that you won't even try to live the Christian life. He will, many times, bring up your failure a few days, weeks, or even years later. Then he will accuse you: "Look at what you did! Wasn't that terrible? You really sinned! What a terrible example you are of a Christian. You should really feel guilty for what you did." Don't listen to Satan's lies. If God has forgiven you, then you don't need to keep bringing up your past failures again and again.

Conclusion

Yes, you will fail from time to time, just as all Christians do. But remember to call on God for the strength and the wisdom to resist every temptation Satan sends.

If you develep a biblical pattern of responding, you will soon see the devil fleeing from you, God promised this would happen.

James 4:7 NIV 

You must be prepared for temptation and follow the example of Christ in drawing close to God every time you face a temptation. Filling your needs and desires God's way will enable you to experience the best possible life here on earth; the satisfaction will be lasting and full of peace.

Questions

Personal Reflection on Temptation:

Can you identify a recent situation where you faced temptation? How did you respond, and what were the consequences of your choice?

Reflect on a time when you gave in to temptation. What were the immediate and long-term effects on your relationship with God and others?

2.

Understanding Consequences:

How do you think your actions, when giving in to temptation, affect those around you? Can you think of a specific example?

In what ways have you experienced the temporary satisfaction of sin, and how did it compare to the lasting fulfillment that comes from following God's way?

3.

Preparation and Resistance:

What steps can you take to better prepare yourself for future temptations? How can prayer and Bible study play a role in this preparation?

How can you incorporate the promises of God into your daily life to strengthen your resistance against temptation?

4.

Community and Accountability:

How can having an accountability partner or being part of a Christian community help you in resisting temptation?

Have you ever confessed a sin to another believer? How did that experience impact your spiritual growth and healing?

5.

Evaluating Commitment:

How would you describe your current commitment to Christ? Are there areas in your life where you need to make changes to keep Jesus first?

What does it mean to you to love God more than yourself, especially when faced with a choice between sin and obedience?

6.

Dealing with Failure:

How do you typically respond when you fail and give in to temptation? What can you do to ensure that you don't fall into a cycle of guilt and self-condemnation?

How can you use your failures as opportunities to draw closer to God and strengthen your faith?

7.

Understanding God's Forgiveness:

How does understanding God's forgiveness change the way you view your past sins and failures?

In what ways can you remind yourself of God's love and forgiveness when you are tempted to dwell on past mistakes?

8.

Role of the Holy Spirit:

How can you become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your life, especially when facing temptation?

What practices can help you discern between the voice of the Holy Spirit and the accusations of the devil?

9.

Impact on Others:

How does your behavior as a Christian influence those around you, especially new believers or those struggling with similar temptations?

What steps can you take to ensure that your actions do not lead others into temptation?

10.

Long-term Perspective:

How can focusing on the eternal consequences of sin help you resist the immediate allure of temptation?

What are some ways you can cultivate a mindset that prioritizes God's eternal promises over temporary pleasures?