Faith In the Face of Temptation

The evolution of my temptation

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Drugs

for you maybe nicotine (vaping)

Disrespecting teachers & other authority figures

Bullying other kids

Dating for sport

Not going to youth group or church on Sundays

HIGH SCHOOL

Alcohol, vandalism, and parties

Not working hard in school, being lazy

Making fun of people at their own expense

Dating for sport (and some)

Serving at church, but for attention, for gratification, not for Jesus.

COLLEGE

Prioritizing my social life over my time with God.

Prioritizing my school and academics over my time with God.

Prioritizing my friendships over my time with God.

Prioritizing my girls & dating over my time with God.

NOW

Using my time with God as an excuse to fall short in my friendships and in my future marriage.

We all face temptation, but those who follow Jesus have something called faith to help them overcome all temptations.

James 1:2–4

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect,

that you may be perfect and complete,

lacking in nothing.”

What is our immediate emotional reaction when we face a tough situation?

I know what mine is.

“Are you kidding me?”

“Really, today?”

“Another thing?”

“Here we go again!”

“Of course this would happen to me!”

Woe is me.

Well James in the Bible says, “COUNT IT ALL AS JOY!”

When you face a tough situation, count it all as joy.

When you face temptation, count it all as joy.

When your faith is put to the test, count it all as joy.

There’s a passage in the book of John, that’s one of the gospels.

The gospels are four books in the bible written by people that actually saw the events take place, that tell us about the life of Jesus, his ministry, his death and his resurrection.

And in one instance John tells us the Jesus spoke this to his followers, his disciples:

He said in John 16:33

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

What does Jesus promise us here?

Tribulation? What does that word mean?

It means trouble! Hard times! Difficulties! The kind of things that test our faith!

The reality for every Christian is that:

#1 Your faith will be tested.

There are many things that will test our faith,

but the most relatable is the testing of our faith through the temptation of sin.

James explains to us where temptation comes from.

James 1:14–15

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Temptation comes from our own desires.

God didn’t tempt Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit by putting it in the Garden.

Their desire to be like God, knowing good and evil tempted them; enticed them; lured them.

God didn’t tempt David to sleep with another man’s wife by creating her.

His desire to be with her tempted him, enticed him, and lured him.

God didn’t tempt me to get high, he didn’t tempt me to get drunk, he didn’t tempt me to bully other kids.

It was my desire to forget my problems that tempted me to get high or drunk.

It was my desire to be more powerful that tempted me to bully or put others down.

It was my desire to be more righteous that tempted me to pretend like everything in my life was fine.

It was my desire to be more Christian that tempted me to treat those who I deemed less Christian differently.

Our own desires, just like they can be really good, can also be very evil.

But all hope is not lost you guys.

1 Corinthians 10:13 “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.”

God will only allow your desires to tempt you within your means.

And even though he doesn’t have to, he provides a way to overcome every single temptation that you face.

And Paul the guy who wrote that passage is so gracious to say that there is no temptation you face that other people haven’t faced.

You’re not alone!

And I want to go back to that passage in James because he says that somehow all this temptation is a good thing.

James 1: 2

“for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect,

that you may be perfect and complete,

lacking in nothing.”

#2 A tested faith can produce a stronger Christian.

Notice how I didn’t say a tested faith WILL produce a stronger Christian.

The lovely thing about a test is that you can pass OR you can fail.

Whether you learn or not is up to you.

Same is with the testing of our faith.

Whether you succeed OR fail to overcome temptation, you can learn from both.

Someone taught me to master the restart.

Okay you messed up, you failed, learn to get back up.

Okay, you did it again, get back up faster.

Okay, this time don’t let it knock you down.

Next time, help someone else up.

Who here has ever been caught red handed by their parents?

You hide it from them, until they catch you.

Then maybe later in life, you fess up.

Then maybe later in life, you call them to pick you up before the thing happens.

The great philosopher Friedrich Nietzche said this, “What does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Also said by the great philosopher, Kelly Clarkson.

Maybe they both got it from James.

When your faith is tested, you learn what your God is capable of doing in your life.

You learn to trust him better.

You learn to rely on him.

And that produces steadfastness, or endurance, or an unshakable faith.

Faith isn’t about manifesting our desires into existence.

Faith is about holding fast to God’s unchanging character, even when the desires of our heart remain unmet.

That’s why James says count it all as JOY when you face trials, when your faith is tested.

#1 Happiness comes from circumstance; joy comes from faith.

We so often associate joy with happiness.

But James explains it perfectly he says, “let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

He’s saying your faith is tested, and holding tight when your faith is tested, makes it stronger, and a strong faith in full effect makes you perfect and complete, which means that you lack nothing.

And that perfection, that completion, comes from a faith in one who is perfect.

A faith in one is complete.

A faith in one who lacks nothing.

And his name is Jesus Christ.

We all face temptation, but faith in Jesus helps us overcome all temptations.

Your faith will be tested through temptation, but resisting your temptations will produce an even stronger faith.

And a stronger faith produces a life that is filled with JOY.

Let me pray for us, let’s all bow our heads.

Father,

We thank you that you alone make us complete.

That it is through Jesus that we can be perfect before you.

That in you we have everything we need.

Strengthen our faith, Lord.

Jesus said, John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We are promised trials and tribulations, we will be tempted by the evil desires of our heart, but our faith is not in any of that.

Jesus says yes you’ll face this things, but have faith.

Have faith in the fact that I have overcome these things.

Have faith in me.

Many of you here have put your faith in Jesus, but maybe there’s some of you in this room who haven’t done that today.

You don’t have to face temptation alone.

And your own strength isn’t enough to put your evil desires to death.

If that’s you, and you’re ready to put your faith in Jesus.

I want to lead you in a prayer.

With all of our heads bowed and our eyes closed,

If you want to say that prayer and put your faith in Jesus, raise your hand so I know who’s praying.

Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner.

I have been tempted and enticed by my own desires.

Right now I turn from that sin and ask you to come into my life.

Be my Lord, Savior, friend, and my God.

From this day on, I put my faith in you alone to save me from my sins.

Thank you for loving me

and calling me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

AMEN.