Understand How to Overcome Temptation

SOURCE OF TEMPTATION

v13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

Temptation Never comes from God (v13)

James said, we cannot say “God is tempting me”. Why? “For God cannot be tempted by evil”

God is perfectly Holy & pure. He has no capacity for evil. Only good can come from God and not bad.

“Nor does He tempt anyone” to commit sin. God would never entice humans to sin because He hates sin

But He would test His children to bring out the good in them, but never to sin.

So, we can never blame God when we yield to temptations. Yet people are good at blaming others.

A good example is Adam & Eve, they blamed God.

Adam said, the woman you put here with me, gave me some fruit from the forbidden tree and I ate.

Eve said, the serpent you sent into the garden deceived me.

Several thousand years later, things haven’t changed much. People still like to play the Blame game.

Husband blames wife, wife blames husband. Children blame parents. Parents blame school/society.

Students blame teachers, teachers blame the school administrators/city officials.

Employee blames their boss /employer. Employer blames employees.

The congregation blames the pastor, and the pastors blame someone/something else.

John Burroughs, an American writer “A man can fail many times but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody. else.”

If temptation to sin is never God’s fault. Then, who is responsible? I’m glad you asked?

Temptation Comes from our own evil Desire (v14)

v14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

According to James, it’s us. Our own evil desire is the source of Temptation.

Our old sinful natural is the problem, the desire to sin reside within us.

We were born with this sinful desire, our natural tendency is to sin. That’s why temptation is so attractive to us all.

The entire human race inherited this fallen nature from Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden.

The Bible also teaches that the other sources of temptation come from the devil (Jam 4:7) and from the world (1 Jn 2:15)

Now, going back to the topic of our evil desire.

Often people think of sin as a single, spontaneous act. In reality, there are things that happen that lead up before we sin.

James shows us here that sinnning is the result of a Temptation process.

If we are to avoid sin, then we must understand the Steps in Temptation. There are 4 steps we need to be aware of.

STEPS IN TEMPTATION

DESIRE: v14a but each person is temptated when they are dragged away by their own desire and enticed.

It begins with our emotions, feelings

Desire/Lust is a craving or a long for something that we think will satisfy us or bring us happiness and make life easier.

Desire alone is not sin. It could be a good desire or a bad desire.

In this passage, it refers to a negative desire with sexual overtones craving something forbidden by God

The truth is that many of our desires come out of the way God designed us.

For example, we have a desire to eat and drink because we need food and drink to sustain our bodies.

We all have a desire to sleep because our bodies needs rest.

We all have sexual desire because God designed us to multiply and fill the earth.

App: Be aware of this 1st step. Stop at this point before it progresses any further.

So, how do we do that? The most effective way to evaluate whether our desires are good and not evil is by getting to know God’s will thru His word (Rom 12:2)

DECEPTION v14b he is dragged away (lured) and enticed

James uses two pictures to describe how this deception works. He says each person is tempted when he is “Lured” and enticed by his own desire.

“Lured” is a hunting term, luring an animal into a trap.

The second word is a fishing term “enticed”, it means “to capture or to catch with a bait”

Temptation is like fishing. It’s a picture of a fish going for the bait. When the bait is dropped in the water.

Our inner desire is immediately attracted to the bait.

That we begin to justify in our minds that we need it, we must have them, I deserved it, it won’t hurt anyone, nobody will know.

Satan is like a good fisherman, he will make the bait look so inviting

He is trying to deceive our emotions & mind. But the devil cannot force us to bite the bait.

At this deception stage, we have not sinned yet. It is not sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted yet he did not sin.

But if we think about the forbidden act long enough, very likely we will eventaully do it when we get the chance.

App: Make up your mind to short circuit the temptation process

Quickly reject the sinful thoughts immediately. Don’t nourish or linger in our minds too long.

You must replace or renew your minds with God’s thoughts/words. Ask God for strength to endure and confess we you give in.

Avoid tempting situations, stay away from locations & people who try to influence you to do evil.

Most temptations come to us when we are alone, it thrives in secrecy, thinking no one will see or know.

C.S. Lewis “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is wathing.”

Even if we are able to hide our sin from others, God knows (Heb 4:13)

If we don’t stop at the deception stage, it now leads to Disobedience.

DISOBEDIENCE v15a “then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin”

James changed the picture from hunting and fishing to the the birth of a baby.

Desire and deception have conceived and given birth to sin. Desire is picture like a mother giving birth to a baby, Sin.

Sin starts when we consent. You bite only to be caught by a hidden hook. We are in trouble at this point, you’re on the frying pan.

Now, it’s not only your emotions, not just thoughts in your mind. It is an act of your will. You made a conscious decision to commit the sin.

App: We will all fail from time to time. Until Jesus returns and completes His victory over sin. Temptation will be an ongoing problem for us.

But the Bible says God is loving & merciful “if we confess…” (1 Jn 1:9)

So, repent of your sins. Don’t justify or excuses them. Agree with God that you violated His holy standards.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can change our behavior, so it doesn’t become a pattern of conduct.

Because if it becomes a lifestyle, then you progress to the final step in the process.

DEATH

Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famour American poet in the 19th century said, “Sow a thought, you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit;

sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny (death)”

James said in v15b “and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death”

When sin is allowed to continue, it becomes a fixed sinful habit, it becomes fully-grown (mature) leading to death.

Is James referring to physical death or spiritual death? I think it can mean both.

John Macarthur study bible writes “While sin does not result in spiritual or eternal death for the believer, it can lead to physical death”

John the apostle writes “there is a sin that leads to death” (1 Jn 5:16)

When a genuine believer allows some sin to become a lifestyle he or she does not lose their salvation.

App: So how do we deal with sin that becomes a lifestyle? We may need the help of fellow believers in our struggles.

My prayer and desire is to have a group, where we can seek to be transparent & accountable to one another, who can help us in areas we still struggle, without being judged.

Through their prayers and encouragement, support we can help one another overcome temptations that come our way.

Ecc 4:9, 12 “Two are better than one, if either of them falls down, one can help the other up… a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

What a great picture. Jesus is that third strand. He understands our temptation and helps us through it.

But married couples (husband and wife) also need to help one another overcome temptation, especially in the area of sexual temptation

For single: Please God. Respect & listen to your parents. Stay away from experimenting drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, etc.

Stay pure before marriage and don’t go along with the crowd.

The final truth that we need to understand here to resist and conquer temptation is to accept the...

SOLUTION FOR TEMPTATION

Beware of God’s Judgment (v16; Gal 6:7)

v16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters”

Deceived here means “to be led astray into error or sin”. It could also mean led away from the truth.

One good example of this is Eve. Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor 11:3… don’t be deceived like Eve.

Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Paul said, don’t be deceived into thinking that you are getting away with your sin. God cannot be mocked. A man reap what he sows.

A good illustration of this is King David. We all know he committed adultery with Bathsheba. As a result, 3 of his sons died and a daughter raped.

The baby boy born to Bathsheba died. Amnon was killed by his brother Absalom. Absalom was killed after he rebelled against King David. His daughter raped by her half-brother Amnon.

If only David saw ahead the consequences, the destruction that would occur because of his adultery, he probably would have second thoughts.

So, think about the consequences of your sin. What your sin can take away from you. How it will affect your family, spouse, children, church, job, etc. God cannot be mocked.

Meditate on God’s Goodness (v17)

The goodness of God is another great barrier against yielding to temptation.

God is good & perfect. Amen. Therefore, every gift He gives is good and perfect. He is a generous giver (Jam 1:5)

Our Father know what’s best for His children. We can trust Him. Not all that we want/desire will be granted because it may harm us.

Our Father Never changes. He is the same when He created the earth and the heavenly lights (sun, moon, stars) as He is today.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:5). Malachi 3:6 “For I the Lord do not change”

Therefore, God is always perfect and good all the time. Remember Don Moen, before he sings, he would say “God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good.

Next time we are tempted to sin, remember God has been good to you always. Why would you disobey Him and do something wicked and sinful?

Believe in God’s Word of Truth (v18; Eph 1:13)

v18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created”

God chose us to be born again through the word of truth. You & I heard the message of truth, the gospel of our salvation.

That Jesus paid the penalty of our sins and died on the cross in our place. He was raised from the dead on the third day.

Anyone who believe this word of truth, repented of ther sin and trust Jesus as their Savior & Lord receives the new birth.

Eph 1:13…. We are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit and have eternal life instead of everlasting death.