1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (NIV)

“EXAMPLES FOR US”

1 Corinthians 10:11

The old saying is true, “Experience is the best teacher.”

However, it doesn’t have to be our experience.

1 Corinthians 10:1–13 NIV

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”  We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ,  as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

“EVERYONE EXPERIENCES TEMPTATION”

So often, people say, “I’m embarrassed to share that vulnerability, temptation, or problem because no one else goes through that, no one else thinks thoughts like that, no one else struggles with that.” Not so. You’d be shocked if you knew the temptations of the people sitting right next to you.

Not only is temptation common to all men, but, more importantly, it is common to the Son of Man, Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:17–18 (NIV)

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

“GOD IS FAITHFUL”

God does not leave his people to Satan’s whims.

God is not a spectator; he does not leave his children alone to face whatever temptations Satan can throw at them.

Instead, God is faithful.

He will not always remove the temptation, because facing it and remaining strong can be a growing experience.

But God does promise to not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.

Not only that, but God also promises to show you a way out so that you can endure the temptation and not fall into sin.

“TEMPTATION IS THE ‘EASY WAY OUT’ OF LIFE”

III. THREE WAYS WE ARE TEMPTED (How)

Man is made in the image of the triune God.

Man is a triune being, he possesses body, soul and spirit.

When you are tempted, it will always be in one of these three areas.

The Soul

This is the word used to describe the you that lives inside your body.

It speaks of your mind, your will and you emotions.

The world is the primary tempter of the soul. The world says to the soul, “You need more, you can have more!”

The world always appeals to the ego, or pride.

The Body

The flesh, referring to the “old nature” always attacks the body.

We are tempted to laziness, lust, overindulgence, sexual sin, etc. These are temptations of the flesh! (Ill. David with Bathsheba—2 Sam. 11)

The Spirit

The spirit is the primary arena for satanic attack.

If the soul is our self-consciousness, then the spirit is our God-consciousness.

It is our spirit that worships and communicates with God.

Of course, Satan attacks the spirit.

He places doubts in our minds to distract us.

He places false doctrine there to turn us away from the truth.

(Ill. In Peter’s denial of Jesus, the temptation was directed at the spirit. He wasn’t under an ego attack, or under sexual assault, he was caused to doubt the truth.)

FLIGHT, FAITH, FIGHT

There are three words to remember when facing temptation: Flight, Faith, Fight.

To Overcome The Flesh We Need Flight

You cannot expose yourself to fleshly temptation and expect to walk away untouched.

Proverbs 6:27 NIV

Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?

The key to defeating fleshly temptations is to flee from them.

2 Timothy 2:22 NIV

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

To Overcome The World We Need Faith

Faith that Jesus will take care of us when we willingly give up the attachment to worldly things.

If we are loving the world, we are not loving God.

1 John 2:15 NIV

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

If you really want victory over the world, then love Jesus more than you love it—Heb. 12:2. • (Ill. It is our faith in him that offers us the victory—1 John 5:4.)

1 John 5:4 NIV

for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

To Overcome The Devil We Must Fight

If we stand up to him and fight, he will flee—James 4:7.

“SUBMIT TO THE WORD”

Both Satan and Jesus knew the Scriptures.

Both spoke the Scriptures.

But only Jesus submitted to the Scriptures.

Big difference.

“Jesus wasn’t using the Word like a magic charm or incantation to cause Satan to flee.”

“Rather, He was committing Himself to obey it completely. Jesus did what the Word said, and that is where the power is.”

For example, you may be tempted to tell someone who’s been giving you a hard time what you really think about them.

But, knowing the Word says to bless those who persecute you, you choose instead to pray for them.

That is what it means to be submitted to the Word.

And that is what renders Satan powerless.

Conclusion

I don’t know what temptations you may be dealing with in your life.

However, I do know that if you are breathing, you are battling! Our greatest resource in the face of temptation is a close relationship with Jesus Christ.

My counsel to you is that you bring your need to Him.

Whatever, the need, the trial, or the temptation and lay it down before the Lord and expect Him to help.

He has promised us grace during temptation.

Why not take Him up on the offer today?