James 1:2 NKJV When you fall into various trials.
The enemy of our soul is bearing down on us with as much strength as he can muster. He wants to wreak havoc and destruction in our lives.
God is not content to stand by and watch the enemy of your soul steal, kill and destroy. God promised to rush in, stop Satan, and put him to flight. This overwhelming plan for victory is granted to believers through the power of the resurrected Christ. God will take vengeance on the enemy of our souls. When you read the end of the Bible, Satan and his kingdom of darkness will be totally destroyed.
Now, God calls the church to arise in the power of the blood of Christ and take a strong offensive position against the gates of hell.
Galatians 5:1 NKJV Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
God expects us to stand fast in the liberty and freedom that Jesus Christ attained by His vicarious suffering and death, and victorious resurrection. Christ did not go to the cross and conquer hell, death, and the grave in vain. Since Christ has gained this liberty for us, Satan is on a rampage to bring us back into bondage.
1 Peter 5:8 NLT Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
As a roaring lion he is seeking to kill, steal, and destroy. This is not the only threat of the enemy’s attack.
Often Satan entices us with the things we desire or crave. This has been a method of his attack from the beginning. Adam and Eve were destroyed in this manner. Our desires and cravings can become so strong that we can hardly stand it.
Where do temptations come from?
James 1:14-15 NKJV But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Temptations are strong desires and cravings. Anyone can have temptations. The Gospel tells us Jesus was tempted of the devil for forty days, (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:2). Hebrews 5:15 tells us, He was “tempted in all ways as we are, yet without sin.”
Remember what happened with Adam and Eve. Everything was going great until a desire and craving was stimulated to disobey God. The stimulation came from Satan, who enticed them to sin. He did not come in like a roaring lion. Satan’s stimulation was presented in such a way that the man and woman were disarmed. He came in with half-truths and lies. He came with deception and appeal to their desire and appetite.
Temptation is the desire and craving for the wrong things. It is a craving to do things that God forbids. It is craving things that are harmful to our body and spirit. These cravings can be justified in our mind. “If it feels good, tastes good, or makes me look better, can it be bad?” The appeal of temptation is within our desire and craving. If it is not appealing to us, it will not be a temptation.
It is sin if God says it is wrong.
When we feel an urge or craving for things that God says are wrong, we are being tempted. How can we know that God thinks it is wrong? There are many ways to know, but two are very clear.
- The Bible tells us what is sin.
- The Holy Spirit brings conviction or a deep sense of wrong, danger, or sin. If we don’t listen, the urge or desire will bring destruction.
Where does temptation come from?
James gives these answers.
- Temptation is not of God, verse 13.
- Temptation is of man, of his own lusts, verse 14-16
- Temptation is not of the nature of God, verse 17-18
First, temptation is not of God, verse 13.
James 1:13 NKJV Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
First, God cannot be tempted with evil.
By His very nature, it is impossible for God to have anything to do with evil or temptation. God is initially and totally holy. Temptation is a digression of the nature of God. Temptation is essentially an evil thing. It takes a selfish, lustful, empty, lacking, carnal, self-seeking, and evil person to try to entice and seduce another. God is not like that, He is the exact opposite. That urge and craving to do evil does not come from God. God wants us to turn from evil, resist the devil and the evil. God wants you to take a stand against the temptation.
What does the Bible say?
James 1:14-15 NKJV But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Listen to what Adam and Eve said when they fell into sin. God asked Adam what happened? Adam tried to escape the guilt of his actions.
- Adam said what every one of us wants to say: “the woman you gave me tempted me,” Genesis 3:12
- When God turned to Eve, she deferred the blame: “the serpent deceived me,” Genesis 3:13.
The point is that we seldom like to take responsibility. We want to blame someone else for our actions. This was not just a problem with Adam and Eve. It happens with almost everyone.We don’t want to accept responsibility. We are the victim.
Second, God does not tempt any person to do evil.
God loves, cares, and seeks to help and save mankind. God does not want to damage or destroy. When a person is tempted to do a forbidden or harmful thing, the urge and craving is not of God. God wants us to turn away and flee from the temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Notice those words: “God is faithful…make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” God wants to get you out and keep you out.
2 Peter 2:7-8 NIV84 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—
2 Peter 2:9 NKJV then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
Did you hear that? God knows how to get you out of trouble. He has already provided a way of escape. God is ready to come to your aid like a pent up flood.
Many of us are familiar with the words from Isaiah 59:19. We have learned the verse like this.
Isaiah 59:19 NKJV So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
The emphasis is placed on a flood of evil that is coming. Many times the flood of evil comes against us. The original text does not have the punctuation as we have learned it. Instead of placing the emphasis on the evil that is coming, the original text places the emphasis on God’s aid.
“When the enemy comes in, like a flood the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.”
Isaiah 59:19 NASB95 So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun, For He will come like a rushing stream which the wind of the Lord drives.
NIV – “For He will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.”
God is telling us what He is going to do when the enemy comes against us. When the enemy comes in to attack our lives, like a flood, God will lift up a standard against him, chasing him away with a raging flood of the Spirit’s power.
The Believer’s Bible Commentary says: “When the Lord looks down, He is grieved that there is not justice. He marvels that there is no man (intercessor or mediator) capable of handling the situation, so He steps in and does it Himself. His own arm (strength) brings Him victory and His own righteousness upholds Him. He dons the armor and moves out against His foes in righteousness, salvation, vengeance, zeal, and fury. He gives the Gentiles exactly what they deserve, so that, at last, all the people from east to west are forced to acknowledge that He is Lord, for He (the Messiah) comes in like a flood, driven by the breath of Jehovah.” MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.) (Is 59:15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
When the enemy comes against you, the Spirit of the Lord is going to lift up the Standard Jesus Christ. God sends His Spirit with a powerful revelation of Christ. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would be given to help and comfort us. The Holy Spirit has been given to give you the authority, power, and character to stand in the evil day. That authority, power, and character rests fully on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Second, temptation comes from our own lusts.
James 1:14-16 NKJV But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;…
There are three significant steps involved in temptation.
First, there is lust and enticement.
Everyone is tempted when they are drawn away by their own lusts and enticed. The word lust means “to crave either good or evil.” There are good desires and bad desires. The word enticed means to lure and bait.
We all have natural and normal desires. You begin looking at something and desire it. Desire is normal behavior.
Problems arise when we desire what God has forbidden or what is harmful. This is the beginning of temptation.
Second is the conception of lust, and third the birth of sin.
The conception of lust is when it enters the mind, heart, or spirit and is recognized and desired. Lust is born when we start focusing and craving a thing that is forbidden. Sin is actually born at that point.
Temptation begins with normal and natural desires. It starts with what we see, smell, taste, hear, touch, or think about something that is forbidden or harmful. Instead of turning and fleeing from it, the mind begins to dwell on the thing. Desire or lust for the pleasure of it takes hold and sin is born.
You need to know that when temptation arises, the Holy Spirit is present to help you overcome.
Third, the end result of yielding to temptation is sin and death.
James 1:15 NKJV Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
This is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. Instead of sitting idly by and allowing the enemy to ravage your life, God will rush to your aid. This is the reason Jesus Christ came and suffered and died.
When the enemy bears down on you, the Spirit of the Lord will rise up to stop him and put him to flight. God, who has delivered, will continue delivering. At the same time, God expects us to stand up and resist the devil. He expects us to fill our mind and heart with His Word. He expects us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. He expects our appetite to be excited about the things of God. He expects us to fight the good fight of faith.
Your victory over trials and temptations is a witness of the power of God to keep you.
1 John 4:4 NASB95 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
