HANDLING LIFE’S TEMPTATIONS!

WE CAN HANDLE LIFE’S TEMPTATIONS:

1. BY ACCEPTING THAT TEMPTATION IS CERTAIN!

*** James 1:13 “When tempted…” [New International Version]

*** James 1:2-3 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” [NIV]

 TRIALS: are difficult events that happen in life because we live in a fallen world!

 TESTS: are difficult events sent by God to strengthen our character and develop maturity!

 TEMPTATIONS: are deliberate enticements to sin sent by Satan to weaken us spiritually and pull us away from God!

HE REJECTED THE TEMPTATION! PASSED THE TEST!

OVERCAME THE TRIAL!

*** Luke 4:1-2 “Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit to go out into the wilderness, where the Devil tempted him for forty days.” [New Living Translation]

*** Hebrews 2:17-18 “For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers in every way so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest in service to God. Then Jesus could bring forgiveness for their sins. And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted.” [New Century Version]

*** 2 Cor. 2:11 “…so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes.” [NLT]

 RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FACING TEMPTATION AS A DAILY REALITY AND OVERCOMING IT!

2. BY REALIZING TEMPTATION’S SOURCE!

*** James 1:13 “When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone….” [NIV]

3. BY OWNING THE RESPONSIBILITY!

*** James 1:14 “…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” [NIV]

 A GODLY NATURE – inherited from God!

 A SINFUL NATURE – inherited from Adam!

*** Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” [NIV]

*** Romans 7:18-19 “Yes, I know that nothing good lives in me—I mean nothing good lives in the part of me that is earthly and sinful. I want to do the things that are good, but I do not do them. I do not do the good things I want to do, but I do the bad things I do not want to do.” [NCV]

 ONCE YOU BECOME A CHRIST-FOLLOWER IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO “JUST SAY NO!”

*** Romans 13:14 “But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and forget about satisfying your sinful self.” [NCV]

4. BY UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS!

*** James 1:14-15 “…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” [NIV]

A. THE SPIRITUAL IS REMOVED!

*** Matthew 26:41 “Keep watch and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." [Today’s English Version]

B. THE DESIRE IS STIMULATED!

*** 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends… I beg you to avoid the evil things your bodies want to do that fight against your soul.” [NCV]

C. THE WILL IS SURRENDERED!

*** Romans 7:18-19 “I know that my selfish desires won't let me do anything that is good. Even when I want to do right, I cannot. Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong.” [Contemporary English Version]

D. THE SIN BEGINS!

*** 1 John 2:16 “For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world.” [NLT]

E. THE HABIT IS SET!

*** Romans 6:16 “Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.” [NLT]

F. THE SOUL IS DESTROYED!

*** Romans 6:23 “When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death.” [NCV]

*** Proverbs 11:19 “Those who are truly good will live, but those who chase after evil will die.” [NCV]

*** Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin.” [NCV]

 THE PAIN OF THE HARVEST ALWAYS

EXCEEDS THE PLEASURE OF THE SOWING!

5. BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE STANDARD!

*** James 1:18 “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” [NIV]

*** Romans 1:25 “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator….” [NIV]

*** 2 Tim. 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” [NIV]

6. BY SEEING THE VALUE!

*** James 1:16-17 “Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” [NIV]

*** Genesis 3:4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.” [NIV]

*** Matthew 6:33 “The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you.” [NCV]

*** Hebrews 11:25-26 “He chose to suffer with God's people instead of enjoying sin for a short time. He thought it was better to suffer for the Christ than to have all the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking for God's reward.” [NCV]

EVERY DAY IS ELECTION DAY.

GOD VOTES FOR YOU.

THE DEVIL VOTES AGAINST YOU.

YOU CAST THE DECIDING VOTE!