TACKLING TEMPTATION

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13

  1. I saw a man at the mall recently wearing a t-shirt that said, "I Can Resist Anything But Temptation."
  1. That just about sums it up for many people. They want to be good, they've got good intentions, but when temptation comes along they give up without a fight. It's like they have the attitude, "I am going to lose this battle anyway...I'm going to end up feeling guilty and feeling like a failure anyway...why go through the misery of trying to resist?"
  1. Most people who make an effort to do what is right often find themselves struggling with one specific sin that they just can't seem to shake. It could be lust, or bitterness, or gluttony, or jealousy, or selfishness, or any number of other things, but sometimes it seems that it has such a hold on us that we are powerless in its grip.

ILLUSTRATION:

Three preachers went fishing together one day. The fish weren't biting, so they began to open up and share their hearts. They even started confessing their sins to one another. The first preacher said, "Guys, I have a confession to make. I'm having an affair. If news of this ever got to my wife she would tear me limb from limb. I know it's wrong, but I can't help myself." The second preacher said, "You're not alone, pal. I've got problems, too. I like to gamble. You know all that money I raised for the mission trip last year? It didn't go to missions. I blew it in Las Vegas. If this ever got out my church would fire me and run me out of town." The third preacher sat in the boat silently as the other two waited for his confession. Finally he said, "Fellows, maybe I should have gone first, because my big sin is Gossip!"

  1. Some people just can't resist temptation. In fact, let's not kid ourselves. We all give in to it more often than we should. Maybe not like the three preachers in that story, but we do we give into temptation from time to time.
  1. The Bible teaches that we don't have to lose the battle again and again, day after day. We can experience victory over temptation.

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO EXAMINE ONE VERSE THAT DEALS WITH THE SUBJECT OF TEMPTATION (1 COR. 10:13). THIS SINGLE VERSE IS SO POWERFUL THAT IF YOU WILL REMEMBER IT DURING A TIME OF TEMPTATION, IT WILL HELP YOU WIN THE BATTLE.

  1. FIRST, REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT A SIN TO BE TEMPTED.

(v. 13) "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man."

  1. Everyone is tempted. No one is immune. And the temptations you face are not unique; others have faced the very same temptations.
  1. Now, I want to make it clear exactly what temptation is and what it is not. Some people would define temptation as "the opportunity to do something wrong." That's not it at all. Temptation is having a desire to do something wrong. There's a difference.
  1. Two men could be walking down the street together and pass a beer joint, pool hall, movie theatre, house of ill repute, or Bingo parlor. One man might walk by without giving it a second thought. The other might feel a strong urge to go in and partake. Both had the same opportunity, but only one was tempted.
  1. Experiencing the desire to do something wrong is temptation; but being tempted is not, in and of itself, a sin. Everyone is tempted...even Jesus.

The Bible says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

  1. Jesus experienced temptation just like you and I experience temptation. When you see a movie like King of Kings or The Greatest Story Ever Told, the temptation scenes typically show Jesus stoically resisting the devil without any emotional effort on his part. These movies miss the drama of the Biblical account. The temptation that Jesus faced was real temptation. Luke 4states that Jesus was in the wilderness fasting for forty days and he had become hungry. So what did Satan do? He tempted him with food: "Tell this stone to become bread." Understand: Jesus was tempted to do it. But he didn't give in.
  1. Temptation is inevitable, so when you're tempted to commit sin, don't think that there is something wrong with you. Being tempted does not indicate a flaw in your character; it indicates that you are human. Being tempted is not a sin; it is a fact of life. Too many Christians lose the battle to temptation because they think there is something wrong with them for being tempted in the first place. That is not the case. Just because you experience a momentary desire to do something wrong doesn't mean that you are a bad person. It is not a sin to be tempted.
  1. Some people will say, "Wait a minute. Jesus said "Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). Doesn't that mean that thinking it is just as bad as doing it? Yes it does. There is certainly such a thing as sinful thinking. You can be guilty of adultery without ever being in the presence of another person. You can be guilty of murder without ever picking up a weapon. But understand: Jesus is not talking about a momentary impulse. He is referring prolonged, deliberate lustful thoughts. That is not temptation; it is sin.
  1. I will explain further. Let's say you're at work, and you find yourself tempted to say something cruel to your co-worker—you really want to let him have it— but you don't. You bite your tongue, reject the thought, ignore the desire, and go on about your business. You didn't sin. On the other hand, if you spend hours rehearsing in your mind all the things that you would like to say to that person if you ever got the chance—you have crossed the line and are committing a sin with your thoughts.
  1. So, what's the difference between a tempting thought and a sinful thought? Duration. How long is the thought in your mind before you reject it? I believe it was Billy Graham who said "You cannot prevent birds from flying overhead; you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair."
  1. Remember, being tempted is not a sin. Everyone is tempted. When you're tempted, reject the thought as quickly as possible and it will lose its power.
  1. SECOND, NO SIN IS IRRESISTIBLE.
  1. Henry Louis Mencken defined temptation as an "irresistible force at work on a moveable body." Many people feel that way, but that's not the case. Temptation may be inevitable, but giving in to temptation isn't.
  1. How many times have you heard someone say, "I just couldn't help myself...it was more than I could bear...I was pushed to the breaking point...I reached the point of no return." These are all lies that the devil feeds us. He tries to make us think that sin is inevitable, unavoidable, and irresistible, and that we have to cave in. That's just not true. Paul said...

(v. 13) "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear."

  1. The fact is, you and I are stronger than we realize, and God's grace is greater than we often give him credit for.

ILLUSTRATION:

Many people think that storms such as Hurricane Andrew or El Nino will inevitably destroy every building in their path. However, that is not the case. For example, the state of Florida has instituted strict building codes in high risk areas. Now, these codes often increase the cost of the building, and many people try to cut corners, but the fact is that, more often than not, buildings that are built according to code can withstand the storm. After Hurricane Andrew hit Florida, one man whose house was the only one left standing in his neighborhood was asked why it didn't get destroyed with the others. He said, "I can't speak for them, I can only speak for myself. I built this house according to code. I laid the foundation according to specs. I built the supports like it said to. When it called for a certain type of nail, or a certain type of lumber, I used it. And my house is still standing—isn't that a coincidence?"

  1. In the same way, you don't have to fall every time a little storm of temptation comes your way. Through the power of God's grace you can experience victory over temptation. If you fortify your spiritual life with prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and service, you will find that temptation doesn't have the power to destroy that it once had. Temptation is not irresistible; you can win the battle.
  1. THE THIRD THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT TEMPTATION IS GOD WILL HELP YOU RESIST TEMPTATION.
  1. Sometimes temptation can be a lonely experience. You feel like you're on your own. You feel vulnerable. You feel like there is no one there to help you. Remember, God has promised to give you the strength to overcome any temptation you face. You can win the battle, and you don't have to do it on your own. He will help you.

(v. 13) "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

  1. The word translated "way out" is ekbasis, and it means "of clearance or successful endurance."The idea this word projects is that of an army apparently surrounded and then suddenly seeing an escape route to safety.
  1. This is what God does for us in the midst of temptation. It may seem that there is no way out...that the sin is stronger than we are...that we are powerless in its grip...but if we look to God for deliverance, he will show us a way out.
  1. It is important to remember that God is not the source of temptation, he is the solution. Listen to what James said...

"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed"(James 1:13-14).

James goes on to say "after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin."

  1. There's a crucial window of time when you are first faced with temptation that you have the opportunity to resist. When you first experience its' lure—that's the time to turn to God for help. He has promised a way out. You don't have to fall in head first. With his help, you can escape every single time. That is his promise to you.
  1. Some might say, "Are you saying that we can become perfect and live above sin?" Well, I don't know. I'm certainly not there yet. But 1 Corinthians 10:13 takes the wind out of our tendency to make excuses for sin. 1 Corinthians 10:13teaches us that if we sin we can't blame it on God, or the devil, or circumstances, or another person, or anything else. If we sin, we are responsible for our own actions, because God has promised always to provide a way of escape.

CONCLUSION:

  1. Temptation is a fact of life. It never goes away. Even after Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the Bible says that Satan left him "until an opportune time."
  1. As long as your heart is beating you will face temptation. But remember this: you don't have to lose the battle. God will help you win. He will provide a way out. You can have victory over temptation.
  1. But, what happens when you lose the battle? What then?

The Bible says, "If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2).

  1. You can win the battle against temptation, but when you don't, God is faithful: When we repent and ask for forgiveness, He forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
  1. When it comes to temptation, God's attitude is not "Prove to me how strong you are." His attitude is "Let me show you how strong I can help you be." The devil, the world, and your own sinful nature do not have ultimate power over you. God's grace is always available. When you fail, he is faithful always to forgive. And then, next time you face temptation, he is ready to help you win the battle.

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