Conquering Temptation

A godly life does not make us immune from temptation, but does prepare us to conquer it. If anyone had a godly life, it was Christ himself, right? Son of God, Son of Man. And even he was not immune from temptation, but through the power and the strength of the Spirit, he was able to conquer it and be forever our Son and Savior.

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Temptation

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Temptation: what we're talking about is the internal longings of the heart that uniquely draw us away from the principles of God, as well as the external influences of Satan. Every one of us is tempted, are we not? We are tempted in various ways and to various degrees. Today you will be tempted. Tomorrow you will be tempted. Every single day of life here on earth we will be tempted.

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When we go to Luke chapter four and we see the temptation of Jesus. Temptations came at Him, therefore you should not be surprised that temptations will come at you in various forms and in various ways. 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 

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I believe 1 Corinthians 10:13 should be memorized by every single person in the Church of Jesus Christ. What it is saying is that every single temptation that we experience in life has been experienced to one degree or another, probably to bigger degrees, by various people arround you. They come at us. Temptation is common to the human experience. As we're talking about being a people prepared and we go to Luke Chapter four we see that a godly life does not make us immune from temptation, but does prepare us to conquer it.

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They come at us. Temptation is common to the human experience

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A godly life; that is, following Christ, walking with Christ in the journey of maturity; as you are growing and maturing in the Lord, you are living the godly life, a spirit filled lifeyet godlyness does not make you immune from temptation. Did you see that? It does not make you immune. You are not going to reach a point in your Christian walk and in your godly life where all of a sudden you are temptation exempt.

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It's not going to happen. A godly life does not make you immune from temptation. But listen, it will help you to conquer it so that when those temptations come at you in various forms, whether it be from an internal desire that leads you astray, or whether it be from an external influence of the enemy who is seeking to exploit your weaknesses or a deadly combination of both.

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A godly life does not make us immune from temptation, but does prepare us to conquer it.

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You, as a follower of Jesus Christ, will have the Spirit's power to escape it through His strength. That's the good news I have for you today, my friend. A godly life does not make us immune from temptation, but it does help us to conquer it. In the moment,

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Empathy from Jesus

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When I am tempted, the Son is able to empathize with it. Jesus, in Luke Chapter four, is being tempted by the devil. Do you realize that? Satan has indeed at this moment come into the life of Jesus, to oppose Him, to tempt Him with some of the greatest temptations, and Jesus, who is our Son and Savior, being fully God and fully man, experienced temptation at every level to every degree, even more so than you or I.

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Therefore, because he has been tempted in every way, he is certainly able to get us; that is,  understand us, and he's able to help us. In those two principles consider His empathy. He's able to get us and he's able to help us. 

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Hebrews says it this way in chapter four and in chapter two, that Jesus “...in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” He has been tempted in every respect just as we are. The temptations came to Him therefore He can fully understand us and get us and empathize with us. Yet, in the midst of all of the temptation, He's without sin – A godly life does not make us immune from temptation, but it does prepare us to conquer it.

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Jesus is able to get us, but he's also able to help us. Hebrews chapter two; “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” It is this twofold that Jesus gets us and He helps us that that we come into contact with here in verses one and two, when Jesus himself enters into the wilderness for a season of isolation for the of preparation, and is there having been led by the spirit that he encounters, the ancient adversary himself and Jesus was being tempted by the devil.

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This is such good news: we serve a savior who gets us and who is able to help us. He does not tempt us in any way, but when we experience the fires of affliction and when we encounter those temptations, whether it be prompted by those internal desires, or whether it be prompted by the external influences of the enemy we have a Savior who gets us and can help us.

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Battling Temptation

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I want to encourage you, my friend, develop a battle plan; identify three or four key areas of temptation that you regularly encounter and match them up with a word of truth that you can have ready on your tongue in the moment. The word is essential to resist it.

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The wise are prepared to face it: take a look at verse 13 with me after this repeated, persistent back and forth of temptation. Here it is: “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time” – The godly life does not exempt us from temptation, but it does help us to conquer it. When it indeed comes.

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“He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but along with the temptation, will provide a way of escape so that you can endure it.”

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Avoid occasions of sin, use common sense. Don't put yourself in situations where you know that you're vulnerable to the enemy's attacks because he is persistent and he will come back again at an opportune moment. 

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The Power of the Spirit

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The Spirit gives power to conquer it. 

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Jesus was full of the spirit, right? “And he was led by the Spirit” — And then verse 15, which now packages this whole thing together; “and Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee

and a report about him went through the surrounding country and he taught in their synagogues being glorified by all.” This is His public ministry, the beginning of His public ministry, and it is empowered by the very spirit of God.

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So here is Jesus Christ, having been full of the Spirit and being led by the Spirit. And after 40 days of testing and trying, He comes out, having been refined by that fire of affliction, and he comes out, see it, in the power of the Spirit, and it is the power of the Holy Spirit with which He began to minister and to proclaim the Word of God, “repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near.”

It was very clear to all that it was the power of the Spirit upon His life. Having conquered temptation and overcome sinful offers by the enemy here is Christ now, going out in the power of the Spirit. What a great picture,

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I believe, of the Christian life that we are those people who indeed are full of the Spirit. Indeed, we are those who are called to be led by the Spirit. And as we experience seasons of testing, the purpose of the Spirit is that we come out on the other side stronger and in the power of the Spirit, not in our own strength. 

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A godly life does not make us immune from temptation, but does prepare us to conquer it. If anyone had a godly life, it was Christ himself, right? Son of God, Son of Man. And even He was not immune from temptation, but through the power and the strength of the Spirit, He was able to conquer it and be forever our Son and Savior, the one who represents us before our Father, the one who is able to help us in our weakness, is able to empathize with us because He is like us; He was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin, and he stands forever as the true and better representative of the human race. The enemy who took down Adam in Genesis Three is the enemy who was conquered in Luke Chapter Four, and Jesus Himself goes on to perfection and glory, having defeated the enemy. And this is why we give Him all of the praise and the glory; our advocate before the Father.

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Developing a Battle Plan

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I want to encourage you, my friend, develop a battle plan. Identify three or four key areas of temptation that you regularly encounter and match them up with a word of truth that you can have ready on your tongue in the moment.

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Here's some examples of a battle plan that we could consider today:

God can't forgive me. After all I've done?

• the temptation there is to despair.
• you match that up with a verse like Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

My situation is hopeless

• We're prone to despair, we're prone to hopelessness
• Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Well, what's wrong with looking? It's just social media. I'm just scrolling. It's just porn. It's just – I mean, I'm just looking.

• Job 31 one where job says, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustful upon a young woman.”

I need another drink, another glass, another mixed drink, another cocktail, another this, You just are unsatiated with a desire for more and more intoxication.

• 1 Corinthians 6, which says, “all things are permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved to anything.” 

“Well, I was just joking.” A foolish conversation and an ill chosen word.

• Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

“Well, my friends invited me to _______. 

•  Proverbs 1:10, "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent."

“I am worried sick.” ( Worry which leads to anxiety. Anxiety which leads to fear. Fear that leads to hopelessness. Hopelessness to despair.)

•  Philippians 4, which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, present your request to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. “

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Does that make sense? From a battle plan. Whatever the area of temptation is, the word essential to resist it.

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Very practical instruction today on areas of temptation; internal desires that draw us away, external influences that lure us and entice us. I urge you now to take your hearts before the Lord and seek Him for help. Father, be glorified. I pray, Father, now that you would take this passage, seal it upon our hearts, that we would see that the Son, your Son, is able to empathize with every area of our temptation. Thank you, Father, that you provide a way of escape. That you are faithful indeed. We give you the glory today for your word. May your word be put upon our hearts. May we hide it within our hearts that we may not sin against you. We give you the praise, amen.

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