Going through temptations

Where does temptation come from?

 I guess before we can figure out where temptation comes from we must define what temptation is, a  trial; being put to the test.  James tells us in James 1:2 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trails." But knowing what something is and where comes from are two different things.  Do trails come from God or Satan?  If we read Job chapter two we see that Satan is in a meeting that involves God, Satan ask God’s permission to put Job under temptation.  When we see this picture it should bring comfort to us knowing that Satan cannot do anything without Gods permission.  Why does Satan want to bring trails into Job’s life?  Because he believes he is able to lead Job away from God.  The trails that we go through in our walk with God are meant to cause a friction between us and God, Satan wants to bring a separation between us and God.  God allows it yes, but He does not bring it into our lives.  Who was it in the garden that was talking to Eve about the fruit of knowledge of good and evil?  When we remember that God wants all of us to be focused on Him and not ourselves it’s no wonder that when Satan tempts us it is focused on us, “You will not surely die. ^5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”(Gen 3:4-5)  You see what he did there he made it look like God had lied, he wanted to separate Eve from God.  He does the same today, did God really say it was wrong to …  if God truly love you wouldn’t he do this for you.

How do we defeat Temptation?

I know that some are thinking come on give me a break we all know how not to sin against God, we all know this basic Christian living 101.  That may be the case but we have a great deal of so called seasoned Christians allowing temptations defeat them every day.  The first thing I think we should look at is how did Christ handle the trials that came His way, we read in Luke 4:1-12.  In the chain of events Satan comes and tempts Christ three times, each time Christ comes back with scripture.  That tells us that even before the temptation comes we need to be reading, and study the scriptures, it is there we find the promises and the laws that God has for us.  Take for example that you are tempted to become rich and to not worry so much about God, you could remember that in 1^st Timothy 6:9 it says “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.”  Then you might say let me go and read all 1^st Timothy chapter six and we would be reminded of how greed separates us from God.

We also see  that when Christ teaches the disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:8 and Luke 11:4, that Christ says “And don’t let us yield to temptation ,but deliver us from the evil one.” Then in also in Mark 14:38, Matthew 26:11, and Luke 22:40,46 Christ tell them “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  We need to be praying for Gods guidance and wisdom as well in our lives.  I think of Romans 12:1-2, Paul tells us to allow God to transform us, we need to pray to God that He will change how we think, God wants us to follow Him and be a part of his Kingdom, once we are in  His kingdom He is not going to leave us. Remember the promise found in 1^st Corinthians 10:13 “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.”