Temptation
Luke 4:1-13
Oscar Wilde said, “I can resist anything but temptation.” He also said, “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”
As Christians we must learn how to overcome temptation. Josh Billing was right when he said, “One-half the trouble of this life can be traced to saying ‘yes’ too quickly, and not saying ‘no’ soon enough.”
Years ago I came across a spiritual equation that I have never forgotten: “temptation plus opportunity equals trouble.” It is possible for someone to be tempted yet not have the opportunity to fulfill that temptation. On the other hand, someone may have the opportunity, but not be tempted. It is when you get the two together that you have a problem.
I want to deal with a problem that we all face every day. It doesn’t matter whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, intelligent or illiterate, a young Christian or a seasoned veteran.
Our text yields some great secrets to finding victory over the devil and any temptation that we might face.
I. The PROBLEM Of Daily Temptation
The Bible teaches at least two principles related to the problem of daily temptation:
A. It Is A COMMON Problem That We Face (1Corinthians 10:13)
B. It Is A CONTINUOUS Problem That We Face
Temptation is something we will constantly face, so we must learn how to handle it.
There is no person exempt (1,2). If the very son of God was not exempt, your not exempt. There is no period exempt. What period of time was this in which Jesus tempted? Jesus had just been baptized. Jesus had just begun His public ministry. The Holy Spirit of God had just descended upon the Lord Jesus Christ (3:21). There is no kind of a spiritual experience that your going to enter into that’s going to make you immune to temptation either. The Lord Jesus Christ had the approval of heaven, and it was just after this that He knew the assault of hell.
There is no place that is exempt. Continue to read. The Bible says He was lead by the Spirit into the wilderness. Jesus was exactly, precisely in the will of God, and He was tempted. Don’t get the idea that if you are in the will of God, or if your serving God, your not going to be tempted.
There is no point where your not exempt. See Hebrews 4:15.
II. The PATHWAY Of Daily Temptation
The Bible reveals that all temptation follows a predictable pathway. Thus, you can be alert to what avenues temptation will enter into your life. See I John 2:15,16. John describes 3 ways in which tmeptation comes to us.
A. Temptation Comes Through The Of The FLESH (Luke 4:3)
The word "lust" speaks of the cravings and longings of the flesh. The "flesh” is our fallen nature, the old man, that part of us that still longs after the things of this world. By our flesh, the world seeks to get us to fulfill the desires of the flesh in a wrong way. This method involves SHAMEFUL APPETITES.
We will be tempted to satisfy the physical desires of your body. The of the flesh deals with the body, and that’s in the area of appetites. Now what was the devil saying to Jesus? Satisfy your body. Make a god of your appetite, and turn these stones into bread. Now, it’s very obvious that there is nothing wrong with eating bread. Jesus ate bread; he broke bread with His disciples, Jesus fed five thousand men bread. There is nothing wrong with eating bread. But the problem here would have been that Jesus would have been acting independently of the Father if he had turned the stones into bread.
The first temptation that Satan presented to the Lord Jesus in the wilderness appealed to the flesh. Satan challenged Jesus to turn stones into bread and put an end to his gnawing hunger. He tempted Jesus to act in independence of the Holy Spirit to satisfy a desire of the flesh.
Satisfy your cravings, satisfy your physical desires the devil says. Now, do we face those same kinds of temptations? Of course we do. You will be tempted to satisfy the cravings of your physical body.
B. Temptation Comes Through The Of The EYES (Luke 4:5-7)
Satan utilized the eye gate for his next temptation. He revealed to the Lord great wealth and power that is available in the world and offered it to the Lord. Many fall in this manner as they look upon the houses, lands, wealth, etc. of this world. Many sacrifice eternal treasure for temporary earthly treasure.
The second method of the world is the "lust of the eyes." The eyes are a gateway to the mind. The world puts things before our eyes for the purpose of getting us to think about certain things. The of the eyes relates to SHOWY APPEARANCE, that is things to see. The eyes see and flesh longs. The devil knows how to package and merchandise his wares so that they appear attractive.
C. Temptation Comes Through The PRIDE Of Life (Luke 4:9-11)
John speaks of the "pride of life." The word "pride" describes a braggart, one who was trying to impress others with their importance. The world seeks to get us to become self-centered instead of Christ-centered. The world seeks to get us living for self rather than God. The pride of life has to do with SHALLOW APPLAUSE.
The devil came to the Son of God with this third temptation which deals with the pride of life, and the very essence, this is a temptation to His spirit. What he said to Him was this: I’ll take you up here to the pinnacle of the temple. The people are waiting for the Messiah. You just step off this pinnacle of the temple, and let the angels escort you down. What a dramatic entrance you’ll make. Everybody will be amazed. They will fall down and worship you; they will adore you because of the way that you have come. You will be a very important person.
When you look at Adam and Eve you find that these were the methods the devil used to seduce them: We read in Genesis 3:6, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” There was the "lust of the flesh" for see "saw that the tree was good for food." It possessed that which could satisfy her desire for food. There was the "lust of the eyes" for was "pleasant to the eyes." Finally, there was the "pride of life" for she saw it as "a tree to be desired to make one wise."
The devil will tempt you at the of the flesh, the devil will tempt you at the of the eyes, and the devil will tempt you at the pride of life.
III. The PRINCIPLES For Defeating Temptation
Victory over temptation can be yours. IF it does the following elements will be invovled.
A. There must be a relationship called SONSHIP.
You will never overcome Satan until you become a son of God. Now, Jesus was the son of God. But Jesus who was the Son of God became the Son of Man that you, a son of man, might become a son of God. Jesus came to earth that you might come to heaven.
There is no way possible that you are going to have victory over Satan without being saved. Everybody here tonight is a son of God or a slave of Satan. There is no victory without the new birth.
B. There must be a reliance on the SPIRIT
“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost." Jesus met Satan and overcame Satan not as God. Jesus met Satan and Jesus overcame Satan as man filled with the Holy Spirit. If you don’t hear anything else I say tonight, I want you to hear that. I mean as God, Jesus could have spoken and obliterated Satan. Jesus could vaporize Satan. But Jesus did not do that. Why? Had Jesus done that, he could not be my example.
To be spirit filled is not a suggestion, not a request, it is a command (Ephesians 5:18). You’re no match for Satan, but dear friend, the Holy Spirit of God who is resident in you is more than a match for him
C. There must be readiness with the SCRIPTURE.
Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit, used the Bible when Satan came against him. Look in Luke chapter four and verse four. “It is written."
D. There must be the resource of supplication.
Did not Jesus say to his disciples in Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” Sometimes we don’t read the Bible carefully, and I want you to go back and look in Luke 3:21. Jesus lived by prayer. Prayer was a habit of His life. If you are not a man a woman of prayer, you are going down.
Conclusion
God has given us an example of everything we need to defeat temptation.
