Dealing with Temptation

There are all kinds of temptations. Temptation to worry, be jealous, greedy, selfish, self-centered, all the way to lie, steal, look at pornography etc.In the Bible, temptation refers to a test, trial, or enticement that draws a person toward sin or away from obedience to God.

The original biblical words carry two closely related ideas: 1.Testing/Trial – something that proves or refines your faith 2.Enticement to sin – a pull toward disobedience or wrongdoing

So temptation isn’t always sinful by itself—it becomes sin when a person gives in to it.

1. Temptation is not sin. Even Jesus Christ was tempted: Hebrews 4:15 “He was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” This shows temptation is part of the human experience, not failure.

GROUP DISCUSSION: How do we handle temptation? What do you do when you are tempted?

2. Temptation often comes from within. James 1:14 “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” The Bible emphasizes that internal desires play a major role—not just external forces. The enemy will use those desires to bring temptations in our lives and lead us to sin.

3. God allows testing but doesn’t tempt to evil. James 1:13 “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.” However, He may allow tests to strengthen faith.

4. There is always a way out. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear… He will also provide a way out.” Temptation is never unbeatable, in fact its always beatable.

Temptation (biblically): A test or enticement that challenges a person to choose between obedience to God and sin.

If you feed yourself enough of the Word, you’re going to win most of those temptations. If your spirit is stronger than your flesh, you will come out victorious in every situation. Don’t just read the word, but STUDY the Word, and speak it out loud. The bible tells us to study the word, even the word “Read” in Greek means to know more fully, to grasp and understand. 

Temptation will come. If we never had temptation, we would not need faith. Temptation tests us and shows what quality of believer that we are.

Luke 17:1 And [Jesus] said to His disciples, Temptations (snares, traps set to entice to sin) are sure to come, but woe to him by or through whom they come!

Matt 18: ⁷ Woe to the world for such temptations to sinandinfluences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes!

GROUP QUESTION: Why do you think there a serious judgement (woe) on those who bring temptation?

Don’t even expect temptation not to come. Instead of trying to get to the point where you’re never tempted, don’t be a temptation to anybody else. And when temptation shows up, you know how to deal with it. Remember, they are traps and snares.

The Lord’s Prayer says. Matthew 6: 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 

He never says, pray that you won’t be tempted. He says, pray that you won’t come to the temptation. Temptation will come, it’s in the world, our flesh tempts, the devil tempts us. Everyone goes through every week with temptation to get offended, to get angry. You don’t have to feel bad about being tempted, but rather resist it, and the sooner you do, the easier it will be.

Jesus understands our temptation, He himself was tempted:

Hebrews 4: 15 ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.

He knows what it’s like to feel everything that you feel. It’s wonderful to go to God when we feel tempted, no matter what we are tempted with, and he will help and has given us a way out. But don’t believe the lie that you can never be free.  

Luke 4: ¹³ And when the devil had ended every [the complete cycle of] temptation, he [temporarily] left Him [that is, stood off from Him] until another more opportune and favorable time.

Group Question: When are you most vulnerable to temptation (tired, stressed, successful, alone, etc.)? Why do you think those moments are “opportune times”?

¹⁴ Then Jesus went back full of and under the power of the [Holy] Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of Him spread through the whole region round about.

If you pass this test day by day, you will come full under the Power of the Holy Spirit.

James 1: ² Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sortorfall into various temptations. ³ Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

James 1: ¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Everybody will be tempted. Just because you are tempted doesn’t mean you have to buckle you knees and fall for it. Temptation is simply pressure that is applied to your flesh and mind to get you to contradict the Word of God. When that pressure comes, if you outlast it, you will be empowered. Whatever you resist, you will cause that temptation to weaken in your life. First time may be hard, but the next time will be easier.

Group Question: How can you tell the difference between being tempted and actually starting to give in? Where is that “line” for you personally?

 James 1: ¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: ¹⁴But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (AMP)¹⁴But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). ¹⁵Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Notice its YOUR OWN lust that bringeth forth sin and eventually death. Desire doesn’t just happen. There is a process with desire. Whatever you give attention to, you will desire. Whatever you tend to the most is what you will desire. The question is, where is your attention? Desire is created by you when YOU give your ATTENTION to. If you want to have a desire for God you have to pay attention to Him.

Proverbs 4: ²⁰My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

God knows attention will create desire. Attention to his Words. Give the word your attention. You will desire His word, and the kingdom. There will be no progress in your life until you locate yourself.  You need to realize and admit, I choose to give into the temptation because I want to. As long as you keep blaming the devil, or blaming other people for what you do and not accept responsibility for your sin action, then you give the enemy the authority while you thinking and making excuses saying he’s the one behind it, giving him the authority and continue to make suggestions, he knowing that he can’t make you do anything, and him knowing that his authority has been limited to making a suggestion. He also knows that if he can get you to train to flesh until it becomes addicted and used to doing certain things, and it will feel like you’re being controlled when in actuality you are just following through with your training.  Ask God to reveal it to you. If you make excuses, you give Satan authority. He can train your flesh until it becomes addicted.

Group Question: What is a recurring temptation in your life that seems small—but keeps showing up consistently? Why do you think it sticks around?

Romans 6:5-7 KJV – ⁵For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  ⁶Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  ⁷For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:  ⁹Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  ¹⁰For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  ¹² Let not sin therefore reign (Rule as King AMP) in your mortal (short lived, perishable) body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Galatians 5 ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.