Overcoming Temptation

Temptation Facts

Temptation Does Not Equal Sin (Show | Hide Notes)

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin." Hebrew 4:15

Now I have to admit up front, I have never understood this verse. Our strongest temptations are the ones where we've a worn a path right up to the Sin's front door. A slip became a habit, and then a habit became a vice, and then a vice became an addiction.

Jesus never sinned, so he never faced the power of a habitual, addictive sin. How did God even things out so His Sinless Son suffered as much temptation as we have? There's some food for meditation later.

Human Beings Have Common Temptations (Show | Hide Notes)

Corinthians 10:13, CSB 'No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.'

While we all have common temptations, our temptation patterns have a different shape. For instance ...

On average, Males are more prone to temptations below the belt: fornication, adultery, mental adultery, visiting adult web sites, etc. Women are more inclined to sins above the chin: gossip, slander, backbiting, lying.
The capitalist may be tempted by money; the communist by pride in his moral superiority over greedy capitalists and his unrecognized envy of what the greedy capitalist has.

Temptations Come In All Shapes and Sizes (Show | Hide Notes)

A few years ago, I tracked down and watched a movie so you wouldn't have to: The Last Temptation of Christ with William Dafoe as Jesus. I had heard beforehand what that last temptation was, but wanted to see how the movie handled it. Jesus succumbs to that last temptation and comes down off the cross. Years afterwards, he is berated by the Apostle Paul and by Judas for not having followed through on being crucified. Jesus surrenders to them and returns to the cross. You see that the whole coming down off the cross thing happened in his mind over a couple of seconds, not years, and that he did turn away from that last temptation. What was that last temptation???

During those seconds/years, Christ married Mary and Martha and fathered several children. He lived a serene life in a comfortable home with a family who loved him and neighbors and friends who respected and liked him. A normal life was the last temptation of Christ.

Think about that. Christ not only rejected sin, He rejected a life of simplicity and worldly serenity. How many Christians have followed Christ as far as turning away from obvious sin while embracing a comfortable life that God had never intended for them.

Why Resist Temptation? (Negative Consequences) (Show | Hide Notes)

Because giving in to temptation will eventually enslave and destroy us.

Genesis 4:7, CSB 'If you do what is right, won't you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.'

Why Resist Temptation? (Positive Benefits) (Show | Hide Notes)

To Receive Rewards In Heaven 'If we seriously believe that God’s final purpose with men and women is to give them dominion, that is, functions of ruling with responsibility over the entire created universe, and if we truly believe what Jesus taught us about ranks in the kingdom of heaven based on the way people have discharged their God-given duties in this present life, then we will be able to discern the process by which men and women are prepared, educated, trained, and tested, through hardship, sufferings, trials, temptations, and calls to self-sacrifice, for that final destiny of reigning with Christ' Ton, p. xiii

PS Overcoming Temptations Does Not Deliver You from Sins of Omission (Show | Hide Notes)

Overcoming Temptations is only half the victory; there are still sins of omission we must overcome. Sins of Omission are those righteous acts God intended us to do, but which we failed to do. With sins of omission, Satan is not pulling us towards something we shouldn't do, he is trying to distract from God's list of Things to Do.

How Do We Resist Temptation?

Days of Solid Gold Suggestions

Remember You Are Promised An Escape Route (Show | Hide Notes)

I Corinthians 10:13, CSB 'No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out so that you may be able to bear it.'

Remember Those Crowns (Show | Hide Notes)

'For many evangelicals the thought of being paid or rewarded by God for the things they have done for Him seems too ‘commercial,’ ‘beneath their dignity,’ and even ‘repugnant.’ Is it not more dignified and morally right, they say, to serve God ‘out of love,’ without any though of future reward? One may detect in this attitude a great quantity of human pride, but the main response we have for these people is that God does not act according to our own ideas. We had better listen to what He has to say about these matters.' Ton, p. 76.

The idea of working for heavenly rewards is sordid only if the concept is of earthly origin. What if rewards for faithful service originated in the kingdom of God and our earthly economic system is a shadow of the Heavenly Things (as was the temple and religious rites of the Jews).

James 1:12 'Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.'

Revelation 2:10 'Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.'

1 Corinthians 9:25 'Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.'

2 Timothy 4:8 'There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.'

Remember Your Testimony (Show | Hide Notes)

II Timothy 2:10 'This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.'

'The cross of Christ is for propitiation, whereas our crosses are for propagation.' Rev. Leith Samuel, cited by Ton, p. 76.

Exchange I CAN'T DO THAT for an I DON'T DO THAT Attitude (Show | Hide Notes)

I rarely eat sweets. The secret to kicking my sugar addiction was a little tip from one of those supermarket checkout magazines. It explained when you say I CAN'T Eat That, you're weak and whiney. You're acknowledging that you wish you could have it, but your mean old diet is controlling you, and won't let you have it. You're playing the victim. But when you say, "I DON'T eat that", you're firm, decisive, and in control. You're an adult in charge of your life. There is a world of difference between these two attitudes.

FORGET Those Failures Behind You … (Show | Hide Notes)

1 John 1:9 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'
Philippians 3:13 'But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead'

God has given us repentance and confession as a way of climbing back up to our feet after a fall.

NEVER FORGET Those Failures Behind You (Show | Hide Notes)

I John 1:8 'If we say, 'We have no sin,' we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.'

Counting too much on the mercy and forbearance of God can lead to loose living, and perpetual loose living is a bad indicator.

You will NEVER me say that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" REALLY means "The respect/reverence of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Every time I hear someone say that, I'm asking myself if they're taking crazy pills. Have they not read The Bible? Have they not grasped the concept of Final Judgment? Hell? Sheep and goats? "But I'm a Christian! I shouldn't have to fear God" News Flash: That's what Annanias and Sapphira thought. The same for those goats at the Judgment Seat being surprised at Christ's rejection; they went to their graves with Assurance of Salvation.

II Corinthians 13:5 'Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test.'

Prognosis Or Theosis? (Show | Hide Notes)

Looking at the sanctification process from the Eastern Orthodow point of view helped me become more of an overcomer. Instead of focusing on the swamp full of alligators snapping at me, I began focusing on the end goal of the process, being transformed into the image of Christ. (EO folks call this view of sanctification theosis or deification.) I'm still clubbing alligators, but they're in my peripheral vision now. My eyes are trained on the distant shore, on the godly/Christ-like being the Holy Spirit is gradually transforming me into.

Pray in the Spirit (Show | Hide Notes)

Ephesians 6:18 'Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.'

I Corinthians 14:2 'For the person who speaks in another tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit'

Now I realize that some of you, maybe even all of you, are Cessationists, people who believe the sign gifts are no longer available. If you hold to that, ignore the 2nd verse I've listed and just pray in the Spirit. But for those of you who are Continuationists, get in that prayer closet and unleash those mysteries in the Spirit!

Pray Preemptively (Show | Hide Notes)

Prayer can gets you out of the "Pool Hall of Sin" after you've shot a few games, but pre-emptive prayer against future times of temptation is FAR MORE useful, actually keeping you from ever entering that "Pool Hall of Sin."

Practice "Casting All Your Cares Prayer" IF Anxiety Is Your Sin (Show | Hide Notes)

Anxiety can be a sin, a lack of faith in God's loving care.

Prayerfully list on a sheet of paper ALL THE THINGS--both silly and serious--troubling you
Shred, rip-up, or burn that paper
Walk off into the rest of your day whistling cheerfully

Sometimes the magic works; sometimes it doesn't.

Give God a Chance to Convict You of Unrecognized Sin (Show | Hide Notes)

Revelation 2:29 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

Be humble when you go to God. As it is written in the book of Fleetwood Mac ...

"Now when I talk to God I know He understands
He said "Stick by Me and I'll be your Guiding Hand"
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to"

Fast (Show | Hide Notes)

Matthew 6:16 'Whenever you fast …' (Not IF you fast) Matthew 9:15 'Jesus said to them, 'Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them? The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.'

Memorize Scripture (Show | Hide Notes)

Psalm 119:11 'I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you'

Hebrews 4:12 'For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.'

Take Communion Seriously (Show | Hide Notes)

Stan Sparkman's emphasis on preparing our hearts during the week before communion was one of Stan’s greatest strengths as a pastor.

Assemble Together (Show | Hide Notes)

Hebrews 10:25 'Not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching'

Accountability Partners (Show | Hide Notes)

Romans 15:1-2 '¹ Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. ² Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.'

Galatians 6:2 'Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ

This is me preaching what I don't practice. I have been too independent to ever be or use an accountability partner. It's just not in my makeup.

Asking for prayer
Asking for material, emotional help

Shed Friends if You Have To (Show | Hide Notes)

Proverbs 13:20 'The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.'

I believe Evangelicals should have unsaved friends and make time for them. Jesus was condemned by religious people because he was a friend of sinners. Sometimes, however, those unsaved friends can be a cause for stumbling, and we need to cut the ties.

Sometimes we also have to cut ties with family members as well. Dr. Laura's book on The Ten Commandments made the point that God tells us to honor our parents, but He doesn't say we must love them. In some cases, parents (or siblings), can be totally unlovable, toxic personalities. Dr. Laura says showing respect and making provision for the needs of narcissistic sociopathic parents is obedience to God's commandment.

Be Vigilant, and When You See the Devil Coming … (Show | Hide Notes)

1 Peter 5:8 'Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.'

The Devil adapts, improvises, and overcomes when we set up barriers in his way. To ensure a supply of pastors who respect marriage, churches refused to hire divorced men as pastors. So, over the decades, Satan turned on the divorce spigot in the US, and, voila, the supply of men available to pastor or lead churches dries up every year.

Satan is not only alive, he is playing offense. Count on him to find a way to negate any of these overcoming techniques we're discussing. For instance, a man turning his head away to keep from being tempted by an attractive woman works fine...until that man is working out in a gym with wall-to-wall mirrors.

Resist That Devil (Show | Hide Notes)

James 4:7 'Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.'

Many temptations are transitory. Look the other way as you drive past that donut shop. Change the channel on that R-Rated movie and then go to the hardware store to pick up that item you need for that household repair. Simply distracting yourself works a lot of the time.

Behold, Satan Also Stands at the Door and Knocks! (Show | Hide Notes)

Ephesians 4:27 'Don’t give the devil an opportunity'

For example, install software on your computer that will block you from reaching unwanted sites.

Tear Down Satan's Spiritual Strongholds (Show | Hide Notes)

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 '⁴ The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments ⁵ and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.'

Using visualization is a controversial topic among Christians. I think it has some value if used carefully. For instance, I had major improvement in my Christian life when a sermon by Stan led me into visualizing the strongholds Satan had in my mind. I saw parts of me that looked like burned-out Mordor. Once I saw them, I could began the destruction process.

Laughing At Lucifer (Hey, LOSERfer Ha! Ha! Ha!) (Show | Hide Notes)

Martin Luther, "The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn."

Thomas More, "The devil…that proud spirit…cannot endure to be mocked."

C.S. Lewis skewered the Devil and demonic powers in several of his books: The Screwtape Letters, The Last Battle, That Hideous Strength.

I mock the Devil by naming my personal demons. Meet Squirrely (left) the demon who distracts me during prayer, and LulaBelle (below), the demoness who distracts me with bad thoughts.

(Read Laughing at Lucifer with Lewis)

Don't Go There! … (Show | Hide Notes)

You can go ANYWHERE when you are on the Lord’s business, but there are PLACES TO AVOID when it’s your private business.

But If You’re Already There Where You Shouldn't Be, Flee! (Show | Hide Notes)

1 Corinthians 6:18 'sexual immorality!'

1 Corinthians 10:14 'from idolatry.'

1 Timothy 6:11 'unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words' & 'love of money'

2 Timothy 2:22 'youthful passions'

Chill Out - Obsessing About Sin Can Be a Sinful Lack of Faith (Show | Hide Notes)

'What is Scrupulosity? A form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involving religious or moral obsessions. Scrupulous individuals are overly concerned that something they thought or did might be a sin or other violation of religious or moral doctrine." https://iocdf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/IOCDF-Scrupulosity-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Remember, the Nazarite vow of extra zeal and devotion to God was temporary.

Stop Excusing and Justifying Your Sins (Show | Hide Notes)

Galatians 6:7-8 '⁷ Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, ⁸ because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.'

Search Your Heart (Show | Hide Notes)

Galatians 6:4 '⁴ Let each person examine his own work'

Systematically - There are some fine INTROSPECTIVE TOOLS to take with you on a personal or group retreat. We've looked at some of these in our Elder meetings. Anglican • Catholic • Eastern Orthodox
Unsystematically - Listen to the Holy Spirit, especially at the beginning of a prayer time

Confess Your Sins to One Another (Show | Hide Notes)

2 Corinthians 1:12 'Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God's grace.'

James 5:16 'Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.'

Develop an Ankle Biting Attitude (Show | Hide Notes)

Satan may knock me to the ground and mock me, but while he's laughing at me, I'm going to roll over and bite his ankle as hard as he can.

I can pray for my tempters
I can notice the pattern that ends in this sin: How did I get here?

Count Your Low Bar Victories (Show | Hide Notes)

Keep Yourself Busy (Show | Hide Notes)

Hobbies are wonderful distractors, but be wary that a hobby does not lead you into another idolatry..

Appendix (Show | Hide Notes)

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation Facts

How Do We Resist Temptation?

Appendix

Anglican Confession

Catholic Examination of Conscience

Eastern Orthodox Confession