Living Wisely Through Temptations Lures - James 1:12-15

How do you combat a cunning, deceitful, determined, entrenched enemy that will do anything to drive a permanent wedge between you and your Lord? What does it mean for us to live wisely so that we don't fall prey to temptation's snares?

God’s people live wisely with temptation by fixing our minds and hearts on the crown of life and thus remaining with the Lord throughout a lifetime of temptation. The term translated steadfast could also be defined as to stay behind. The idea is that during our times of temptation we remain with and stay with the Lord rather than running from Him to waste our lives in the fleeting pleasures of temptation.
Since temptation is inevitable how should we prepare to endure it so that our temptations don’t trap us into a wasted, regret filled life? James gives us a number of things to consider in our ongoing fight against temptation. To sum up they are:

1. Temptation is inevitable. God calls us to endure it because we won’t be able to avoid it completely.
2. God is invested in our victory. Don’t blame God for your trial, temptation or life situation. The Lord isn’t setting you up to fail and takes no pleasure in your struggle against temptation.
3. Temptation instigates and takes advantage of our own regular human nature and our natural desires.

Temptation is inevitable.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him, vs 12.

Remember we are at war. The struggle against temptation is fierce because it involves fighting against a world in rebellion against God, an enemy determined to displace God and our own regular human nature that wants nothing to do with the things of God.
In this war the enemy seeks to drive a wedge between us and our God. Satan wants us to pour our worship into the idols of this world rather than into God who is the only proper object of our worship. He wants us to obey and follow the lies and rebellion of this world rather than the word of God and Satan wants us to pursue our own pleasure and agenda rather than the eternal kingdom of God.
The enemy will do everything in his power to draw us away from the Lord and into a lifestyle of sin whose payoff is emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual destruction. And using temptation is one of his main weapons.

Temptation is an enticement to do evil by disobeying the word of God and is effective because it plays on some of our natural God-given desires. Moreover, temptation whether by the enemy our through our own regular human nature challenges us to question God’s goodness.

Finally it’s important to remember that temptation is a gateway to a lifestyle. It’s not just the one sin or single act of rebellion Satan’s after. His plan is to get us to go along with one sin that leads to another, that forms a habit that develops into a pattern which establishes a lifestyle.

So how do we fight this battle? We do so by keeping our minds fixed and our hopes fastened to the crown of life. That in and of itself is a revolutionary concept since it calls us to endure temptation, refuse to follow our regular human desires because we’re convinced that there is a better more lasting life in the age to come.

The question is this: Are we willing to endure temptation and wait to receive the crown of life or will we abandon the Lord, follow are own desires, dive into a lifestyle of sin and hope that in the long run it delivers the kind of satisfaction we long for?

God is invested in our victory.
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one, vs. 13.

God isn’t rigging the game, sitting back and just waiting for us to fail. He has has armed and prepared us to endure and resist temptation by giving us His word. God’s word gives us the real deal regarding temptation. God’s word tells of the truth and consequences of temptation so we know exactly what we’re getting into and where we’ll wind up should we decide to follow the path of temptation.

God is good. We need look no further than the cross and resurrection for definitive proof of God’s goodness toward us.

God gave us His Son, Jesus Christ who successfully endured temptation for all those who believe in Him. Christ didn’t just face temptation victoriously to show us that we could do it too. He faced temptation victoriously so that he could give us the right standing He earned as a free gift so that we can know and enjoy a perfect, permanent right standing before God forever.

Because Jesus was tempted He knows exactly what it’s like and exactly what you face and therefore offers His own help, compassion, strength and grace to empower your victory over temptation.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16  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. Heb. 4:15-16.

Will we run to our great high priest for help during our time of temptation or will we believe the lie that God is not good, not fair and is setting us up for failure so we have no choice but to give in to temptation?

Temptation instigates our own regular human nature.
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

An instigator is somebody who starts stuff just for the sake of starting stuff. Our own regular human nature instigates temptation. It looks for opportunities to rebel against God and satisfy its cravings. Our own regular human nature is wired to seize temptation's bait. (much like a fish is lured to the bait on a hook)

We combat our own regular nature with the power of the Spirit. We follow the Spirit’s leading and rely on His power through constant prayer, regular worship and consistently reading and thinking on God’s word.

Another way to combat temptation is to count the cost before we begin. Keep in mind that temptation is a gateway to a lifestyle. The end of that lifestyle is spiritual, emotional and psychological death and ruin.

Do you believe that?

Questions for reflection:

How can your hope in the life to come empower you to endure present temptations?

Do you ever believe that God is uncaring or indifferent as you struggle with temptation? If so how does His word, His plan of salvation and His Son help you to see His goodness during your struggles?

Where are you most vulnerable to temptation?

What steps can you take to minimize that vulnerability?

Is there someone to whom you can be accountable with regard to taking those steps?

Have you ever wondered where the path of temptation will really lead you?

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To Him Who Loves Us...
Pastor Lance