Sunday I preached on Jesus’ temptation. I always study more than I can share in a 30 minute message. So, I have written this post about some things about temptation that I pulled from Rick Warren & his book The Purpose Driven Life. Hope it helps you!
HOW TEMPTATION WORKS
It helps to know that Satan is entirely predictable. He has used the same strategy and old tricks since Creation. All temptations follow the same pattern. That’s why Paul said, “We are very familiar with his evil schemes.” From the Bible we learn that temptation follows a four-step process, which Satan used both on Adam and Eve and on Jesus.
Desire.
In step one, Satan identifies a desire inside of you. It may be a sinful desire, like the desire to get revenge or to control others, or it may be a legitimate, normal desire, like the desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure. Temptation starts when Satan suggests that you give in to an evil desire, or that you fulfill a legitimate desire in a wrong way or at the wrong time.
We think temptation lies around us, but God says it begins within us. If you didn’t have the internal desire, the temptation could not attract you. Temptation always starts in your mind, not in circumstances. Jesus said, “For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within.” (Mark 7:21-23)
Doubt.
Step two is doubt. Satan tries to get you to doubt what God has said about the sin: Is it really wrong? Did God really say not to do it? Didn’t God mean this prohibition for someone else or some other time? Doesn’t God want me to be happy? The Bible warns, “Watch out! Don’t let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God.”(Hebrews 3:12)
Deception.
Step three is deception. Satan is incapable of telling the truth and is called “the Father of lies.” Anything he tells you will be untrue or just half-true. Satan offers his lie to replace what God has already said in his Word. Satan says, “You will not die. You’ll be wiser like God. You can get away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else is doing it. It is only a little sin.”
Disobedience.
Step four is disobedience. You finally act on the thought you’ve been toying with in your mind. What began as an idea gets birthed into behavior. You give in to whatever got your attention. You believe Satan’s lies and fall into the trap that James warns about: “We are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my dear friends!” (James 1:14-16)
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