Temptation is a complex term that we often take lightly. We usually use it to describe our lack of willpower as we indulge in something we shouldn’t, like eating chocolate cake on a diet. However, it’s essential to understand that giving in to temptation can profoundly impact our lives. For instance, Adam and Eve changed the world by not resisting temptation.
In this post, I will explain how temptation relates to Biblical principles to help us understand why the enemy sends temptation. We will also explore the three types of temptations the enemy uses. Lastly, we will gain clarity about what is at stake and the weapons in our arsenal to overcome temptation. We must understand that falling prey to temptation isn’t just a trivial matter of breaking a rule or two; the enemy tempts us to challenge our decision to put God in charge of our lives.
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While half awake this morning, I heard a distinct and profound question in my heart and mind. The question was, “Who is your ruler?” As I pondered this, I realized how complex and critical the question is. I believe God was inviting me to a deeper understanding that every decision in this life reveals who we serve, who has Lordship over our lives, and whose truths we choose to accept.
To Overcome Temptation, We Must Decide Who Rules and Reigns
At some point in our lives, we must decide who we will allow to rule and reign in our hearts. Our ultimate purpose should be to please God by living obediently and faithfully. We should consider God our only ruler and strive to lead a life that aligns with His teachings.
The adversary works tirelessly to prevent us from seeking and serving God properly. He urges us to serve him instead, but how does the enemy tempt us? He does not say, “Hey, follow me; I am your enemy.” Instead, he allures us away from God by drawing us with things we think we want. Essentially, as we go after and follow our selfish desires, we effortlessly move away from what God wants for us.
The adversary wants us to fail in our faith, and he desires to see us make decisions in life without listening to or consulting God. The enemy’s goal is to cause us to turn away from God and serve him or our desires rather than follow God’s instructions. As followers of Christ, we must make every effort to live according to God’s Biblical principles, declaring our allegiance to the only true God.
We must willingly embrace Biblical views that are vastly different from our old ways of thinking and the enemy’s instant gratification lifestyle. We cannot serve God and the enemy, and we cannot serve God and ourselves simultaneously. We must choose wisely.
The Battle Between God’s Plan And Temptation
God desires to bless us with good things. He takes pleasure in blessing His children. However, God instructs us to seek Him first, according to Matthew 6:33, which says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Every individual has a divine plan from God, and he longs to lead us towards a purposeful life. Our role is to faithfully serve, listen, and follow his plan by faith, recognizing that our obedience or lack of it determines who has rulership over our lives.
If we fall for the enemy’s temptation, he will tempt us to yield or excessively indulge in what we perceive as good for ourselves, with no regard for God’s commands. Succumbing to temptation can eventually trap us in the repercussions of our decisions. If we give in to temptation, we can end up in bondage and be unable to break free from the consequences of our choices.
To live a fulfilled life and surrender to God’s authority, we must learn to listen to His voice and avoid being self-centered. While some actions mentioned in the Bible are obviously wrong, we should be aware that we sin when we give in to temptation and fail to follow God’s guidance or ignore His directions.
In John, the Bible warns us that all temptation falls into three categories, which coincide with the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. We must identify temptations and learn to sidestep them.
- The lust of the flesh (physical body cravings).
- The lust of the eyes (things that look good to our eyes).
- The pride of life (things that cause us to brag, boast, or be full of pride).
What Is The Temptation Called Lust of the Flesh?
The enemy aims to lure people into disobeying God or desiring things outside His will. He tempts us with earthly pleasures to distract us from God’s plan. When we think of this term, we usually only think of sexual immorality, but this term is all-encompassing and can even include eating food if eating it is against God’s instructions or the vows we have made, like fasting. One of the reasons why Eve ate the fruit was because the tree and the fruit were pleasing to the eye, and the fruit looked good for food (Genesis 3:6).
As humans, we may find the temptations the enemy offers alluring, but it is essential to question whether they align with God’s will. Disobeying God is a sin, and the enemy commonly uses sexual immorality and overindulgence in physical pleasure because it is an effective strategy. As Christians, we must never allow anything to distract us from obeying God, to be idolized in our lives as more important than God, or to be considered equally important to God.
Trusting God can be incredibly challenging when selecting our life partners or significant relationships. God understands our needs and desires, and we must trust Him to give us His best at the right time. Although we crave companionship and connections with others, we must not allow our pursuit of feel-good moments to control our decisions and daily lives.
Any temptation that leads us to sin is a snare set by the enemy. We must never forget that God has engraved His commandments and laws onto our hearts, allowing us to distinguish between right and wrong (Hebrews 10:16). He has also promised to provide a way to escape temptation so we can bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
What Is The Temptation Lust of The Eyes?
In the Garden of Eden, Eve’s desire for the forbidden fruit made her prioritize it over God’s instructions. Similarly, Satan also tempted Jesus with material possessions when he was fasting, but Jesus did not fall for the trap.
God wants us to prioritize righteousness, and He promises to fulfill our needs (Matthew 5:6). While we need material possessions like food, clothing, and shelter, we should not pursue them in a way that disobeys God or leads us to sin. Instead, we should trust that God will provide for our needs.
It is essential to exercise caution in this area because the enemy tends to distract us with shiny objects. The adversary may even try to entice us into obtaining material possessions through means that violate God’s laws. Stealing, lying, or any other form of ill-gotten gain is a sin, and the reasons behind our attempts to outshine others or obtain things that do not belong to us will ultimately rob us of our peace, joy, and perhaps even our freedom. Although the enemy may try to make us envious of others or covet their possessions, it is crucial to remain content and patient and submit ourselves to God’s will.
What Is The Temptation Called The Pride Of Life?
Being tempted in the area of the pride of life happens when we have conceited desires that stem from pride. Wanting to know as much as God or wanting to show off and bring attention to ourselves for bragging purposes fall into this category.
In Genesis 3, the Bible explains that the serpent tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The enemy preyed on her desire for more wisdom as he promised that it would make her wise and able to discern good from evil. Eve ate the fruit, wanting to know what God knew, but it was a trap.
In modern times, the enemy uses astrology, the Zodiac, and horoscopes to entice people away from God by offering them wisdom beyond their own. Astrologers claim to explain our behaviors and predict our futures by studying the positions of celestial objects such as the sun, planets, and moon. However, seeking knowledge and understanding through these means can lead people astray, just as it did with Eve.
Unaware of the enemy’s trap, many people seek wisdom in various ways, but some of these methods can be harmful. For example, practices such as Ouija boards, mediums, fortune tellers, and tarot card readers are considered dangerous and potentially harmful. Instead, turning to God for guidance through prayer and reflection on His teachings is recommended. Seeking guidance from anyone or anything else is not in line with God’s will for our lives.
Jesus called boastful pride a sin (Mark 7:22). When the enemy tried to get Jesus to throw himself down and let the angels catch him (Matthew 4:1–11), the adversary tempted Jesus to give in to pride and show off that he was the son of God rather than obey God and submit to the Father.
My Testimony
I have learned and am still learning that if I listen to God, He will bless me at the perfect time. If I get outside of His will, I make a mess. My career goals and materialistic desires drove my decisions as a young and new college graduate. Making money excited me, and I wanted things like a brand-new car. However, a few months later, I realized that the brand-new Mustang I had bought was unsuitable for winter driving, and the payments, coupled with my student loan debt, made me feel less joy and peace as I struggled needlessly.
The problem was that I did not seek God first but gave in to what I thought I wanted, which was only a shiny object and a lot of debt. The reason I even liked that particular car was prideful. I wanted a new car off the showroom floor to announce, ” I have arrived.”
Rather than living motivated by the illusion of material things or pride, we must strive to build our relationship with God. We have to trust that He knows best. He will give us the desires of our hearts, and what he gives, there will be no sorrow attached and no buyer’s remorse.
How Can We Overcome Temptation?
Our Heavenly Father loves us and understands human nature. While He is patient with us, He wants us to be obedient and serve him only. Recognizing that our defiance benefits the enemy, we must scrutinize our lives and identify the temptations the enemy dangles. If needed, we should take the following steps:
- Renew your thinking about temptation by aligning it with God’s principles.
- Pray and ask God for forgiveness and help with overcoming temptation.
- Learn Scriptures to use against the enemy as Jesus did.
- Surround yourself with believers who can encourage your faith.
- Spend time in God’s presence with worship and activities such as serving others.
The enemy’s job is to tempt us persistently. He will find new ways to allure us daily, but his tactics will fall into three main categories. As we fight the enemy, we must continue to complete the previous steps, knowing that if we fail, God’s grace and love enable us to seek forgiveness and begin anew.
A Prayer To Overcome Temptation
If we view life from God’s perspective and strive to live obedient lives, we will discover how to experience fulfillment and joy through Him. The enemy seeks to keep us from living the abundant life that Jesus died to give us, so he tries to tempt us to stray away from God. When we consciously obey God, He guides us and shows us the way forward.
As we continue to serve God, we will better understand His priorities, our motivations will change, and we will be able to say, as Jesus did, that we desire to carry out the will of our Father. Let’s pray to ask God for help overcoming temptation today.
