How to Overcome Temptation
Luke 4:1-11 (February 21, 2010)
Today’s scripture tells us a very interesting story about Jesus’ temptation by Satan. “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness, for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days” (1, 2b. NASB) I wonder, “How could Jesus who was full of the Spirit become a target of temptation by Satan for forty days?”
Being Tempted Is to Sin?
From the story of Jesus, tempted by Satan for forty days, we can find very valuable lessons. In conclusion, during our life journey on earth, being tempted is not a sin. We can be all tempted. No one is free from temptation. The Bible clearly indicates that during our life journey in this world we will face various temptations. “There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.” (1 Cor 10:13a. KJV) One of the Korean Bible translations interprets it as follows: “Remember the evil desire (temptation) that comes to destroy you is nothing new but common for all human beings.” Even the Lord’s Prayer teaches that it is common for us to be bound to temptation: “Don’t lead us into temptation.” Temptation is so common that we have to ask God not to lead us into temptation.
You may think you are too vulnerable to temptation and begin worrying, “Do I have a problem? Do I have a serious problem with my spiritual journey?” If you have that worry in mind, just remember Jesus who was tempted by Satan, too. Remember those persons sitting right next you are tempted by Satan as well. You are not the only one who is exposed to temptation!
Does God punish if we are exposed to temptation?
As I mentioned earlier, it is very common for all of us to be exposed to any temptations. So God doesn’t punish us because of our exposure to temptation. Rather the Bible gives us this following encouragement: “We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are.” (Heb 4:15a. GW) If God punishes us because we are tempted, no one could survive from his punishment. In today’s text, even Jesus was tempted by Satan for forty days, but God didn’t punish him because of that.
Where does temptation come from?
Of course, we want to be free from any temptation during our life journey. If we are not tempted, there will be less chance for us to sin. However, despite our wish, temptation, the unwelcomed guest, continues challenging us. We cry out, “Please let me be alone!”, but this guest doesn’t listen to us. Then where does this unwelcomed guest come from? In other words, who brings us temptation?
First of all, we have to be aware of the biblical teaching on this matter: Temptation does not come from God. “Don’t blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others.” (James 1:13. CEV)
Perhaps some of you may be struggling with these questions: “Then why did the Holy Spirit take Jesus to the wilderness right after he was baptized by John the Baptist? Wasn’t he tempted by Satan because he was taken by the Spirit to the wilderness?” To your thoughtful minds, I will answer this way: Of course, it is true that the Holy Spirit took Jesus to the wilderness, but it doesn’t mean the Spirit led him to temptation. The Spirit didn’t arrange for Jesus to get tempted by Satan. Satan himself came in and tempted Jesus. Here is an example for your better understanding of Jesus’ temptation. When you go to a retreat center for several days of fasting or of spiritual discipline, you don’t say “I am going to go to the retreat center to get tempted by Satan. Actually you are going there to build up a better relationship with God through fasting or spiritual training.
As a matter of fact, temptation that stumbles us and makes us sin is brought by Satan and he is so canny and clever. He is so poisonous to find a chance to stumble us with all kinds of temptations. So the Apostle Peter delivered his church people this warning: “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.” (1 Peter 5:8. CEV)
In addition, temptation for us to stumble and to sin originates in us as well. “We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us. Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead. Don’t be fooled, my dear friends.” (James 1:14-16. CEV) Satan is good at challenging us with temptations.
Today’s scripture tells us this undeniable fact. Satan came and continued to tempt Jesus for forty days but couldn’t succeeded. So at the end, he took out a secret dagger that was brought on the human desire of Jesus.
• Desire for food: “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
• Desire for power and wealth: “Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ‘I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them, because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.’”
• Desire for fame: “Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
Actually they are not easy to simply ignore because they are very basic desires to all of us. By the way, is there anyone who is not bound to the three basic desires? Can anyone say, “I am not bound to the desire to eat, the desire to get power and wealth and the desire to get recognized”? I don’t think so. We are all subject to the three or at least to two or one of them.
What’s the purpose for our temptation?
Some of you may wonder, “What is God doing when we are tempted? Is he ignorant of our struggle? Or does he intend to ignore our temptation even though he is well aware of it? If he really loves us, why doesn’t he come and free us from the destructive schemes?” By the way, I saw this following question and answer from the internet site, http://answerbag.com.
• Why did God allow Satan to tempt man?
• God likes torture, suffering and misery.
Because of the shortage of time, I won’t give answer to all the questions above but will make this simply reply: With a clear reason and purpose God permits temptation to us and he permits the temptation for our own benefit. The best passage representing why God permits temptation to us can be found in James 1:2-4: “My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.” (CEV)
Let us think about the meaning of “test (temptation)” used in the passage. It is pi-ras-mos' in Greek, it means “a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation).” So most English Bibles translate it as “temptation, test, or trial.” Simply put, it could be understood as a putting someone or something to the proof or the test with purpose of discovering that person’s nature or that thing’s quality. God permits us to go through such temptation to not stumble and sin but to prove or increase our strength, character and faith.
Before Jesus took up the cross, he had the last supper with his disciples. At the end of the supper, he gave Simon Peter this warning, “Simon, listen to me! Satan has demanded the right to test each one of you, as a farmer does when he separates wheat from the husks. But Simon, I have prayed that your faith will be strong. And when you have come back to me, help the others.” (Luke 22:31, 32. CEV) Even though he knew Peter would get seriously tempted by Satan, he didn’t ask God to take him out of the temptation but he prayed Simon’s faith would be strong during the dangerous trial.
If you love your children, you won’t exercise your full control over them. You will allow them to choose. Sometimes they will choose good but sometimes bad. Still you love them and wait for them to grow through their own decisions and actions. Yes. God waits for us in the same manner. Of course, he has such control over the Temperer as to save us from his power. However, he permits him to tempt us for our own good and growth. If you ask him to pull you out of any sort of temptations, it means that you intend to remain as a spiritual baby forever. Do you understand what I mean?
How to resist temptation?
It is clear that Satan is good at tempting us. He is clever and cruel. So he doesn’t want to release his prey. According to the Apostle Peter, God’s people are his prey. Then how can we overcome so many temptations ambushed by the enemy?
There is no other better way than we learn from the example of Jesus. How did Jesus overcome all the temptations by Satan in the wilderness? When he was tempted, he met the tempting suggestions of Satan with the same phrase, “It is written. . . .” With God’s Word, Jesus overcame the temptations brought by Satan, then how about us? We have to counterattack Satan in the same way. The Word of God is the most dangerous weapon to defeat Satan. “[F]or a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit.” (Eph. 6:17b. CEV) Dear brothers and sisters, how close do you come to the Word of God, the most powerful weapon against Satan? How much do you read the Bible and take meditation on it daily? It is so obvious that no one can win the spiritual battle without the sword.
Second, do your best to think the things of heaven every day. “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.. . . Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.” (Col. 3:2, 5. NASB)
Third, be alert always! In order to keep our hearts and minds from the dangerous temptations by Satan, we have to keep watching and praying. Jesus, who saw Simon Peter falling to sleep, warned, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” (Matt. 26:41. NASB) If we don’t keep and watch, who knows we would fall into temptation as Peter and the others did? Temptation never stop coming!
No one is safe from temptation, but it doesn’t mean we all have to fall into it. If we are alert, keep watching and praying and never neglect to stay close to the Word of God, we will be winners over temptation. Through overcoming temptation, our character and faith will be more nurtured. That’s for sure. Amen.
