Resisting Temptation

James 1:13-15 ⁽¹³⁾When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ⁽¹⁴⁾but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ⁽¹⁵⁾Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (NIV)

            There was once a king to whom God had given great power and authority to rule over His people. This king was chosen at a young age, but was the least of his brothers. Although no one would have chosen him for such a task, God looked beyond the mere sight of man and hand-picked this lad to be the future king of Israel.

            He had to endure many trials along the way due to his father-in-law wanting him dead because of his special selection by God. Nevertheless, God always protected him and at His appointed time, God allowed him to step into his destiny. Unfortunately, this king made a mistake that caused him to be in trouble with God. This mistake would cost him dearly.

            One day, the king was upon his balcony and as he looked from afar, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of him turning away to resist his lustful thoughts, he continued to watch her during her most private moments. God had blessed this king to have all that he could ever want and would have given him more, but this king yielded to temptation.

            He called for the woman to come sleep with him even while knowing that she was married to one of his leading soldiers. The woman became pregnant and in a desperate attempt to cover up his sin, he tried to have the soldier to go sleep with his wife. The soldier, however, was very loyal to his post and did not want to enjoy himself, while his fellow soldiers were at battle. Therefore, the king came up with a wicked plan to have the soldier go to the front of the battle, which would guarantee that the soldier would die. After the soldier died in battle, King David married the woman named Bathsheba, but God did not allow the wicked deed to go unpunished. 

        The Apostle James lets us know that we have a choice not to yield to temptation, but if we do, we are not to blame God. He never tempts anyone with wickedness because evil is not in His character. The devil is the only one who does the tempting and even he is only successful when we allow the thoughts to grow and fester. Nevertheless, God has let us know that He will give us the power to overcome any temptation that we face if we ask for His divine help. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (NIV)

        King David could have chosen to walk away and therefore, would not have brought down the judgment of God upon himself. If only he had made the right decision to not yield to temptation, God would have blessed him in the process. Unfortunately, King David did succumb to his fleshly desires and therefore, a curse was brought upon their firstborn child.

        We are human beings made of flesh and was born into a world of sin. Even with that being the case, we do not have a license to use that as an excuse to sin. This is why Jesus came to set the example for us and went to Calvary to die due to our being unable to be perfect. He was God made flesh and yet was tempted in every way, but did not yield to it. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin. (NIV) We have a God who was tempted just like we are, but He has given us the power to overcome any temptation that comes our way. Just remember a few things. When temptation comes:

a.)    Run for your life. Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV)

b.)    Should you fall, don’t allow the devil to keep you down. Proverbs 24:16 For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. (NIV)

c.)    Ask for God’s forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)

d.)   If someone you know has been harmed in the process, ask for their forgiveness as well. Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (NIV)

e.)    Do not allow yourself to be put back into the position that caused the temptation to begin with; instead, be careful to keep all of God’s ordinances.

John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command. (NIV)

f.)     Pray and ask God for deliverance. Luke 22:40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” (NIV)

 

Follow the above steps and watch God work wonders in your life. You are never alone. God is always there to help you out of any situation that may be of challenge in your life. All you have to do is ask, believe and claim the promises that are in the word of God. He will always be there in your time of need and when in trouble, cry out to Him for help. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (NIV)

 

This is one of 30 devotions from the new book, "The Book of James: 30 Days of Devotion for Men" by K L Rich available on Amazon.com.