Peo Davies Comms: YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION

The title caught my attention much more while I was brooding over a situation and it dawned on me that we need to look at it critically. What is temptation, temptation is defined by the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary as, ‘the desire to do or have something that you know is bad or wrong’. The synonyms are lure, attraction, pull, seduction, inducement. With the knowledge of this, it means temptation is usually something that will pull us down. I remembered that recently during an Induction event for a minister of God, the guest preacher said, “be watchful of these “Gs” in your life: Glory (Pride), Girls (Women) and Gold (material possession)”.

Looking at the scriptures, the typical person that would always come to mind when we take of temptation is the Lord Jesus. Jesus was tempted by the devil when his ministry was about to start, Matthew 4:1- Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. What are the temptations- turn stone to bread, Jesus answered, man shall not live alone by bread but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Jesus should jump from the pinnacle of the temple, using Biblical verse to support the test- he shall give his angels charge over you…thou shall not dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus answered, thou shall not test the Lord your God. And the last of it was that Jesus show bow to him, after showing him the kingdoms of the world and Jesus replied, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and him alone shalt thou serve. We could agree that Jesus is supernatural but he was in human form at this time. IT IS A FACT THAT WE ARE ALL CANDIDATES OF TEMPTATION, SINCE JESUS WAS NOT EXEMPTED.

The book of James 1 takes about temptation and these are the 7 steps in temptation as described in Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible:

1. Tempted- thought of evil v14

2. Drawn away- strong imagination v14

3. Lust- delight in viewing v 14

4. Enticed- Weakening v14

5. Just conceived- yielding v15

6. Sin- sinful act committed v15

7. Death-result of actual sin v15.

HOW DO WE OVERCOME TEMPTATION?

RESIST THE DEVIL: Since we know that temptation is the thought of evil from the devil, we need to resist him and he would flee from us. James 4:7

GUARD YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE: Proverbs 4: 23; Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Once, your heart is exposed to all sorts of materials; audio and visual. You are susceptible to all forms of temptation.

REPLY WITH THE POSITIVES FROM THE SCRIPTURES: What did Jesus do when he was tempted? He replied with the scriptures. You can also do the same; reply the devil with the scriptures. However, to do this, you have to be adequately grounded in the word of God.

WAIT FOR THE LORD TO SHOW YOU THE WAY AND NOT DEMAND THE WAY FROM HIM: The children of Israel tempted God many times in the scriptures because they demanded for a way as such they ran into trouble with God per time. Overcome temptation by waiting on God, he promised in the book of Isaiah 30: 21, and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right and when ye turn to the left

BENEFIT OF OVERCOMING TEMPTATION:

THE CROWN OF LIFE: blessed is the man that endures temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love him. James 1:12

Temptation is not sin until it is yielded to, if you do not yield to temptation. The more temptation you conquer, the more the hurdles that you have to cross. You can be tested which will bring out the best in you like it happened unto Abraham but when you are tempted, it is to test if you will stand or fall. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24: 10. Remember, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

The song, yield not to temptation:

Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each vict’ry will help you some other to win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.

Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,
God’s name hold in rev’rence, nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown,
Through faith we will conquer, though often cast down;
He who is our Savior, our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.

GOD BLESS YOU