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:
HOW DO WE OVERCOME TEMPTATION?
BENEFIT OF OVERCOMING TEMPTATION:
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.
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.
