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"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what
you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it."
(1 Corinthians 10:13)
There are several verses in the Bible that I go to in my times of need, and they help tremendously. Our Scripture verse for today's devotion, 1 Corinthians 10:13, is one of those verses. We are all going to be tempted to sin against God. Satan is the Tempter, and it is his desire for you and me to say, think, or do something that we should not. He hates God and desires to lead us to sin so that we hurt our fellowship with our Creator. But isn't temptation to sin more for the lost person than the saved? The enemy of our souls tempts us to sin both before we know God and after we know Him. In fact, I think he tempts us harder once we become followers of Jesus.
Remember that God does not tempt us to sin. James 1:13 makes this truth very plain. In fact, let's read the following passage, James 1:12-16, that speaks directly to this subject of temptation:
"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren."
What should we do when the tempter comes and tempts us to sin against God? Here are a few responses that I hope will help you in your battle:
- Quote the Word of God! I cannot stress enough how important this is. It is precisely what Jesus did when tempted by Satan on three occasions in Matthew 4.
- Pray to God for strength. Call out to God to help you overcome in Jesus' name.
- Remove yourself from the situation. When dealing with sexual temptations, the Bible says to flee (1 Corinthians 6:18). Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife in Genesis 39:11-12:
"But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, 'Lie with me.' But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside."
- Get in an accountability group: men with men, and women with women. Ask these people to hold you accountable for how you live the Christian life. Chuck Swindoll said this about men: "A man who is not in an accountability group is an accident waiting to happen." So very true!
Remember, the Devil will never show you the devastating results or consequences of sin, but God does. He loves you so much, and by His Holy Spirit, He will empower you to be victorious.
One last thing: memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13. I am serious. Memorize it, for it just might save your life.
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