Temptation

TEMPTATION

1. Satan subtly tempted Eve.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman" (Genesis 3:1-4).

2. The devil still prowls around like a lion, seeking whom he may devour.

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:8-9).

3. Satan at times comes as an angel of light.

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

4. At times, Satan uses others to entice us.

5. God tempts no one. Each one is tempted when, by his own desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

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

6. Resist the devil.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

7. Jesus was tempted by the devil and He won by using the Word of God, each time (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10).

8. Jesus tells us to watch and pray, lest we should yield to temptation.

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

9. Put on the whole armor of God to fight against the devil's schemes.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:10-12).

10.When he was tempted by Potiphar's wife to commit adultery, Joseph refused to sin against God.

"No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her" (Genesis 39:9-10).