JAMES 1:13-18 HANDLING TEMPTATION OR THE TEST OF TEMPTATION

God allows trials in order to strengthen our faith and mature us

Temptation comes from satan to cause us to sin

God tests us to bring out the good

Luke 22:31-32  And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32  "But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

Satan tempts us to bring out the bad and embarrass God

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

The mission of satan is to Kill, steal, and destroy

Read 1 Whatever Happened to Sin by Karl Menninger

1. V-13 Who is the author of temptation

Temptation is Desire + Opportunity

God cannot be tempted because he is Holy

• .. look at Job. He lost his children, livestock, servants and his health
• God allowed this to happen, he even brought the subject up of Job and his uprightness
• This was a trial from God and a temptation from satan

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

6-12 Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it." 8 then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10  "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11  "But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!" 12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

2. What causes us to sin v 14-16

v-14 His own desires

Who is tempted? Every man......Noah's drunkeness, Abraham lied, David's sin, Peter's denial

Benjamin Franklin said It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.

A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:

1. Materialism.
2. 2. Pride.
3. Self-centeredness.
4. Laziness.
5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness.
6. (Tie) Sexual lust.
7. Envy.
8. Gluttony.
9. Lying.

Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent). Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone (52 percent).

Discipleship Journal, November / December, 1992.

Why is he tempted?

Holiness consists of two parts:

Romans 12:9 Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

So sin consists of two parts: we are drawn away and enticed

Sin is Desire + Opportunity + Action

• Drawn away by his own desires or craving.
• Drawn away pictures fishing.. the word means to be hooked like a fish
• Enticed is to catch fish by bait or to hunt with snares
• Sin is the union of the will with lust
• Believe me satan and his demons watch us every minute and they know all our weaknesses and exactly when and how to tempt us

1Corinthians 10:13 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 the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

• Who' s fault is it when we sin...ours

2corinth 2:11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

• God told Cain that sin crouches at your door

Adam- Gen 3:12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." Blamed the woman and ultimately God

Eve - Gen 3:13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." And the serpent did not have a leg to stand on.

Job's response     Job 1:20-22, Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Job 2:10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

V-15 Satan gives us a thought, then we act on it if we dwell on it

• The desire gets the best of us when we continue to think about the thing which we are tempted by
• John Gill says of this: instead of resisting and rejecting the motion made, he admits of it, and receives it,  and cherishes it in his mind; he dallies and plays with it; he dwells upon it in his thoughts,  and hides it under his tongue,  and in his heart,  as a sweet morsel,  and forsakes it not,  but contrives ways and means how to bring it about; and this is lust's conceiving.
• 2Co 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

When desire has conceived it gives birth to sin.. this is the picture of childbirth

• Sin exists just as an egg in the woman, when it is dwelt on then it grows and grows until fullgrown or complete
• Sin must be stopped at the beginning, the first thought we have about doing something we know is wrong must be stopped. Replace that thought with a good one or ask God to remove that thought

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy----meditate on these things.

• Then once we have done it, satan says now you've done it God will never forgive you or want anything to do with you again
• Then you are get caught in a pattern of habitual sin and become enslaved by the devil
• V-12 when we overcome we receive eternal life
• V-15 when it is full grown-- we habitually sin we receive death, premature death-- physical not spiritual

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• God won't let us embarrass Him

1John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.

1corinth 11:30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Read 3 How Sin Silences the Conscience by Chuck Colson

3. Who is the author of every good thing v-16-17

v-16 Do not be deceived.    Don’t blame God, it is your fault

Mt 7:9-11 "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10  "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Every good gift and every perfect gift—James uses two different Greek words here the first word gift means the act of giving and the last word means the object given

Jews called God the father or creator of lights (stars, sun, moon)

1John 1:5-7 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow

4. Why are we tempted v-18

We belong to God and satan wants to destroy our witness

Of his own will

by the word of truth

If we can sin habitually without guilt we do not belong to God

First fruits Ex 22:29-30 "You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30  "Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.

Giving God the first fruit was an act of faith that he would fulfill his promise of a full harvest

So we are the promise of the new creation

2Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

 How to avoid sin

Stay away from people who will encourage you to do wrong

Stay away from situations and places that will expose you to wrong desires

Fell in the Hole Story

Psalms 101:3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.

Study the Bible

Ps 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!

Ps 119:104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.

Have a quiet time where you read the Bible and Pray to God

Mt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Mt. 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

By studying you will grow as a Christian and will want to serve the Lord and not do those things which do not please Him

Read 7 Hacking Agag to Pieces by John Owens

1Sa 15:1-33 Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD.

Do you know the Lord

You can’t stay out of sin unless you know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour

Many years ago, Indian youths would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood. One such youth hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees, bright with flowers. There he fasted. But on the third day, as he looked up at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow. I will test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo-hide shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak. When he reached the top he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke.  "I am about to die," said the snake. "It is too cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley."  "No," said the youth. "I am forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me."  "Not so," said the snake. "I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will not harm you."  The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he laid it gently on the grass, when suddenly the snake coiled, rattled, and leapt, biting him on the leg.

"But you promised..." cried the youth.  "You knew what I was when you picked me up." said the snake as it slithered away."  Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, p. 5-7.

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