When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire 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)
While God doesn’t specifically tempt us, God does allow temptation, knowing that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:4).” Temptation happens when we decide to gain pleasure or end suffering by our own devices, rather than following the will of God. By bypassing suffering or overdosing on pleasure, we keep that maturity from doing its work in our hearts. Essentially, temptation is impatience. Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent to end their ignorance and gain wisdom by eating forbidden fruit, rather than gaining it over time in their relationship with each and with God. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness to turn stones to bread , ending his fast prematurely before he had developed the self-discipline that God was working in him. No matter the temptation, it’s always based on impatience, and a desire to take charge of things yourself, rather than letting God be in control.
Now, some people have a tough time fasting, or going any time at all without food. I know a couple who does things the old-fashioned way, where she has dinner ready before he gets home from work. It works for them—sort of. The problem is that often he gets hungry on the way, and he’ll stop at Hardee’s for just a little snack—you know, one of those bags with two sandwiches and fries and a pie. Of course, you know where this is going. When he sits down to dinner, there’s no room for dinner. She gets upset that he won’t eat her cooking, and the kids learn from his example that they don’t have to eat their vegetables—or anything, for that matter. And what really takes the cake after dinner, is when he takes the cake after dinner! He’s filled up on junk, leaving no room in his life for what will nourish him.
You do the same thing when you get to the end of the day and are too tired to have your quiet time of Bible reading and prayer. I do it when I fill up my mind with worry and overthinking things, rather than simply trusting God to handle life’s problems. A teenager does it when he says yes to sex before he’s ready for lifelong commitment. We do it whenever we take a shortcut around God’s will, letting impatience lead to rash decisions that get us into trouble. Temptation is the drive-thru window on the way home, choosing the devil’s fast food over God’s home-cooked meal, and stuffing ourselves on life’s distractions that crowd out God’s intentions. Jesus teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” because He himself was tempted, and He knows it sucks. But He also models how can be delivered from evil.
When He was tempted, Jesus answered the devil by saying, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).’” This is the solution to every temptation—to get so close to God that “the word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart (Romans 10:8)." Every time Jesus was tempted, He responded by quoting the Bible. After three tries, the devil realized he had to abandon the effort.
Now, does that mean that you defeat temptation by memorizing scripture and quoting it very time you feel tempted? Nope. Been there, done that, didn’t even want the ugly tee shirt. Most Christians have tried resisting temptation by an exercise of willpower and quotation of Bible verses. It’s not Bible verses that will save you—it’s being so close to God, so full of God, that there’s no room for the devil and his schemes. If temptation is like filling up on junk food so that there’s no room for dinner, then resisting temptation is like filling up on a healthy meal so that there’s no room for dessert. You don’t resist temptation by trying harder—you resist temptation by just eating more of God. “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him (Psalm 34:8).” Perhaps this is partly what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).” It’s only when you’re hungry or thirsty that you are susceptible to temptation. When you’re full of God, you can push away from the table and say, “No, thanks.”
Of course, that’s when the devil comes along and says, “There’s always room for Jell-O.” But who really likes Jell-O, anyway? I mean, of all the desserts in the world, Jell-O isn’t very tempting. When you’re full of God, it’s easy to say “no.” As the song says, “Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.” When you pray the Lord’s Prayer, you’re claiming that as God’s promise. Being full of God is what delivers you from evil—not willpower, and not keeping the law. Being full of the bread of life, you don’t have room for anything else.
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