temptation – PAOLOPUNZALAN.COM

TEMPTATION IS TOO STRONG. HOW CAN I RESIST?

I was in a meeting with a few men talking about temptation. Some of the questions arose included:

How do I resist?
What do I do when I’m tempted?
Is there a way to win over them?

As we discussed the chapter in 2 Samuel where David committed adultery with Bathsheba, here were a few things we discussed that may be of help to some of you reading this.

GOD’S WORD

Jesus was not exempted from temptation. In Luke chapter 4, we see Him being tempted by the devil on several fronts. But at every temptation, He responded with “it is written” (v.4,8 &12).

What can we learn from this? Jesus fought the temptations of the enemy with God’s Word. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. It is a weapon by which we may wield to defeat our enemy.

Question. Do you know what God says in His word enough that you can pull out the sword in times of temptation to defeat the enemy? If we don’t use the weapon, we won’t be able to slay the enemy.

2. FLEE

Staying in the circumstance when the temptation is ongoing is not the best way to handle it. Staying in the porn site while praying for God to deliver you is not the best route. Hanging out with friends who love to drink is not the way to defeat drunkenness. Talking to your best friend who instigates gossip is not the best road to stepping away from that sin. Staying on your favorite online shopping site will not cure your materialism.

Joseph was tempted by Mrs. Potiphar in Genesis 39. But what did Joseph do when he was tempted? Argued? Shared the love of God? Explained how sexual immorality displeases God?

Joseph ran. No explanation whatsoever.

3. ACCOUNTABILITY

I remember my friend, Pastor Marc saw another pastor of ours in a car with another lady not his wife. Right there and then, he phoned the other pastor and asked who he was with. He shared that that was his wife’s niece and was bringing her home.

Because there was permission to call out, Marc didn’t hesitate. And because the other pastor gave permission, he didn’t take offense when Marc called.

Accountability is best when it is sought and not demanded.

If I demand accountability from another person, telling him he needs to call me every Friday to report what he did and didn’t do, at a certain point, this won’t be as effective as compared to when we personally give permission to people we trust and say that they have permission to call us out and keep us accountable.

When we seek accountability, it seems more effective than us being demanded of it.

4. TRUST IN GOD

Until we come to the point that only God can give genuine, ultimate and lasting satisfaction, we will always consider other options.

I say genuine because there are fakes. The earlier we can distinguish the fakes from the genuine, the better for us. God alone can give genuine and lasting satisfaction. Every other knock-off will not fully satisfy.

5. TRANSPARENCY

While this sounds like point number 3 on accountability, I would like to make a distinction. Transparency is the willingness to be open to the people you are accountable to… even to the people who are close to you.

For the husband, does your wife know all your passwords?
For the student, does you bestfriend have access to your history folder?
For the young man, does someone have the permission to call you out?
For the young lady, does someone have the permission to check up on you regarding the struggle you currently face?

In this world, we will face temptations. But there is always a way out.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

Let’s continue to glorify God with our lives.

FROM THE PIT TO THE PALACE

Life is an interesting journey. And THAT is a huge understatement.

As you and I look back this year, you would notice that you may have gone through a series of ups and downs that may seem disconnected from each other.

What we don’t realize, God is the Master Orchestrator who weaves all the events in our lives to work out for our good and ultimately for His glory. (Romans 8:28)

Joseph’s life was an example.

He went from the Pit to the Prison to Potiphar’s house and to the Palace.

THE PIT

Joseph’s brothers hated him. And this was not for no reason. He did have a dream yet approached it with arrogance which ended up his brothers throwing him to the pit.

God allows us to get thrown into a pit to shave off a lot of our arrogance, self-centeredness and imperfections.

If you find yourself in the pit, embrace the process. God is shaping you for His purpose.

POTIPHAR’S HOUSE

It was a promotion.
Being a slave in Egypt was no easy task.
However, his position gave his a lot of freedom with privileges.

The Bible says, “For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south, but God is the Judge: He puts down one, and sets up another.” (Ps. 75:6-7)

When you are promoted, give God honor.
Enjoy it and yet remember who set you up to where you are now.
Or else, arrogance may creep in and you may find yourself in another pit.

THE PRISON

Joseph was thrown into prison because he was falsely accused.
Mrs. Potiphar wanted to get him in bed. But Joseph asked the crucial question.

“How can I do this wicked thing and sin against God?”

He was thrown into prison not because he was unrighteous. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He was thrown into prison because he was righteous.
It was a test.

You may find yourself in a position of testing not because of unrighteousness but precisely because you stood for righteousness. In your campus. In your office. In your home.

THE PALACE

Joseph didn’t see it coming. He was faithful to God and while in prison, he just kept serving quietly. He interpreted dreams and when the king needed someone to interpret his dreams, he stepped up to the plate.

God promoted him again. He became second in command over all of Egypt and ended up saving both Egypt and Israel from famine.

What the enemy meant for evil, God is able to turn it around for our good. (Genesis 50:20).

Indeed, God is a turn around specialist.

WHY DO I STILL STRUGGLE WITH SIN?

I thought I was already free in Christ?
Should I still supposed to be struggling with this sin?
Why am I still having a hard time overcoming temptation?

A person who has gone through a Victory Weekend retreat where in we establish spiritual principles from Scripture, experience spiritual freedom and encourage spiritual fruit, one might say, “I thought I am free since whom the Son sets free is free indeed?”

But how come I am still feeling the pull of the sin I used to struggle with?

I love how John Piper put it:

“I know of no other way to triumph over sin long-term than … to gain a distaste for it because of a superior satisfaction in God.”

When you and I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalms 34:8), then there will be such a distaste to our old life that that would no longer be a pull to go back to it.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

HOW TO FIGHT TEMPTATION

My meeting with a group of men this morning for our Victory Small Group was very refreshing.

We are going through a series (even in our small group) on the topic of Biblical Manhood. We want to get back to the Scriptures and see what the Bible says about certain things men deal with in day after day.

Today’s topic was DEALING WITH TEMPTATION.

The book of James clearly gives us instructions what to do.

So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. (James 4:7, NCV)

1. GIVE YOURSELF TO GOD.

The New International Version says to ‘submit’ to God.

Watching Frankie Edgar demolish Gray Maynard in UFC 136 illustrates submission. If you saw the fight, Edgar knocked him down and started punishing him to his defeat. Maynard tried (and that’s the operative word – TRIED) to recover, but he was out cold.

But submitting to God is different. It is voluntary and not compulsory.

He waits.

He patiently waits for you to surrender.

2. STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL.

This can’t be the first step or else you will eventually fail.

The first step “IS” the first step – submit to God.

After which, we then resist the enemy.

One of the most powerful statements Jesus declared was when he said, “IT IS FINISHED!” Standing against the enemy is exhausting not to mention frustrating.

But to live life in the knowledge that my life is no longer mine and that because of His grace, I can fight the battle, then victory is indeed inevitable.

Remember, we are not marching for victory but marching from victory.

Jesus won it already at the cross.

3. THE DEVIL WILL FLEE.

The third step is no longer yours but your enemy’s. When you’ve submitted and resisted, the Bible says that he (the devil) has no other option but to run away.

It’s like magnet repelling.

No striving. No forcing the issue. He will be forced to flee.

PS. If you have practical thoughts on how to fight temptation, let me know and leave a comment to help others who will read this blog.