TEMPTATION
 

In the Lord’s Prayer it asks that we not be lead into “temptation” ….…

Is Jesus having us ask God in prayer not to tempt us?

It is written that God does not tempt …….

But what of this Scripture …….

Is this a CONTRADICTION?

Does God tempt or not?

Perhaps the word TEMPT is what is being discerned improperly. It is obvious that God was TESTING Abraham.

So the word “tempt” in this Scripture means … TEST.

But what about the word TEMPT in this Scripture ….…

This word “TEMPT” seems to be speaking of “Luring into sin” …….

So if we take these two Scriptures together it is saying we will be TESTED by God, but we will NOT be LURED INTO SIN by God.

Now, when we are knee deep in our temptations, we feel overwhelmed at times and feel it is just TOO much. But the TRUTH is that God does NOT allow us to be tempted above what we can handle …….

Even JESUS was subject to these temptations, but He showed us how to use TRUTH to overcome the whispered temptations …….

Jesus used TRUTH to shed light on the temptation as to show it was but a lie DESPITE the fact that the devil tried to use Scripture to spruce up his lie as to appear to be the way it was. When the enemy of our soul heard these words of TRUTH, he immediately changed the subject and tried yet again to LURE Jesus INTO SIN.

Note again that the devil DID try again when Jesus denied the first LURE TO SIN but that Jesus used TRUTH yet again and the enemy of our soul KNEW his efforts were futile. So he LEFT.

In like manner when you are overcome with temptations, you too should speak TRUTH and be free from the lie. The enemy may try more tricks but he WILL leave IF he sees that he cannot deceive you. Even if but for a season and you can be refreshed and prepare for his next visit.

However … When we talk ourselves into accepting the temptations that we are overcome with as  being THE WAY IT IS, we deny the power of TRUTH to ever be able to overcome it. So we MUST choose to seek the TRUTH to ever be able to overcome the temptation. Remember what we were told …

Sooooooo, you need only SEEK that WAY (TRUTH) that has been placed out there for you to escape. It IS there. The ONLY reason you cannot find it is because you are so wrapped up in the temptation itself. But now you know the TRUTH that there IS a WAY to escape the temptation.

Ponder and pray on this TRUTH and allow it to become your Spiritual reaction when confronted with temptations.

Now … What about these “temptations” which are TESTS that God will perform to see if we love Him? THESE are oft times the trials and tribulations that you encounter that you confuse with other sources as being the root. So how in the world do we tell the difference between the “Temptations” of the enemy of our soul and the “Testing” of our Lord?

Before we go any further, I want to make it KNOWN that God may have TESTED Abraham with sacrificing His son as to prove his love for the Lord …

BUT, God actually DID sacrifice HIS SON to show His Love for US.

NEVER allow yourself to feel our Lord is not FAIR ... He is WAY beyond fair.

The story of JOB teaches us much about these trials and tribulations being allowed to occur to confirm our love for God. He lost his material possessions, his own children and then his physical health was horribly affected. The enemy of our souls was trying to prove that Job would trade God up IF God’s hedge of protection was removed from his life. The enemy of our souls … Was WRONG.

As I look back on my life ... I thank God for many of the trials (tests) that I was asked to endure, along my path. With hindsight being 20/20 ... I can now see, that had the trials not been present to keep me in check ... I may have returned to some of my old worldly ways.

In the same way that division in a home between two parents will suddenly bring calamity upon their child resulting in the parents being brought back together in LOVE ... We too are subject to calamity such as physical ailments befalling us and being used to keep us on the path.

As humans … We tend to FORGET God and feel we can do ANYTHING we want when we have no problems and everything is just peachy, as if we run the show and it is all about pleasing ourselves. We tend to forget that there IS a battle for souls going on out there and it is the job description of the enemy of our soul to lure us away.

So, we are HUMBLED at times ... By trials which we see as horrible during said trial, but have no clue what horrible fate we were being kept from, had we not been taught the lesson of the trial.

Consider all the past trials in your life and how many were used to glorify GOD. How many were used to educate YOU. How many were there to test your FAITH. How many were there in reality to protect you … From YOU.

Take care and have a SON-derful day