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Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News

Growing through Temptation

 by Hal Warren

(SHARP): You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it – Margaret Thatcher

Point of View: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.  God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality!  Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that choice.  Furthermore, God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice.  You can’t claim to be loving if you have not been tempted by unlovely people.  You can’t claim to be joyful if you have never been tempted to be sorrowful.  You can’t claim to have peace unless worry or fear has tempted you.  You can not claim to have patience unless you are forced to wait and are tempted to be angry or have a short fuse.  You can’t claim to be good if you’ve never been tempted to be bad.  You can’t claim to be faithful if you’ve never had the opportunity to be unfaithful.  Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be dishonest; humility grows when we refuse to be prideful; and endurance develops every time you reject the temptation to give up.  Every time you defeat a temptation, you become more like Jesus.  Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life pp202,203.

Action Step: Choose to do good instead of sin so that you will grow in the character of Christ.

Benefit: The fruit of the Spirit will flourish in our lives. NAU Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Key Point 1: God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by permitting you to experience circumstances in which you are tempted or tested to express the exact opposite quality.  NAU Hebrews 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. NAU Hebrews 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,

Subpoint 1.1: There are two different Greek words in the New Testament that are both translated “to test”: peirazo and dokimazo.

Subpoint 1.2: Peirazo (pi-rad'-z?) – to try or test intentionally with the purpose of discovering what good or evil, what power or weakness, was in a person or thing.  However, since men fail so often, this word has a predominant meaning of putting to the test with the intention and the hope that the one put to the test may break down under it.  This word is used with this meaning of the solicitations and suggestions of Satan to get us to act on the sin in our hearts.  It is used infrequently of the testing by God where He allows us to see the sin in our heart prior to acting on it.

NAU James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. NAU Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. NAU Matthew 4:7 Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" NAU 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. NAU John 6:5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?" 6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little." NAU Matthew 22:18 But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?

Subpoint 1.3: Dokimazo (d?k-im-ad'-z?) – testing someone or something for the purpose of approving it.  The word further implies that the trial itself was made in the expectation and hope of victory!  This word is generally used of testing by God, but never of Satan. NAU Luke 14:19 "Another one said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.' NAU 1 Thessalonians 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. NAU 1 Corinthians 3:13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. NAU 1 Corinthians 11:28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. NAU 1 Peter 1:7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; NAU 2 Corinthians 13:5 Test (peirazo) yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-- unless indeed you fail the test?

Key Point 2: How Temptation Works NAU 2 Corinthians 2:11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Subpoint 2.1: Satan first identifies a desire within you.  NAU James 1:14 But each one is tempted (peirazo) when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  Satan entices us via thoughts that will appear as a shortcut to our desire.  Remember, shortcuts make for long delays! 

Subpoint 2.2: Satan secondly tries to get you to doubt God’s faithfulness to provide this desire of your heart. NAU Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden '?"

Subpoint 2.3: Satan thirdly deceives you into believing that taking the shortcut is acceptable to God. NAU Genesis 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! 5 "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." NAU Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. NAU 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Subpoint 2.4: Satan fourthly gets you to act on his temptation resulting in disobedience to God. NAU James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. NAU Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NAU Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Key Point 3: Overcoming Temptation

Subpoint 3.1: Realize temptations are a normal part of the Christians life.  Do not be condemned by temptations.

Subpoint 3.2: Recognize your times, places, feelings, etc. that make you vulnerable and avoid them.

Subpoint 3.3: Request God’s help immediately.

Repeat Point of View, Action Step and Benefit: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

All Glory and Honor to God