How Are You Going to Conquer Temptation?
Luke 4:1-2
In football, this quote is attributed to Coach Darrell Royal: “When you throw a pass, three things can happen, and two of them are bad.” In the battle with temptation, people try to conquer temptation three ways, and two of them are wrong: give in, fight in your own strength, or follow Jesus’ example.
1. Give in. Some people aren’t bothered by temptation because they do what they want, when they want. They don’t bother to conquer temptation.
2. Fight it with your own strength—the flesh. Some will try over and over to resist in their own strength until finally, they're like the person who said, “I can overcome anything but temptation.”
3. Follow Jesus’ example.
“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.” (Luke 4:1-2a).
His encounter with Satan in the wilderness will show us how to handle temptation.
How have you done, conquering temptation on your own?
Temptation can strike any person, any time, any place
ANY PERSON
If the devil had the audacity to tempt the Lord Jesus Christ, he will tempt you. Understand that being tempted is not a sin. Jesus was “tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:14-15).
ANY TIME
Temptation came to Jesus just as He returned from His baptism, where the Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon Him, and God the Father had just said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
ANY PLACE
Adam was tempted in a perfect place, the Garden of Eden, yet he fell.
We face these temptations every day. Doing, having, being, passions, possessions, pride. Temptation can take a myriad of forms, but your temptations are not new. The apostle Paul said, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
