Overcoming Temptation

Where there is no temptation there can be little claim to virtue."

James 1:13-15 speaks about the nature of temptation and where it comes from. It begins to reveal the power of temptation and ultimately where it will lead you.

So we begin with...

1. Source of Temptation
   myth : to be strongly tempted means as if we have actually committed sin
   We are sinful creatures by nature. God does not tempt us, the desire to sin is already in us. V.14 reveals that "but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." It all starts with that small desire in our hearts. Have you ever told a white lie? Do have inconsistencies in you life? Do you indulge in acts you know are wrong? What starts off as a harmless desire will give eventually give way to sin. v.15 spells it out very clearly. "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." That desire is a gateway which will lead you to sin, and ultimately that sin will lead you to your spiritual death.
2. Power of Temptation
   myth : you can overcome temptation by separation from it
   Do not underestimate the power of temptation. Furthermore, do not be naive to believe you can remove yourself from it. No matter where you go, there will always be temptation. The key isn't to avoid it, the point is to overcome it. When you take a bird's eye view of a river, you'll notice it never follows a straight path. It always weaves around different bends and looks all crooked. This is because as a stream of water encounters an obstacle, it will go around it. It will follow the path of least resistance. This analogy holds true for us. If we follow the path of least resistance, we ourselves will become crooked.
3. Deliverance
   myth: When I am spirituallymature, I will no longer be bothered by temptation
   (a) Believe the truth (John 16:33) - The bad news is that in this world you will always have trouble. The good news is that God has already won the war for you. Do you believe in the power of Jesus' blood?
   (b) Accept God's Grace (Philippians 1:6) - You are not fighting this war alone. If you try to overcome temptation on your own you will ultimately fail. It is only through God's grace that we have the strength to overcome impossible obstacles. All we have to do is accept it.
   (c) Actively avoid sin (Romans 13:14) - Are you desensitized by the sins of the world? Does it no longer bother you when you turn on the TV and it's littered with violence? How much time do you spend for God compared to the amount of time you indulge yourself in temptation?
   (d) Live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18) - "If you are led by the Spirit, you are not bound by the law"
   (e) Judge Not (Romans 2:1) - Don't be so quick to judge others as they struggle through their battles with temptation. You don't know how hard it is for them. You don't know how hard they are being attacked, and ultimately who's to say you won't react the same way if you were placed under the same situation.

No matter where we are in our spiritual walk, we all live temptation. Know the source or your temptation, don't underestimate the power it can have over you and most importantly believe that God will deliver you from it.

--from Nakwon EM August 5th 2007 Sunday Worship Service
*To listen to this sermon in its entirety, please contact James Kim

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