Remember: There is a Tempter. Temptation is personal and relational. It involves the attempted sabotage of free will through mind confusion with the arousal of passion. In other words, Satan’s key weapon during temptation is deception. This is the source of confusion. The tempted doesn’t know what hit him! The tempter confuses her by hiding himself in her desire.
Remember: From sinful desire comes every temptation. So sinful desire is the foremost cause of sin to be destroyed! It is the right eye that must be plucked out and thrown away! It is the right hand that must be cut off and buried!
Remember: Desire assumes an object desired! Every object desired was created by God. So evil desire is when a person wants something God promises, but refuses to trust God to fulfill that promise. He takes another man’s wife instead of trusting God to give his own. She steals a diamond necklace rather than trusting God to give her true treasure that will last forever.
Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given.” This is the solution to every temptation. Instead of lusting, the woman should focus on asking, and seeking God’s answer. Instead of craving, the man should pray so that God will fulfill his cravings.
Temptations still happen because there is a tempter, and there are sinful desires. If a man trusts God to fulfill his deepest desires, the tempter will not find an evil desire in the man to tempt. If a woman prays to God to meet her most pressing needs, then the tempter will be resisted through her trust and dependence on the Lord. The first and foremost cause of temptation to be avoided is evil desire. Trusting God to fulfill every desire is the way to destroy the ultimate cause of sin.
For all who begin again this New Year, these are the ways to resist the temptations that will keep them from change!
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