And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  Ex 33:19  

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APPETITES – DESIRES – PRIDE: THE BASIS OF ALL TEMPTATION

Temptation is the natural tendency to get our needs met, our desires fulfilled, and our identity established, (pride stroked) apart from God’s provision.

1John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.” (NKJV)

This verse interprets itself. It defines “ALL” as 1,2,3…

Paraphrased this same verse says, “For all the world has to offer; all that panders to the appetites and cravings of man, all the things he sees and wants, and all his boastings about what he has and does, comes not from the father but is of the world.”

In the preceding article on “Overcoming Temptation” we demonstrated how in Genesis 3, Eve programmed herself to sin by moving through the progression from thought to action. In the 1John 2:16 verse above we see in one verse all three of the basic temptations common to us all.

Again, looking at Genesis 3:6 by comparison with 1John 2:16 we see:

1John 2:16: “For everything that is in the world”

GENESIS 3:6 WHEN THE WOMAN SAW THAT THE TREE WAS

“the cravings of sinful man,

GOOD FOR FOOD

“the lust of his eyes,”

PLEASING TO THE EYE

“and the boastings of what he has and does…”

AND DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM…

“is not of the Father but of the world.”

SHE TOOK AND ATE.

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted in all things like as we are and yet without sin. Unfortunately, we live in a society that feels (no thinking involved) that it is somehow wrong not to indulge ourselves. In Matthew chapter 4:1 ff, we find that Jesus doesn’t think that way.

TEMPTATION # 1: Lust of the flesh… “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, “it is written, ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Jesus was hungry; an understatement for someone who hadn’t eaten in 40 days! He was tempted to satisfy a normal appetite by abnormal means. He tells Satan and us in His response that, It’s OK to be hungry; It’s not OK to get our fleshly needs met apart from God’s provision!

GOD’S ANSWER: Phillipians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.”

TEMPTATION # 2: Pride of Life… “Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hand, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test…”

This was a temptation because Jesus did desire that everyone know who he was. He was the Son of God!; The Messiah had come! The temptation was to establish his identity apart from God’s provision.

GOD’S ANSWER: Luke 14:1, “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased (brought down), and everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

TEMPTATION # 3: Lust of the eyes… “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Did Jesus want to possess the Earth? Certainly! For one day He will come to possess the Earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but by the Father’s provision, not Satan’s.

GOD’S ANSWER: Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight thyself, therefore in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Satan’s temptations are for us to get our needs met; our desires fulfilled; and our identity established apart from God’s provision. Certainly God is concerned about our needs, our desires and our identity but wants all these to be His provision to us. For he says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL these thing shall be added unto you.”

AuThor

 

 

 

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