Every Christian is tempted to sin. If we are not tempted by Satan then we are probably not serving the Lord. Even when we may be mature Christians we will still be tempted to sin. We will never ‘outgrow’ temptation. Paul said “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man” (1 Cor 10:13).

Even Jesus was tempted to sin. Temptation is actually an opportunity to bear fruit for Jesus. Bearing fruit is one of God’s greatest desires for us. Jesus said His Father prunes every branch that does not bear fruit in order that “it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). He further said “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8 ESV). Jesus also said Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was that they would be fully pleasing to the Lord “being fruitful in every good work” (Col 1:10). So bringing forth fruit in our lives ought to be a priority for Christians.

A Process⤒🔗

Temptation is a process. It has a predictable cycle with the sole object of getting the Christian to sin. We see this process in the very first sin. Eve saw the fruit, then she desired the fruit, then she took the fruit.

⁶When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. Gen 3:6

Similarly we read about Achan’s temptation into sin,

²¹When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment … I coveted them and took them. Joshua 7:21

The Apostle James describes the same process,

¹⁴each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:14, 15

Sin is a process that eventually leads to death – unless repented of!

This means that we must be careful to avoid places where we know there will be temptation. We may in providence have to be where there is temptation, at work or some other legitimate place, but we must avoid unnecessary situations where we know we will be tempted to sin. Eve was near the tree when she was tempted to stretch out her hand. We must not use our Christian liberty as an excuse for being tempted. See (Gal 5:13 and 1 Peter 2:16).

We need to be careful what we watch on the television – we need to use the ‘Off’ button and avoid unnecessarily ‘flicking through the channels’. We could ‘get caught’. The first step is seeing the temptation which leads to further steps.

The second step is when our emotions become involved. We not only see the temptation but we desire to have it – sometimes at all costs! It is one thing to appreciate beauty and function – it is another to lust after it. The Scriptures encourage us to appreciate whatever is good.

⁸Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these thingsPhilippians 4:8

But we are forbidden to give in to greed or lust.

Appreciation can proceed from admiring something, to the desire for the wrongful obtaining or abuse of it. Lust is a choice, a deliberate act of the will.

The final step in the process is to ‘give-in’ to the temptation. This is disobedience. When this happens, you are its slave. You are not a ‘free’ person. You are ‘bound’ by your lust – it controls you. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that ones slaves to whom you obey” (Romans 6:16). And as Peter said to Simon the Sorcerer, “you are bound by iniquity” (Acts 8:23).

The only course after this has happened is repentance. If the repentance is genuine, it will be bitter but there is no other way.

Overcoming Temptation←⤒🔗

We might think that temptation is something outside of ourselves – in the circumstances around us. But it is not. James tells us clearly “each one of us is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:14). The problem is within us – in our hearts and minds.

We also need to remember that Satan cannot force us to sin – he only suggests and encourages us. We sin by choice. The act is our act and we must bear the consequences.

We must not start debating with the temptation. If we reason with it, if we ‘take on’ and challenge the temptation, we will likely fail. We must not ‘entertain’ the idea of how best to defeat it, for debating with temptation only strengthens the temptation.

Instead we must dismiss and ignore the idea of conquering the temptation by diverting our thoughts away from it. We must immediately change the thought and become distracted. We need to refocus on something completely different.

Paul said that temptation is common to Christians, but with every temptation there was “a way to escape” – ignoring, changing dismissing and replacing the thought, is that way of escape (1 Cor 10:13). When we overcome temptation in this way, we bear much fruit and bring glory to God. We have resisted the devil. And every time we resist sin, we become stronger in faith.