UNDERSTANDING TEMPTATION
AND HOW TO CONQUER IT.
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The
Basic Question is this:
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Given human nature are
any of us really capable of change?
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The mistakes other
people make are usually patiently obvious while our own mistakes
are tougher to recognize.
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In most cases, our
path through life reflect the fundament truth about who we are
now and who we have been since birth.
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Optimists or
pessimistic;
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Joyful or Depressed;
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Gullible or cynical;
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Inclined to seek
adventure or to avoid
all risk;
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Talkative or Reserved.
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Therapy might
strengthen our assets or offset our liabilities, but in the main
we do what we do because we have always done it that way even
when the outcome is bad.
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At any given moment,
at every crossroad, we always take the road that reflects who we
are.
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We do not have the
power to make a decision that is contrary to who we are.
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For
change to happen for any one of us there has to be a change in
our thinking which comes from an adjustment in who controls our
lives.
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This fundamental truth
of the good life is illustrated by a powerful statement of
Jesus: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to
kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and
that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
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The fact that
all of us want to experience continually the good life, but
something seems to keep stealing, killing, and destroying it
indicates that there is mystery involved in the living of the
good life.
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The actual experiences
of Jesus living his life reveals this mystery.
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One of the most
significant events in the life of Jesus, as he began his
ministry, was the wilderness temptation.
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This experience of Jesus reveals the mystery of
temptation.
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The Temptation Experience of Jesus (Luke
4:1-14)
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4:1 And Jesus being full of the
Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness,
4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in
those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
4:3 And the devil said unto him, If
thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written,
That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
of God.
4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high
mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the
world in a moment of time.
4:6 And the devil said unto him, All
this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is
delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be
thine.
4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto
him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee:
4:11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said,
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation,
he departed from him for a season.
4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit
into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all
the region round about.
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Understanding the mystery of the temptation
experience.
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It was said of Jesus: "For we have not an high
priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
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In all points, he was tempted like as we are.
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Was Jesus tempted with "Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, lying, cheating, and stealing?
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Jesus said, "But I say unto you,
That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his
heart" (Matt. 5:28).
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Peter said, "Who [Jesus] did no
sin, neither was
guile found in his mouth" (2:22).
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Along time before any temptation to commit
an act of
sin occurs, something else has already happened.
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In other words, the temptation to commit an act of sin
is a product of something else.
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If the temptation to commit an act of sin is
being experienced, you will commit the sin (if not in
act, in thought).
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Obviously, conquering temptation is not going to occur
at the level of being tempted to commit an act of sin.
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The Nature of Temptation
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Facing temptation is not choice nor chance.
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People find themselves in this struggle because they
have fallen prey to the deception of their mind.
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Deception can only occur because of a lack of truth
("void of understanding").
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Although desiring to experience the good life, they
constantly find themselves on the road to gloom, despair, and agony.
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The first step of the nature of
temptation: (Proverbs 7:6-8)
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The wise man said, "For at the
window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the
simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of
understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went
the way to her house."
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One among the simple ones (silly, i.e. to be roomy).
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Void of understanding (no heart, lack of any depth of
morality).
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He entered the street.
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He would take this low road because of the lack of
knowing truth.
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First step, he started down the wrong street.
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The second step in the nature of
temptation (Proverbs 7:9-20)
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The wise man said, "In the twilight,
in the evening, in the black and dark night: And, behold, there met him
a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart. (She is loud
and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: Now is she without, now
in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) So she caught him,
and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace
offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. Therefore came I forth
to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I have
decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine
linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace
ourselves with loves. For the good man is not at home, he is gone a long
journey: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at
the day appointed.
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Once started down the street, the young man met the
temptation face to face.
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He, then, gives her permission to dialogue with him.
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Notice, the conversation between her and him is one
way.
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She tells him what she can do for him.
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The longer he listens he is giving her power over him.
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She has no power over him other than what he gives her
the privilege to have.
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The third step in the nature of
temptation (Proverb 7:21-23)
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The wise man said, "With her much
fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she
forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the
slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart
strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth
not that it is for his life."
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Once the street has been taken and the voce of the
temptation has been given the privilege to speak, there is nothing else
that can occur other than he has lost control of the situation.
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With her much fail speech, she caused him to yield.
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With the flattering of her lips, she
forced him.
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Like the unsuspecting cow which walks down the ramp to
be butchered, the young man goes to the end of the street.
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As a bird flies into the trap to get the
food, the young man does not know that the street he is walking will
bring death to the good life--gloom, despair, and agony.
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At this point of the temptation, he does not have the
freedom to choose any other direction but to continue on down the
street.
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The fourth step in the nature of
temptation (Proverbs 7:24-27)
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The wise man said, "Hearken unto me now
therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not
thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she
hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by
her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of
death."
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Once the street was entered, there was nothing else
that could occur but to go to the end of the street.
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Wrong street;
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Wrong influence;
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Wrong control;
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Wrong existence.
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Where is temptation conquered?
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Step 4, step 3, step 2, or step 1?
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OR -- Before the street
begins!
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The Power of Temptation
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There is only one power source in and
beyond the universe -- God.
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Since the essence of God is Force, is Power, his
essence cannot be given to anyone or to anything.
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That which is God is God.
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There can be no power outside of God.
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Since James stated, "Blessed is the
man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love
him.Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God
cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man" (James
1:12,13)
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The question needs to be raised: If there is no power
outside of God and God tempts no one, how does temptation have any
power?
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James gives a powerful clue to temptation after
stating that God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any
man." (James 1:14,15)
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He stated, "But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived,
it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death."
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Notice: 1. Lust; 2. Enticed; 3. Sin; and 4. Death.
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From the "crown of life" to death, there is
no mentioning of an outside source of power.
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The power of temptation comes from within.
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That which has no power becomes powerful because we
give it the power to control us.
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Remove light and darkness comes automatically.
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No power in darkness -- it is the absence
of light that gives darkness an illusionary power.
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Paul explained the power of temptation:
(Rom. 1:18-32)
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He said, "For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,
who hold the truth in unrighteousness." (18)
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Notice: What he is about to say (Steps 1
through 4 of temptation) is the wrath of God.
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The temptation itself is the wrath of God being
experienced by the person going down the wrong street.
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Step 1 of the wrath of God being revealed occurs when
a person holds truth in unrighteousness.
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Step 1 is "Because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For
the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clear
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his
eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse."
(19,20)
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Step 1 is "Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful." (21)
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Step 2 of the wrath of God being revealed
occurs "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as
God, neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened." Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God
into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted
beasts, and creeping things." (22-23)
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Step 2 is "Wherefore God also gave
them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of
God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the
Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (24-25)
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"Because their foolish heart was darkened, God
game them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own heart."
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Notice: By man’s free will to reject
God in his mind, it begins a process (going down the wrong street) that
can no longer be controlled by man.
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It is not that the temptation has any power within
itself, but that once the mind is no longer control by the Spirit of God
the mind itself gives to the temptation greater power to control the
person.
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Step 3 of the wrath of God being revealed occurs
because they "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped
and served the creature more than the Creator." (25)
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Step 3 is "For this cause God gave
them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the
natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the
men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one
toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and
receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was
meet." (26,27)
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"For this cause God gave them up:" When the
creature is worshipped more that the Creator, there is nothing that can
happen but the vile affections of homosexuality and lesbianism.
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The "gay" lifestyle is not gay: It is the
wrath of God being revealed upon a people who serve and worship the
creature more than the Creator because when they knew God they did not
worship him as God.
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America will not be punished because
homosexuality and lesbianism is becoming an accepted lifestyle; The fact
that homosexuality and lesbianism is rampant in America is the wrath of
God being experienced for prior sins.
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Step 4 of the wrath of God being revealed occurs
because of their "uncleanness through the lusts of their own
hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the
truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more
than the Creator." (25)
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Step 4 is "And even as they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters,
haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things
disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without
natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of
God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do
the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
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"And even as they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind."
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With reprobate meaning, "unapproved,
i.e. rejected; by implication, worthless," the mind of man, once
the glory of man, becomes the shame of man.
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Created more cunning than the beast of
the field now experiences life worst than any animal--the mind now can
experience the hell of depression ("Gloom, despair, agony, deep
dark depression, excessive misery")
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"To do those things which are not
convenient."
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Therapy might strengthen our assets or
offset our liabilities, but in the main we do what we do because we have
always done it that way even when the outcome is bad.
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At any given moment, at every crossroad, we always
take the road that reflects who we are.
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We do not have the power to make a
decision that is contrary to whom we are.
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By starting down the wrong street, we will always reap
the consequences at the end of the street.
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The Conquering of Temptation
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Jesus was tempted in like manner
as all men are.
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Yet, as Peter stated Jesus "did no sin, neither
was guile found in his mouth." (1 Pet. 2:22)
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How was Jesus tempted?
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Obviously, not to commit adultery,
homosexuality, lying, cheating or stealing.
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For if he was, in his own words, he would have already
sin in thought.
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How and in what was Jesus tempted?
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Again, Luke 4: "And Jesus being full of the Holy
Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he
did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And
the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone
that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written,
That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
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Was the temptation to
be hungry or to satisfy that hungriness?
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The temptation is found in the words, "If thou
be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread."
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He is being tempted to satisfy this basic need in his
own power of whom he was.
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If he would have performed the miracle in the power of
being the Son of God (which he had the capability to do), he would have
violated what it meant to be the Son of God.
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How Jesus overcame the temptation to do this miracle
in his own strength as the Son of God.
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He lived his life not as one who did what the Father
told him to do, but he experienced life as the Father lived in and
through him.
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As he said, "As the living Father hath sent me
... I live by the Father." (John 6:57)
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He also stated, "If ye had known me,
ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him,
and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and
it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with
you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath
seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I
speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in
me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (John
14:7-11)
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Jesus overcame the temptation because "the words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that
dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."
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Jesus overcame the temptation because he trusted in
the Heavenly Father to live through him and to produce his life.
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It is the secret for everyone to overcome temptation.
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As Jesus said, again, "As the living Father hath
sent me, and I live by the Father...even [you] shall live by me.
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If you are attempting to live for Jesus, you will fall
to the temptation of thinking that you can, if you can only become
dedicated and committed, live the life that you should be living.
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Falling to that temptation, you will
continually find yourself going down the wrong street--the street will
come and you will enter.
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The writer of Proverbs put it in these
words: (7:1-5)
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"My son, keep my words, and
lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my
law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them
upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and
call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the
strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words."
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What will keep the young man from the street of the
strange woman . . . which flattereth with her words?"
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Wisdom and understanding from the commandments of God.
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In the light of the Word made flesh in Jesus of
Nazareth, it is Jesus that keeps you from the street of the strange
woman.
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Consume Jesus--keep him as the apple of
thine eye . . . bind him upon thy fingers . . . let him be written upon
the table of thine heart . . . and you, too, will be kept from the
street of the strange women . . . which flattereth with her words.
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Jesus is the only one that can keep your
mind from seeking freedom to go down the wrong street.
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