Lesson 19: Winning over Temptation

“I can win over temptation by the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power.”

To understand how temptation comes and how to depend on God for victory.

► Did you ever have a temptation that you thought nobody else would understand?

► Did you ever wonder if it is really possible to live in complete victory over sin?

God has promised enabling grace that more than compensates for our weakness in temptation:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

This verse tells us several important things.

1. Every temptation is common to humanity. It comes because of our humanity and attacks some human weakness. That means that your struggles are not really unique to you.

2. God knows our limits. He understands how much we can take. We don’t really know how much we can take, but he does.

3. God intends that we live in victory. This verse tells us that he will not let temptation be more than we can endure with his help. He limits the temptations that come to us, because he wants us to live in victory. Some people think that victory over temptation is impossible because we are human. According to this verse, victory is possible and expected.

4. God provides what we need to live in victory. He makes a way of escape. Grace for victorious living is given in response to faith.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 John 5:4).

If we understand how it happens that a believer is sometimes defeated by temptation, maybe we can understand how to prevent it. It is useful to analyze the process that a person goes through in falling to temptation.

The process is described in James 1:14-15:

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin...

John Wesley observed that the steps to sin usually occur as follows.[1]

1. A temptation arises (from the world, the flesh, or the devil).

2. The Spirit warns the believer to be watchful.

3. The person gives attention to the temptation, and it becomes more attractive to him. (This is where the person makes his first mistake in this process.)

4. The Spirit is grieved, the person’s faith is weakened, and his love for God grows cold.

5. The Spirit reproves sharply.

6. The person turns from the painful voice of the Spirit and listens to the attractive voice of the tempter.

7. Evil desire begins and fills his heart; faith and love vanish; he is ready to commit outward sin.

This process may not take a long time. It can happen in a few minutes.

Since temptation increases its power while holding our attention, the person who takes time to decide whether or not to yield puts himself in greater danger. The believer who is serious about maintaining victory over sin must have his heart established so that he can reject temptation immediately. A person who hesitates demonstrates that his heart is not fully determined to please God.

Temptation is a challenge to our faith, for temptation gives us the opportunity to doubt that obedience to God is the best way at that moment.

If a believer cannot seem to live in victory over sin, it is probably because of one or more of the following problems.

1. He does not see that God requires obedience.

2. He does not see or believe God’s promise of enabling grace.

3. He does not depend on God’s enabling grace instead of personal strength.

4. He serves God with selective obedience, instead of complete, unconditional obedience.

5. He has not sought by grace to have a single motive to do the will of God (Philippians 3:13-15).

6. He does not maintain spiritual disciplines that keep strong his faith-building relationship with God.

Three men applied for a job as driver. The first one, wanting to impress the prospective employer, said, “I am such a skilled driver that if I drove at high speed within a few feet of a cliff you would not have to worry.” The second did not want to be outdone, so he said, “I could drive at high speed within a few inches of a cliff without going over it.” The third driver hesitated, then said to the employer, “I would not risk your life by going near the cliff.” Which one do you think got hired?

We should not be trying to see how close we can get to temptation. God wants to give us personal guidelines that will guard us from our areas of weakness. When we have choices, we should stay away from the things that make us spiritually weak, such as wrong entertainments.

► If a believer sins, how long does he have to wait before restoring his relationship with God?

If a believer does commit a sin, he should repent immediately, and he can be restored through our advocate, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1-2). He should not wait for any future time that he thinks would be more convenient. If he wants to be restored, the Holy Spirit is already giving him that desire and drawing him back to his relationship with God. If his repentance is real, he can be restored immediately.

God has already made the supreme investment for our salvation, in the sacrifice of Jesus. He is not going to let that investment be wasted by failing to give us the grace we need to continue.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

The following scripture is printed on the student’s worksheet.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 1:24-25).

Share from experience how understanding the steps from temptation to sin can help a person to stop letting temptation take control in his mind. Allow others to share similarly.

Ask that someone share how one or more of the six problems listed above has kept him from living victoriously.

Ask those who have been struggling with a temptation to commit to practice the teachings of this lesson. For example:

► Will you determine that when temptation comes, you will not meditate on it but immediately reject it and depend on God for strength?

Heavenly Father,

I am thankful that you understand all about me. You know my limits and weaknesses. Thank you for limiting the temptations that come to me and giving grace so that I can live in victory.

Help me to always follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Help me always to reject sin as soon as I recognize it.

Help me to remember that only you can satisfy my heart.

Amen

Read Revelation 2-3. These chapters contain letters to seven churches. They were facing many different temptations and challenges. Notice at the end of each letter the promise that is given to the one who overcomes.