What is it and how do we fight it?
The word Trial is same as Temptation in the Greek.
They are different in their goal. The goal of trial is how we are pleasing Him in our struggle whereas temptation is the deception, a test to try and take us down and move us away from God.
Temptation is common to all believers and its not if we will be tempted but “when” – vs 13.
When we encounter temptation it is an opportunity to say what am I going to do with this. As Christian we are constantly being pulled in the wrong direction and are therefore fight it.
What is the source of temptation?
Vs 13: it’s not from God but from our own hearts. God cannot be tempted, its not in His nature, not intrinsic in who God is, nothing in Him is attracted to evil. It is the exact opposite!
Secondly, God does not tempt anyone, again not in His nature. God does not want to take anyone down. He always wants us to come to him.
John 10:10
” The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Jeremiah 29:11
” For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
These don’t sound like a God who wants to take us down.
The real source comes from you, me, us. It originates with us
First step: we entertain bad thoughts. Vs 14: “…by his own lust/desire” Like we come under the authority of our own lust (dragged down). It is a unique kind of lust/desire. It is a private, personal, intrinsic to you. We all have our own history, personalities, all kinds of stuff, that we carry with us and can be triggered at any moment.
We all have these unique things, stuff that is so uniquely us. Doesn’t mean they are all bad, just unique, deep seated unique passions.
What are most of us most passionate about? Us! Me myself and I!
The essence of humanity is about me – provide, protect, to belong, cared for, loved, etc. How am I going to … provide for my needs? This is at the core of each of us.
Serving other people is the last things that people want to do. How do I serve you God?
The safe place for a believer is in a relationship with Christ who provides for all my needs and pains.
VS 14: “Enticed”: drawing us out from this safe place just like a hunter draws their targets out from their safe place of hiding in the brush.
We not only entertain bad thoughts, we make bad decisions.
VS 15: “conceived” – a decision we make. There is a point in our temptation that the thought “gets us”- conceived which then gives birth to sin.
James 4:17 – “not doing things we aught to do, we sin!”
Romans 7:
In our hearts we get to this point where we say “I don’t care, I’m going to do it”
Vs 15: when sin has been conceived it produces death, we are cut off and are no longer experiencing this connection with God. Because of this we need to understand how this works and confess our sins. Regardless of how sin conceives, it leads to death, death in the fellowship with God. The longer we stay there, the harder it is to get back into fellowship with God.
The more you entertain the wrong thoughts the more and more likely you are to make the wrong decision and it leads to death. And it all starts right here in your own heart – going to meet your own needs your way, not God’s way.
So how do we fight against it?
VS 16: “ do not be deceived” you need to understand how wicked you are. Don’t be pulled off course. Constantly be aware of being pulled away, pulled off course. Be vigilant of your life.
It’s kinda hard to hard knuckle your way through temptation – we don’t understand what’s going on. We have to understand the wickedness of our hearts and have a clear understanding of our need for God.
Philippians 2
In vs 13 James describes who God is, all goodness comes from God. He is constantly giving us grace. This is who God is and James is reminding us that He is the one who gives us everything. There is no variation in Him, He never changes. He forgives us. Christ has paid for us.
James is saying why would we go from the deception and wickedness of our own hearts when we have all this in God, perfection, provision, friends, sight, life, etc.
So why would we want to go in a direction of thinking we can make our own ways and meet our own needs?
So cultivate the relationship with God and you won’t be as subjected to temptation.
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