The Workings Of Temptation

Focus: James 1:14-15 - KJV

14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

2 Samuel 13:1-15

It is customary for everyone that falls into temptation to blame it on the devil. Some even claim it is God that is responsible for their being tempted and their fall. Meanwhile, God tempts no one with evil. And, the maximum that the devil has to do in the temptation of any man is the lie that he tells to his heart to lure him into activating and actualizing his lust. As he thinks in his heart so is he. The fact that a man who thinks lustfully about anything is yet to manifest it does not make him free from the sin. The enemy is only reserving the luring needed to make him fall, to an auspicious time to make the fall devastating. The moment he makes the lie, the lust is drawn out, enticing the man to sin. Once the act is consummated, the ending is death, which is the consequence of sin.

Amnon was David’s son and heir to the throne. He was a man who would go for anything in skirt for as long as it appeared beautiful. When the same is a virgin, he could not resist, no matter who the person was. The devil knew this of him and knew if the lust is drawn out, it would pitch David’s sons against themselves, Absalom being ordinarily ruthless and furious. So, the devil lured Amnon into desiring his half-sister, Absalom’s full blood sister. Incidentally, Amnon knew not how to consummate his lust. The enemy used his subtle cousin to teach him to orchestrate a lie that would make her sister her prey. And before we knew it, incest was consummated and thereafter hatred which led to further hatred from Absalom that eventually caused Amnon his life, David his throne for a season and Absalom his life, eventually.

The Lord is asking us to please deal with those little lust foxes now, so that they will not deal with us. The kind of fire that lust may kindle may be more far-reaching than we may envisage at its inception. To overcome the wiles and devices of the enemy that lures us into doing things against our God, we are to flee everything that is associated with lust. When we do, there will be nothing for the enemy to lure us on. When a man be dead to the flesh, there is nothing to lure in him for the dead has nothing to offer. Let us therefore make a covenant with our eyes and indeed all our sensory organs that we will stick with Christ alone. Then will it be impossible for us to be lured to death by our own doing. The antidote simply is to eschew negative emotions.

Please pray:

Father, I thank you for your faithfulness over my life. I know that from time to time I experience those little foxes in my thoughts and mind: please help me to overcome them completely by the help of your Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Let me never yield to the lie of the devil again, in Jesus’ name. The power to resist the devil and cause him to flee from me always, I activate by your Spirit; please let it be so activated in me in Jesus’ name. Help me to overcome lusts and negative emotions all through my remaining life in this present world, in Jesus’ name.

Please share with others. God bless you.