The Reality of Temptation in a Fallen World

“In this world you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” Temptation is trouble. 

In fact, temptation is multi-layered trouble because it wants you to believe there’s something bad about you that leads you to be tempted at all. 

Jesus knows temptation and He knows you. 

In this episode of “Becoming Whole,” we’re reframing temptation through God’s word and Jesus’ grace.

Highlights:

Jesus taught us to pray in the Lords Prayer - “And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:1" 

John 16:1-4 Jesus prepares comforts and prepares his Disciples for His crucifixion with these words: “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.  And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.  But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Temptation is trouble you experience in this world.

1 Corinthians 6:13 “But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. “

Matthew 4:1 “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.”

Temptation is something that comes to us because there’s a tempter moving throughout the world.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

Jesus was tempted for you, for us. He knew temptation would be a part of our lives.

Don’t fall to the temptation beneath your temptation to believe there’s something wrong with you.

Jesus experienced temptation because He wants to be with you in that space.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Our “time of need” is when we’re tempted.

Jesus will delight in you drawing near.

Hebrews 11:37 “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword.”

When you’re enduring temptation, count yourself among the faithful Saints who have suffered in the name of Christ. 

Temptation doesn’t mean something bad about you. Temptation is what saints everywhere go through.

We have an enemy who comes to tempt us because he wants to draw us away from God. Jesus expected that we would be tempted and He meets us in the midst of our temptation. When we endure through temptation, we place ourselves with mi

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