1 Corinthians 10:12-13

                                                             1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 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.

 

The sins of Israel in the desert are the same sins we struggle with today.  Satan is not creative, but he is persistent.  He has continued to tempt and destroy people using the same methods for a very long time.  However, as believers, we are not helpless or hopeless as we face the temptation to sin.  Paul lets us know some vitally important truths about the temptations we continue to face.  These truths provide us with both help and hope as we confront temptation.

 

TEMPTATION IS DECEPTIVE: Just when we think that we are free from temptation and are doing well, is when we are in the greatest danger.  It is easy for us to look at Israel with a critical eye and think: how could they have been so sinful with so many miraculous events all around them?  The reality is that we are at risk of falling into the same sinful pattern.  Their example should stand as a warning for us to be careful.  We must not allow pride to deceive us into believing that we are standing firm in the face of our temptations.  We must walk with humility fully aware of our own weakness.

 

TEMPTATION IS COMMON: The temptations we face are not unique.  All believers throughout history have faced similar temptations.  However, we do face temptations that a real and dangerous.  This speaks not only to the similarity of the temptations we all face, but also to the reality that we must constantly deal with and face temptations in our lives.  When we are rationalizing our own sin, Satan will try to deceive us into thinking that our situation is more serious than that of other people and that somehow our sin is justifiable.  Israel felt as if God and Moses had abandoned them in the desert before their plunge into idolatry and immorality.  When Satan tempts us, he will try to convince us that we have somehow been abandoned by God, our leaders, or others.  Don’t believe Satan’s lies about God or our circumstances.  

 

TEMPTATION IS CONTROLED: The reality is that God is always with us, and He is in control of the circumstances surrounding our temptations.  He will not allow us to be overwhelmed or put in a situation where we cannot stand firm in our faith.  If we are facing something it is because God has allowed it and is present with us in that moment.  When my mother found out cancer had spread throughout her body, she affirmed the truth that nothing good or bad can happen to us without passing through the Father’s hands.  He has a purpose and a plan for the struggles we face and is at work for His glory and our good.  His control over our lives never falters.

 

TEMPTATION IS VENCIBLE: As believers we are not the victims of sin and temptation unable to withstand the attacks of Satan.  God is always faithful and is present with us in those times of trial and will always provide the strength to stand firm in temptation or provide us with a way to escape from it.  The body of Christ that surrounds us is one of the most helpful resources to help us in our fight with or flight from temptations.  Sin always proliferates in the contexts of secrecy and silence.  If we will expose our struggles to our brothers and sisters in Christ and humbly ask them for help, we will be far more likely to stand strong and/or get the help we need.  As believers we are in this fight together and must always be looking for help from others and offering help to others.  We are not alone in the struggle against sin.  Together, in the strength of the Spirit we can be victorious over and escape from the temptations we face.

 

APPLICATION: Walk in humility and be alert to the reality of the temptations that surround us.  Realize that all believers everywhere have faced and are facing similar and consistent temptations.  Be assured that God is with us in the battle and has a purpose for it.  Don’t try to struggle against sin on our own in secret and in silence, get the body of Christ involved and be ready to join others in their fight.

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