JAMES 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- This topic is aimed at enlightening Christians what temptation is all about and the dangers of it when one fall in and how to examine the tactics of Satan, the enemy through whom these temptations come to man and how to identify this tactics and avoid them.
WHAT IS TEMPTATION?
Temptation are tricks or chains of suggestions, Satan use o deceive or lieu men to sin against God or break fellowship with God. Satan deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and they fall and break fellowship with God, making man to be spiritually dead.
ROMANS 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
HOW AND WHEN DO THESE TEMPTATIONS COME TO MAN?
Temptation over takes one when one is without Christ and is being ruled by the senses which
are control by Satan himself who is the father of all evil. This temptation comes to man in so many ways I.e in time of depression, needs, lust, envy.
GALATAINS 5:19-20
:Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
:Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies.
Satan always bring his language "IFS" and "JUST" to you and when you become partner by obeying any of these mention, Satan will now take charge of your whole being. This always happens as a result of ignorance of God in man's heart. But when man stands on his feet and let Jesus Christ rule as his personal Lord and Savior, he over come and be a master to all the tricks and circumstances of Satan the deceiver.
So Christians should know that Satan is not happy that people are at peace being in Christ,for that he always comes with his ugly and deceitful language of "IFS" AND "JUST" to you after knowing Christ.
HOW CAN YOU WITHSTAND THESE TEMPTATIONS?
The only way to withstand the devil and his tricks is by being constantly having the word of God in your life and be fervent in prayers. Brethren when you live in Christ and the fruits of the Spirit cone out of you then Satan and his agents will see you as danger and they will flee from you.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF FALLING INTO TEMPTATION?
Temptation in the first place is not a sin, when it comes to you. But it becomes a sin when you fall into it by acting on it as the suggestions come to you "IFS" and "JUST" do this or that and every thing will be alright, after all nobody will see you. And this brings spiritual death and in some cases fiscal dealt I to man. When you act on this suggestions you are already in fellowship with the devil, who will rule your entire life with his load of problems of failure, hatred, envy, murder, lack, sickness, diseases, fear, fornication, ignorance etc.
SOURCES OF TEMPTATION THAT BEFALLS CHRISTIANS
Temptation as we have been told before now is likened to be a test case of the believers love and faith for his father God, having received the divine nature of him "God" on becoming a Christian through Jesus Christ. Also the word of Jesus Christ which is one of the first possible choice of Satan or instruments of temptation Satan use which says that temptation will come to you first with those of your immediate house hold, to confuse and spoil your mind about your situation. But more is that a believer is the light of God, and every believer must be wise.
HOW CAN THESE TEMPTATIONS BE OVER COME?
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ met with the adversary with the "Word" in all temptations and defeated him. So, believers should note it that every trail or tribulation that comes your way is from Satan and must be challenge and combat with the word of God. So application of the word of God and prayers are the only weapon to overcome temptation and pride, arrogance and hypocrisy must be put away through having the word of God and prayers.
GODS REWARD TO THOSE THAT OVERCOME TEMPTATION
When we overcome temptation,peace and joy of the Lord will he established in our life and the end we will wear the crown of life which is eternal life, besides this crown, there will be a steady spiritual growth in our life, and this will give us to resist further temptations, that is growing in faith. Also God reckons every over-comer as agape love rules child that brings joy to his heart and He greatly delight in Him, this means that God will not only uplift us spiritually but also uplift us physically.
CONCLUSION
Ask yourself this question, if I don't again having received the knowledge of truth, will Christ come back to die for me the second time?
HEBREWS 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.