Temptation

TEMPTATION

Often when we are facing temptation we assign that temptation to the evil one and think that we are under attack. Scripturally speaking there are three sources of temptation and knowing which is which will help us to fight temptation and more importantly  to take responsibility for our actions and thoughts.

Temptation can come from 3 distinct sources. Firstly, it can come from the world. In 1 John 2:15-17 we read 

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

The world is a source of temptation and has many things that could steal our heart away from the Lord. Many of these things are not sinful in and of themselves. Cars, boats, a home or even a steady income are not sinful things, nor are they sinful things to want but they open up the door to coveting and lusting and even idolatry.

Our own bodies have sinful desires. Gal 5:17 says

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

This sinful nature, literally ‘flesh’ in the Greek, causes us to yearn or lust after things that are sinful, again not necessarily sinful in and of themselves.

Finally there’s the evil one who can tempt us. Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert for 40 days. Similarly we can be tempted by the evil one to disobey God, to choose our own paths and to feather our own nests.

But it’s rather immature to simply say that satan is tempting me at every point and to ‘cast him out’ on every occasion. If, for example, I am struggling with bodily desires or wanting something the world has to offer then it’s more productive to deal with these appropriately rather than seeking to be super spiritual by casting out satan or the demons. While the latter may bring victory on occasion, dealing with the source of temptation and taking appropriate action trains us for godliness, strengthens us in righteousness and allows us to battle consistently in the long term.