God cannot be tempted for He is no man to be gullible to sin. But the devil is fighting against God’s will in our lives, which is to live a sinless life.
What is sin? Falling short or contradiction of God’s will!
God is the law, now breaking the law is sinning. And we sin when we are tempted by the devil or by our fallen nature as humans. Yes your body/ flesh can cause you to sin also if it is not brought into subjection.
Now the devil is always in direct disobedience of God’s will; meaning anything that God wants, the devil will try to oppose. And so the devil is in constant war with followers of Christ and those who hearken into His law.
The devil sees them as the enemy because of the spirit of God in them and so it tempts them, everyday, to make them defy God’s will in their lives.
This devil is the most evil and traitorous person; after tempting you to sin, if you fall prey to his snares. He goes to accuse; and report you to God.
Revelation 12:10 NKJV
“ … and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”
Also in Zechariah 3:1
“ Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.”
This shows how much of a backstabber that serpent is. Tempting you, then going ahead to report you after you sin. That only means his aim is to get you punished in the first place.
When you are set free( born again) your sins are forgiven and you are a direct candidate for heaven but since the devil is jealous of you, based on the fact that he was cast out of heaven and no longer has a place there.
So when he sees you with a chance of making it to heaven, his anger and hatred is roused by the fact that he will never have a chance to go back to heaven for good and wishes that more people joined him in his punishment. Hell was made for him and his demons, not for humanity. However those who are persuaded ( tempted) by him to follow his acts of disobedience against God’s will; they will get the same fate awarded to Satan. Punished.
What happened to Adam and Eve after they fell for the devil’s schemes?
They were banished, cursed became the land and the woman was put under the man’s authority. The man now has to sweat before getting food out of the ground. And much more that we are still suffering because of this punishment.
Notice that God is the law, and He is judge. That means there is a court in the heavens. Daniel 7:10 NKJV
“… A thousand ministered unto Him. A thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated and the books were opened.”
Why shouldn’t we sin?
Temptation if hearkened to, will lead us into sin. That’s what happened to Eve. The tempter wishes that God punishes us more and more for our sins. However he has no legal right in court if we don’t sin. Just like Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness but failed to make Him sin. So being tempted, even though you believe in Christ is natural, in fact it is the most normal thing you are going to face. However just as Jesus dies sinless; you are called to resist the devil (the temptation) until he flees from you.
The devil can’t stand to accuse you in court if you didn’t fall prey to his schemes. The word (scripture) is the sword a true follower of Christ uses to overcome temptation. Temptation is a weapon formed by the devil and you fight back using the word. Don’t you remember, ‘no weapon formed against you shall prosper.’ (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)
The devil in his opposition with God has waged war against all those doing God’s will. And is therefore ensnared to tempt them so that they could circumvent and sin. Which leads them out of God’s will and they will be cast away from God’s presence and love; to end up just like the devil.
This is a win for the devil.
And so he gains more influence and followers within the world. Who will end up just like him (in hell) on the day of judgment.
Does God tempt us?
Many of you have got this wrong since you convince yourself that God may sometimes tempt us. You are very wrong. God doesn’t tempt us.
“ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.”
But then, why does God allow us to get tempted in the first place?
“ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
It’s as though God tests us to see if we are worthy of being used by Him. For Jesus begins to do great miracles right after overcoming these three temptations in the wilderness. Before that, He was just an ordinary man living his casual life, right until the Spirit of God ascended on Him while He was being baptised by John the Baptist.
“ Then the Lord said to Moses,” Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota everyday, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.” “
This shows that God allowed Jesus to be tested so that He could prove Him to be called His son. And so are you worthy of being called a child of God?
For only those who stand on the word in the midst of trials are worthy to be recognised as the sons of God. For these are the people used to do His great deeds. Let’s look at 2 Timothy 2:20-21 NKJV
“ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel of honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. “
Jesus becomes great after leaving the wilderness and overcoming temptation. Matter of fact, he died with no sin. And even the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years while being tested until they learnt how to depend on God. And so are you.
Don’t think that bad things or temptation is there to make you fail or walk away from Christ, no. It’s there to refine you into a vessel that has been tested and ready for glory through Christ Jesus.
“ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Is there reward if we don’t sin?
Those lines above bring out the full picture as to why God lets you be tested by temptation; so that you would be proven worthy to receive the honour Jesus Christ received when He was resurrected and overcome the world.
So sometimes when you see so many trials and temptations ahead of you, just know a breakthrough is around the corner. If only you could just hold on and push a little more. You never know what God has in store for you.
For only those who have overcome the world (temptation) are able to stand before the Father(life) . For He is in direct opposition with sin (death).
Just as Jesus died(sin) and rose again(life); those who are called to the Father, are dead to sin and live in righteousness(born again) through Christ Jesus, so as to walk in the same authority(Sons of God) as Him.
Sometimes God lets us be tempted even after passing the initial tests. Like Job was sort of advertised to Satan by God. But why?
God sometimes does it to mock Satan and show him that even mere humans who are in alignment with God’s will can step on satan. As though He is showing off His superiority, and this really pisses off the devil. And so sometimes God lets the devil have his way with His people just to show him(the devil) that he hasn’t the least power in him to even beat a mere human(dust) that has an element of God in Him. As though using a kid to beat him(the devil) and prevailing. Therefore be glad sometimes when you are tested because if you are in Christ you have already overcome; you are fighting from a point of victory. Jesus already beat the devil permanently and we are just proving a point.
We confirm this by overcoming temptation from the devil on a daily basis.
God promises: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Temptation is inevitable in a fallen world, but it’s never overwhelming for those relying on Him.
Now you notice there were three temptations that the devil presented before Jesus while He was in the wilderness. This shows you how limited the devil is in the kind of ways to tempt you; it’s only three doors he has got.
Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride.
Why not join me in the next article and understand the three natures of temptation…here
