Every person has to deal with temptations in life, but it’s all about whether you can resist the temptation or not. How do you resist the temptation? What does the Bible say about temptation? When you have become a new creation in Jesus Christ, you will always have the ability to go back to the flesh and give in the temptation and sin. There are Christians, who say once saved always saved and that you can’t sin anymore, because Jesus has taken care of the sin problem and has taken all the sins away. But these Christians are fooling themselves and are living in a lie. Because if that would be true, then why did Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, James, etc. warn the believers and instructed them to turn away from sin? Paul even commanded the saints, to not have fellowship with unbelievers and believers, who habitually live in sin (1 Corinthians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 6:4). If Christians would not be able to sin, then why would they write about it? Why did Jesus instructed the seven churches to repent in the Book of Revelations?
Besides that, if you have repented of your sins and believe that Jesus has delivered you from sin and your sin nature, you shall no longer walk in sin. Because if you keep walking in sin, what have you repented from? And from what has Jesus delivered you?
Are you delivered from sin and the power of darkness?
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-2)
If you have truly repented and if you are truly delivered from sin and the power of darkness and your sinful past, and laid down your flesh and received His nature; His Holy Spirit, through regeneration, then you shall no longer walk after the flesh in disobedience to God in darkness and do evil (sin). But you shall walk after the spirit in obedience to God, in the light and do the will of God, which is also the will of Jesus.
If you have become a new creation, you don’t belong to the devil and the darkness. The devil isn’t your father anymore, and therefore you shall no longer obey the devil in the flesh and do his works.
When you are born again, you belong to God. God has become your Father and therefore you shall obey Him in the spirit and do His works.
In life, there are many carnal temptations, which could lead to sin. Let’s have a look at some temptations.
How can you resist the temptation of power?
Adam and Eve were perfectly created after the image of God. They were spiritual and walked after the spirit. But God had given Adam and Eve a free will. Because of that, they had the ability to become disobedient to God. Adam and Eve walked after the spirit until the devil approached them through the serpent and tempted them in the flesh to sin.
They had a choice to believe the words of God and stay obedient to Him and to keep walking after the spirit, or to believe the words of the serpent and be led by the lusts and desires of the flesh and chose to obey the serpent and walk after the flesh.
The lust for more power and to become like God were more important to them than obeying the words of God and therefore they became disobedient and sinned.
How can you resist the temptation of food?
Esau was the firstborn of Isaac and inherited the firstborn right of his father. However, in a moment of weakness, when Esau became hungry, Esau considered his carnal lust more important than his birthright. Therefore, Esau freely exchanged his birthright for food (meat) and sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob.
At that moment, Esau didn’t consider his birthright and the grace, which God had given Esau, valuable and important. But Esau was indifferent towards his birthright. Esau’s carnal lust was more important than the grace of God and by his deed, Esau rejected God. Esau’s action was an abomination to God (Malachi 1:3, Romans 9:13, Hebrew 12:16)
How can you resist the temptation of women?
Although God had appointed Samson for a special purpose, Samson loved women. Samson revealed his secret to an unreliable strange woman because his love for women was greater than his love for God. When Samson’s wife Delilah asked Samson twice about the secret of Samson’s strength, Samson lied twice to Delilah. By Delilah’s actions; by betraying Samson, Samson could have known, that Delilah wasn’t trustworthy and didn’t love Samson. But Samson had a weakness for Delilah and was blinded by his love for her. When Delilah asked Samson a third time, Samson revealed the secret of his strength. And so Samson’s action became his downfall.
Solomon also loved strange women. While God had commanded him to not get involved with strange women, Solomon couldn’t resist the temptation of beautiful strange women and fulfilled the lusts and desires of his flesh. His disobedience to God caused him his downfall (Read also: ‘‘How do you enter the way to destruction?‘).
David was a man after God’s heart, but even in David’s life, there was a moment of weakness. In a moment of weakness, David was led by his carnal senses and sexual lusts and desires.
David sinned by committing adultery, but that wasn’t all David did. Because David’s carnal lusts and desires for Bathsheba were so big, David caused her spouse to be killed during the fight.
David’s behavior was an abomination to God. Although David was a man after God’s heart, God punished David for his actions.
How can you resist the temptation of money and wealth?
Judas Iscariot loved money. Although Judas was a disciple of Jesus Christ and did signs and wonders, Judas’ love for money was greater than his love for his Master. For 30 pieces of silver, Judas traded his Master (Matthew 26:14-16).
These are just some of the many examples in the Bible, whereby the will of man and fulfilling the carnal lusts and desires of the flesh were more important than loving and obeying God. Although the examples, which are mentioned above, involve the old creation; the old man, there are still many believers today, who keep living after the flesh and keep living in sin.
The love they have for themselves and for fulfilling their carnal needs is greater than their love for Jesus Christ and God the Father. Because of that many Christians ‘sell’ their birthright as sons of God to fulfill their carnal lusts and desires. They consider their temporary pleasures and fulfilling the lusts and desires of their flesh more important than obeying Jesus Christ and the Father and keep walking after the Spirit in holiness. But by their actions, they don’t exalt Jesus and don’t honor God, but the devil and give all honor and glory to him (Read also: ‘Destroying the works of God instead of destroying the works of the devil’).
Fulfilling a temporary carnal pleasure can have major consequences. Throughout the Bible, we read about the consequences of walking after the flesh and disobeying God.
Not only in the Old Testament, but also in the New Testament, we read about believers, who had become a new creation, but became apostate from the faith, due to the fact, that their love for themselves and for the world was greater than their love for God. Unfortunately, these days nothing has really changed (Read also: ‘I will give you the riches of the world’).
Scandals among Christians
Why do so many scandals occur among Christians? Why do so many Christians, including leaders of churches, fall? Because many Christians stay carnal and keep living after the flesh and are led by their flesh; senses, feelings, emotions, carnal (worldly) mind, will, lusts, desires, etc. They think they walk after the spirit, but in reality, they sit on the throne of their own lives and are led by the lusts and desires of their flesh. They use the grace of God to keep walking after their own will and to condone their actions, which go against the will of God. But in reality, they reject the grace of God for the lusts and desires of their flesh, just like Esau.
Many Christians don’t build their faith upon the Word and don’t stay obedient to the Word, instead, they wander, because they rely on their own insights and understandings and the wisdom and knowledge of the world.
As soon as a temptation (an opportunity and invitation to sin) arises in their lives, like power, fame, money, wealth, women, men, children, etc., they succumb and fulfill their carnal lusts and desires.
They speak and act piously and kindly in the presence of people. Some may be teachers or do outreaches and pray and lay hands on the sick.
But when they are home, they lead a whole other life, which is hidden from the outside world. A life, full of sexual uncleanness, adultery, drinking, anger, violence, greed, deceit, fraud, occultism, alternative medicine, yoga, martial arts, gambling, gaming etc.
They don’t care about the spiritual well-being of other Christians and what consequences their hidden agenda has on the lives of Christians. Due to the fact, that they are unspiritual and led by their flesh, they don’t know what spiritual consequences their laying on of unclean hands have on the lives of others.
They don’t realize, that by laying on unclean hands they transfer unclean spirits that control their lives, into the lives of others. Instead, they remain a slave of sin and keep fulfilling their carnal lusts and desires and enjoy their temporary pleasures.
But this is not the life, that God has meant for the new creation; the new man. God didn’t give His Son so that Christians can keep walking after the flesh and keep living in sin.
Jesus didn’t give permission to sin
Jesus didn’t give permission to sin, but Jesus died to deal with sin and the sinful nature of the old man. God has given everyone the ability and power to become a son of God in Jesus Christ, through regeneration, and to walk as a son of God after His will in righteousness and holiness. He has given everything to the new creation. So that, the new creation would be able to keep walking after the spirit and resist every temptation in the flesh.
Unfortunately, the focus in most churches is primarily on the supernatural and spiritual manifestations, signs and wonders, prosperity, and enrichment of ‘self’, instead of dying to ‘self’, sanctification, and developing a godly character. Because of this, many Christians don’t build their faith upon Jesus Christ; the Word and don’t mature in the spirit. But they build their faith upon their feelings, emotions, experiences, and the experiences and wisdom of other Christians.
As soon as temptations arise, they are not able to stand and stay obedient to God and resist the temptation, but they give into the temptation of their flesh and keep sinning.
A lack of strength
Most Christians have become indifferent toward sin and don’t see the harm and evil of sin. They are aware that sin is not good, but because many are unspiritual, they don’t see the effect of sin in the lives of people. They keep sinning, with intent and have a mentality of: “oh well, it doesn’t matter if I make a mistake. I just repent and ask forgiveness and Jesus will forgive me. It’s that simple.”
But this is a weak mentality and a lack of strength of character of the old man, who is ruled by his flesh and not able to resist the temptations of the flesh, that go against God’s will. Just like you’ve read in the examples above of the old man.
But our example is Jesus Christ, Who walked after the Spirit and resisted every temptation. Most believers have not resisted unto blood, but allow their flesh to dominate their lives (Hebrew 12:4). That’s because they are not focused upon Jesus Christ and are unspiritual, and don’t see the effect of sin.
How can you resist temptation?
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7)
The temptations derive from an unrepented heart and take place in the flesh. As long as the flesh is not crucified and laid down in Christ, a person shall remain the old creation and shall give in to the desires and lusts of the flesh and keep living in sin.
The only way to resist temptation is to lay down the flesh and submit to Jesus; the Word and keep walking after the Word and the Spirit, and don’t get involved with the things of this world. As long as you stay in Christ and keep walking after the spirit you shall not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Walking after the spirit means that you walk after God’s will, which is written in the Word. That’s why it’s so important to study and to know His Word and to renew your mind with the Word, so that, you will get to know Him and find out what His will really is. Only when you get to know His will, you will be able to do His will. Because without God’s Word, it’s impossible to know His will and therefore, you will not be able to live after His will.
The purpose of every believer is to become like Jesus. This doesn’t mean that you have to seek and search for the supernatural, and focus on signs, wonders, and miracles. Because if you do, then it won’t be long before a new age spirit will control your mind and your life. You have to be very careful, with what things you get involved in.
But walking like Jesus means, walking in self-sacrificial love. This means that you have crucified your flesh and your own will in Jesus Christ and live after His will. Because, that’s what it means if you love Jesus and God the Father with all of your heart, soul, and mind.
Walking in love means, that you obey the Father in everything and do what He wants you to do.
You shall hate sin, just like God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and therefore you shall turn away from sin
Following Jesus means to put off the old man and put on the new man, who is created after the image of God. It means to develop a godly character and walk in holiness and integrity, resist temptation, and don’t sin. So that, you exalt the Name of Jesus and stay faithful to Jesus and honor the Father. The signs and wonders of the Kingdom of God will automatically follow you. But you shall not flaunt, because as soon as you do that, pride shall arise and manifest in your life.
How did Jesus resist temptation?
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:14-15)
Jesus was tempted in every way; food, women, power, wealth, fame, status, money, pride, etc., but Jesus didn’t sin. Jesus resisted every temptation because Jesus knew the Word and the will of His Father and Jesus had subjected His flesh to His spirit.
Jesus loved God the Father above all and therefore His love for His Father was greater than the love He had for Himself and His flesh.
Jesus knew, that the carnal pleasures were only temporary and Jesus knew what the consequences would be if He would give in to the temptations, namely obedience to the devil, bowing down to him, and disobedience to God causing separation from God.
Jesus gave up His own life out of love for His Father and served His Father. Because of His great love for His Father, and by seeing the love of the Father for mankind, Jesus served man and gave His life; His blood for them.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
