(James 1:13-14 NKJV) 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. {14} But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Many times I have heard people teaching or being taught that God tempts people in order to test them. People will sometimes ask us questions relating to this, wondering why God would test them in such ways.
God is not a tempter. Tempting is the work of the enemy of our souls.
Interestingly, most temptations come when we have allowed ourselves to be drawn away from God by curiosity or fleshly desire. It is then that we can fall prey to temptation, choosing to do the very thing that God has taught us not to do.
The very best defense we have against this is not to allow ourselves to fall into curiosity about things that don’t concern us or things that we know aren’t good for us.
It doesn’t matter what it is. If we know that we shouldn’t even contemplate it, we should choose to turn and walk away from it right away. Lingering or trying to decide what to do about it will only increase the chances of falling and giving in to that temptation.
Resisting temptation isn’t complicated and doesn’t require us to be super-spiritual. We just need to exercise our common sense and the spiritual muscles that God has given us. And walk away.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-377-5400
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