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This
Is Not A Bible Study In As Much As It Is A Call To Change Your
Life For And Through Christ
The Christian and
Temptation
As
Christians we are going to face temptation.
Each day we are bombarded with images and words
that seek to draw us into the dark world of our human
nature. You
are watching a TV show and a provocative add comes on.
In a split second you must make a decision to
watch the advertisement, which will cause you to have
improper thoughts, to turn away or turn the TV off.
Each day as Christians we must deal with
temptation and make decisions that can impact our walk
with Christ and our closeness to God
Dealing With Temptation
The
dictionary defines temptation as “something tempting
or enticing or the desire to have or do something that
you know you should avoid; "he felt the temptation
and his will power weakened”.
As
Christians we are under constant attack by the devil
because he loves nothing more than to see a Christian
fall. The
problem is that the devil knows what tempts or entices
us and eh bombards us with those images or sensations to
try to get us to fall.
Before
we go any further the devil cannot cause us to sin, he
merely entices us to do what we know e should not be
doing. James
4:7 says that “we must resist the devil” and what he
is trying to get us to do.
Dealing with Temptation
Answer the following
questions to the best of your ability
From
your own life, what are the biggest temptations that you
face that give you a hard time? Why are those
temptations so hard for you? (It can be temptation in
any area).
What
do you try to do to overcome those temptations?
Read
Genesis 3:1-9 in your opinion, what do you think Adam
and Eve could have done to avoid falling into
temptation?
Read
the following passage from Matthew 4:1-11.
Why was Jesus able to resist all of the
temptations during His earthly life?
4:1
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be
tempted by the devil.
2
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was
hungry.
3 The
tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son
of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live
on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the
mouth of God.'"
5
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him
stand on the highest point of the temple.
6
"If you are the Son of God," he said,
"throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He
will command his angels concerning you, and they will
lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.'"
7
Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not
put the Lord your God to the test.'"
8
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and
showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their
splendor.
9
"All this I will give you," he said, "if
you will bow down and worship me."
10
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is
written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him
only.'"
11
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended
him.
Read
1 Corinthians 10:12-13. Discuss the hope we have to
resist the temptation according to these verses.
1
Corinthians 10:12-13
12
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that
you don't fall!
13 No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
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 stand up
under it.
Ryrie
Study Bible: Vs. 10:13 a way out. Not necessarily relief
but power to be able to bear the testing.
Help
From God
From
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Do
you think your have more difficulty facing temptations
are more then someone else does and why?
Does
God limit our temptations?
From
1 Corinthians 10:12-13 what does it say will do when we
are tempted?
Personalize
It
What
temptations are you facing right now, and why are they a
problem for you?
When
are you the most vulnerable to temptation and how can
you avoid those situations?
Think
of some steps you have taken or will take in the future
to help you when you are tempted.
Remember This
First,
remember the Bible tells us we cannot be tempted more
than we can handle
Decide
for yourself what you really need and/or want and that
you are going to listen to God and not give into
temptation.
Avoid
as much as is reasonably possible those things that
tempt you.
Be
the person God has called you to be not the person the
devil is trying to get you to believe you are.
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