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Every temptation has a pattern. It behoves us as Christians to
recognize the ways and tricks of the enemy so that we will be able to resist to
the fullest. There is nothing new about the devil’s tricks. Like it is usually
said, it is the same old poison in another bottle with another label. All we
need is to take responsibility to stop him. Someone once said of temptation, “you can’t keep the birds from flying over
your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair!”
Yes you can’t stop temptations from coming, but you can sure
stop it from ruining your life.
In military warfare it is considered strategic to set up a
base in your enemy’s territory. Likewise, it is the same in the spiritual
warfare between Satan and us.
When you dwell on things that are not of God, or
that are against God, you are giving the enemy ground on which he can erect a
stronghold or fortress in your life. ‘Blessed
is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he
will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him’ James
1:12 9NIV).
The best way to recognize the red flags that signify
temptations is the word of God. Our daily spiritual journey becomes easier and
less dangerous when we are guided by the word of God.
I once read of a true life story of two soldiers during the
Second World War. On a wet afternoon, one particular day in 1943, they were
walking through the jungle leisurely to join their platoon. They had
successfully defeated their enemies in that part of the war zone, so there
seemed to be no danger to worry about. One of the men suddenly spotted
something shiny in the ditch beside the path.
Stepping aside, he reached down to retrieve the object.
There was a deafening explosion as a land mine went off and when the dust
settled, the soldier lay dead and his companion had both legs blown off. A sign
they had just walked by read, “Danger, Stay on Path”.
The Bible is the Christian’s guide and it can save us from
the bombs of temptation that may shatter our destiny.
Patterns of
Temptations
The trick of Satan is not new. A child of God with good
understanding will always overcome the temptation of Satan.
There is a strong connection among the major temptations in
the Bible – that of Adam and Eve 9Genesis 3: 1-6) and Jesus in the wilderness
(Luke 4: 1-12) as well as the deception of the world in I John 2: 15-16.
a. The Lust of the Flesh: Genesis 3:6 ‘The
woman saw that the fruit was good for “food”. Satan told Jesus in Luke 4:3 to turn
stone into bread. That is something appealing to the flesh or self.
b. Lust of the Eyes – in Genesis 3:6 the
woman saw that it was pleasant to the eyes. In the case of Jesus, Satan took
Him to an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world
and the glory and demanding a worship to givde them to him. This temptation
appealed to the eyes.
c. The Pride of Life – Genesis 3:6 – “it
was desired to make one wise.” He told Jesus to jump down. Jesus obeying this
would be tantamount to a show of power or ability by Jesus out of pride – what somebody
else could not do. (Luke 4:9-10)
Let us try to analyze some of the
temptations that some characters in the Bible went through.
It will interest you to know that
most of the temptations we go through everyday fall within these three patterns
if you carefully analyze them.
Achan – Joshua 7: 21-24
What did Achan see? –vs 21 ‘When
I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of
silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels”
What was his temptation about? : What he saw. Vs 21b “I coveted them and
took them”.
What did he do to satisfy his desires? : “They were hidden in the ground…”
What happened because of his sins? : “Then all Israel stoned him…’
David – II Samuel 11
What did David see? vs 2: “From
the roof he saw a woman bathing”
What was his temptation about what he saw?: “The woman was beautiful”
What did he do to satisfy his desires?: “Then David sent
messengers to get her. She came to him and he slept with her”.
What happened because of his sin? II Samuel 12: 10 “Now therefore the sword shall never depart
from your house…”
Do you see the pattern of
temptation? They saw something… they desired it… they took it for themselves…
they hid the results as well as they could from God and man, but they were
caught and had to face the consequences.
Pastor Tunde Mabinuori is the
Minister-in-Charge, Rhema Chapel International Churches, Oluyole Estate,
Ibadan.
e-mail: tundemabinuori@gmail.com
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