PASTOR’S CORNER: Tempted, tested, but I’m a survivor

This morning, we all know about temptation.

Some folk don’t know how to deal with it. Ignorance has kept people hostage, causing them to give in to temptation.

It starts when we were babies and children. We are attracted to something that looks pretty and shiny. If it glitters, children are going to go for it. They are going to reach for it. You tell them no, no but temptation will overtake them and they give in to it, and it’s on from there. All of us have been bit by temptation, we all have given in to temptation and before we say no, think about it. “We say we are going to lay off the sweets, but that’s the very time when somebody will offer you a piece of chocolate cake, and we give in. And notice, the very time we say we are going to lose some weight, is the very time you see everything that is not good for you to eat.

Community, temptation is everywhere. You can be minding your own business and temptation will pop up before you. You try to live right and give your heart to Jesus, and Satan will use temptation to bring you down. Know that Satan will always tempt us in three ways: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, (1 John 2:16). He is relentless in attacking us. There is not a day that goes by that we do not encounter some type of temptation from him — the temptation to retaliate, the temptation to lose our temper and say things in the heat of the moment, the temptation to give in to temptation, the temptation to tell somebody where to get off at, the temptation to give in to the flesh and leave Christ for some worldly pursuit (2 Tim.; some pretty woman or handsome man.

For we need to know that temptation looks good or it would not be tempting. The Bible makes mention of the fact the forbidden fruit looked good to the eyes (Genesis 3:6). Eve gave in and we know what happened. Temptation is designed to lure us away from God. How many lives have been messed up because people gave in to temptation? How many families have been destroyed by temptation? How many young people have had their lives destroyed because they gave in to temptation?

But, the thing about temptation is this for the child of God, no temptation or testing will ever come upon us that God won’t give us an escape or make a way out of it, (1 Corinthians 10:13). We will not be tempted above what we are able to bear or as we say it, “God won’t put no more on you than you can bear!” However, our job is to make sure that we don’t put OURSELVES in a place to be tempted.

If you are a recovering alcoholic, you don’t need to be hanging with people who still drink even if it is family. Don’t turn your back on them but for your own spiritual good, you need to wean off. If you are a married woman, you don’t need to be hanging around single women all the time telling you, “If I were you, I wouldn’t let my husband tell me what to do” or “Let’s go to the beach and spend the weekend.” It can cause problems and tear up your marriage. I’ve seen it happen. They have not been married. They don’t know! Married men hanging around single men, “I wouldn’t let my wife tell me when to come home! You’re the man!”

Friends, hang with men and women who are married and trying to do the right thing! Remove yourself from any temptation. Young Christians trying to live right don’t need to be hanging with other young people who are not saved and are trying to get you to do things that are un-Christian. Walk in integrity. Let them talk about you but don’t place yourself in a position to be tempted.

Saints, if you have a weakness in any area of your life — we know what it is — don’t place yourself in a position for the devil to tempt you to bite the forbidden fruit. Do your part and God will always make a way for you to escape. But this also applies to the trials that come our way.

So community, quit saying “I can’t take it anymore.” Quit saying “This thing is going to kill me!”. Quit talking about what the devil is doing to you. Quit saying that the temptation overtook you, or the Devil made me do it. Quit saying that.

Christians, the Bible says “Greater is he that is in you; than he that is in the world,” (1 John 4:4). Quit acting like the Devil has more power than God has. We say “He’s a mighty God” don’t we?

Here’s how Paul said it in 2 Corinthians 4:8, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”

Cancer, Lupus, divorce, bereavement, dialysis, stroke, heart attack, surgery, knocked down, knocked out, tempted and tested, but I will survive! I am and you are a survivor! He’s never failed us yet, has he? God is faithful community. Y’all know he is! Tested and tempted, but we will survive! Friends let’s get in survival mode. Praise God for being a survivor. You are tested, tempted and tried…but you are a survivor.