Terror Alert?

Security experts know that there are certain times and circumstances when we are more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. We are usually placed on higher alert around major national holidays or when large numbers of people congregate in one area for a sporting event or political rally. But when does our spiritual terrorist, Satan himself, seek to tempt us? When are we most susceptible to temptation. This sermon continues to answer the question, 'Under what circumstances or situations can we expect temptation?' We've already discovered that we are susceptible to temptation in the midst of a spiritual high or when we are being led by the Spirit. These may not be times when we think about temptation, but our adversary does. But there are three more: We are susceptible to temptation when we are alone in our own 'wilderness'. Many mistakenly think that 'what is done in Vegas stays in Vegas'. But God knows what is done in secret. He sees what we do when we are alone in private. As a child of God, we are never alone. We are susceptible to temptation when enduring a long siege. Jesus was tempted for 40 days and at the end of that siege, the devil takes his best shots at Jesus. At the beginning of Job's troubles, he successfully meets the tempter's challenge by refusing to blame or curse God. But the longer he sat in pain, his resistance to temptation began to wear down. The long siege caused him to doubt God and to demand answers from Him. Beware also of temptation in the presence of bad dudes. The devil is the ultimate bad dude. In tempting Jesus, the devil attempts the impossible. In tempting us, the devil has both demonic and human help.