Look For God When You're Tempted

There are three keys to help us unlock the door every time we feel we are trapped in temptation.

First read in Corinthians 10:13
Look for God - He's there.

The apostle Paul gives us hope in this verse of Scripture. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

Second key: quote Scripture like Jesus! Read in Mt. 4:1-11
Use the Word (that's what Christ did).

He planned and prepared. Note the 1st word Christ spoke "Man shall not . . ." this is an insight into the most powerful truth in this passage: JESUS MET AND MASTERED SATAN AS A MAN! He did not face him as God's Son, that would not have been a match. Jesus met Satan with the same two, and the only two resources we have – the Word of God and the Spirit of God.

Third key: read in II Tim. 2:22
Run from Lust

Sensuality is easily the biggest obstacle to godliness among men today and is wreaking havoc in the Church. Godliness and sensuality are mutually exclusive, and those in the grasp of sensuality can never rise to godliness while in its sweaty grip. If we are to "discipline [ourselves] for the purpose of godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7, NASB), we must begin with the discipline of purity. There has to be some holy heat, some holy sweat! The mind controlled by lust has an infinite capacity for rationalization.