I. What is temptation?
A. This lesson deals with how the devil is tempting us and how Scripture equips
us to fight his temptations.
B. James 1:12-15. James explains in clear details what temptation is and how it
works. Let us notice some things about temptation from this passage:
1. We can endure it (v. 12) and must to receive the crown.
2. Temptation doesn't come from God, but from our own desires (and the
tempter) (v. 13). God only allows us to be tempted.
3. We are enticed according to our desires (v. 14).
4. If we act on those desires, we sin, bringing death (v. 15).
C. We see that Satan's goal is to bring death to us. If he can entice us to sin, he
draws us away from God.
D. Satan is hard at work trying to get us to sin because we have been freed from
sin by Christ.

II. How does temptation work?
A. We have several examples of those in Scripture who were tempted.
B. Gen 3:1-6. Here the serpent tempts Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit.
1. Satan tempts her by directly lying to her (v. 4).
2. However, Satan also adds some truth to the lie (v. 5).
3. We can see what appealed to Eve (v. 6).
C. Unfortunately, Eve made the wrong decision, believing Satan's lie mixed with
truth, and it cost her dearly.
D. We must be careful of Satan's "half-truths" today.
E. 2 Sam 11:1-4. David is tempted to commit adultery with Bathsheba.
1. David put himself in a position to sin (v. 2) by walking the roof when
all the men were out of the city.
2. David's lusts drove him to do something he knew was wrong (v. 3).
3. As with Eve, David's sin had disastrous consequences.
F. David was offered something he wanted, and stopped at nothing to get it.
Temptation has a tendency to blur our better judgment by minimizing the consequences and pushing us on to fulfill our lusts.
G. Luke 4:1-13. Jesus is tempted by Satan.
1. Jesus answered each temptation with Scripture(v. 4, 8, 12).
2. Jesus may have had the desires to succumb to temptation, but He did
not allow His desires to control His life.
3. Jesus even answered Satan's "half-truth" quoting of Scripture (v. 12).
H. Jesus was successful in temptation, and we must imitate His example.
I. Also, we must notice that Satan "departed from Him until an opportune
time"(v. 13). Even Jesus got only temporary reprieve from Satan's
temptations.

III. How do we fight temptation?
A. Make good decisions
1. Something must be said here about the part our decisions play in the
success of temptation. David's example shows we can put ourselves in a position to sin!
2. Prov 5:8. There is a path that is safe-we must choose it!
3. Prov 7:6-9. The battle is already lost for this poor young man! He
made a poor decision, and it will cost him! (v. 23)
4. Prov 7:24-27. Solomon urges us to make decisions that will not put us
in such a difficult position.
5. We will have enough trouble fighting temptation without seeking it
out!
6. We must also heed the warnings of Scripture regarding certain actions.
7. Gal 6:1. Here he urges us to consider ourselves-there is a danger of
temptation when we restore our brother.
8. 1 Tim 6:9-10. Reading this passage, we must be extremely careful how
we deal with money, since God tells us it is a gateway to a great
temptation, and can lead to the root of all kinds of evil.
B. Turn to God
1. God wants us to turn to Him for help. We can't beat Satan alone!
2. 1 Cor 10:13. God has promised away of escape, but we must look for
it and want to get out of the temptation! That decision is ours!
3. 2 Pet 2:9. God will deliver the godly out of temptations. Just as He did
for Lot and Noah, so He will deliver us though we live in a godless generation.
4. Heb 2:18. Because Jesus has been tempted, He can help us!
5. Heb 4:15-16. God desires that we come to Him for help in temptation.
We must pray, we must study, we must be determined not to sin.
Jesus, who did not sin, is our example.
6. Eph 6:11-18. These weapons will help us in our battle against Satan.
Just as Jesus quoted Scripture in temptation, so we are to take the
word of God (v. 17). The Bible is the key-and God expects us to
know and hold to His Word in temptation.
C. God does not promise that we will not be tempted-in fact that is a certainty.
However, He promises to help us if we will earnestly desire to do His will.
D. The decision is ours-will we live for ourselves, or will we trust in God to
deliver us?

Let's remember that Satan uses half-truths, tendencies, weaknesses, lies about the consequences, and persistence to get us to sin. Let us "be strong in the Lord"(Eph 6:10)!___Jacob Hudgins