Temptation

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man

Contrary to the believe of many that God tempts man, James 1:13 says “…for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man”. God is no man that He will lie, He is not an architect of confusion neither will He orchestrate evil. Temptation is the sole work of the devil to prove to God that man (you and me) only serves, loves and obeys God when man is comfortable.

I know you will be saying “no leaf can fall from a tree without God’s knowledge”.

“His knowledge, Yes! His consent, Yes! But His doing, No! God does not do evil”

It is true that God allows temptation to know how much we are willing to sacrifice for Him, the depth of our love for him, to take us to a higher level of faith and blessings, sometimes to draw us closer to Him and most times to prove the devil wrong in our lives. What the devil has planned to our disadvantage, God has allowed it to our advantage. However, He would not allows us to be tempted beyond our faith, hence if we persevere we would move higher after everything.

“1 Cor 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

Temptation is a situation that puts two options before us “our selfishness” or “God’s selflessness”. Temptation could be in form of simple tests, examples; lie or get caught, sleep with the boss or get sacked, steal or go hungry etc. It could also come in form of big tests (tribulations) loss of family(like Job in the bible), disability, lose of job, false accusations, a believer with terminal disease etc. Temptations are aimed at one thing, devil wants us to deny God and perish.

We can rise above all temptations if we are resolved to love God no matter what. In the face of trials or tribulations; be it loss, hunger, sack, lack, unanswered prayers, devastations, natural disasters etc, we should show that we are resolute to put God first. That we don’t only love God because it’s good times, that even in bad situations we would do His will.

Telling your boss “sack me if you must but my body is the temple of God”, telling that sickness or disability that if God has permitted you in my body it is to glorify His Holy name in testimony, telling that urge for premarital sex, drunkenness, getting high, deceit, backbiting, fornication etc that “old things have passed away all things have become a new, I will not go back to my past because I have been delivered through Christ Jesus.”

If you can endure my dear reader, like the scripture promised, you shall be blessed. “James 1:12 BLESSED is the man that endureth temptation.” God never fails in His promise and God never fails His people.

Hold Fast and Stay Blessed