Lead me not into temptation…
Temptation will come to us all, and, when temptation comes, it often revolves around one of three questions that tempt us towards particular sins. We witness examples of these core questions when we read about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness of Matthew 4.
The devil tempted Jesus with these core questions then, and, to this very day, the evil one uses these questions to tempt us away from the life God created us to have.
The way you (and I) answer each of these questions often dictates what temptations we most easily fall prey to, because…
… all sins stem from what we believe [or don’t believe] about God.
Think back to the Garden of Genesis 3, verse 1:
DID GOD REALLY SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN’?
Notice, the crafty serpent, the first embodiment of evil that we see in scripture, doesn’t directly tell that first woman to eat the fruit of the tree. No, he’s sneakier than that…
He simply poses a question.
He simply plants a seed of doubt.
He simply proposes a “what if…”
What if God didn’t really say what you think He said?… What if you got Him wrong?… What if He isn’t really who you think He is?… What if…?
How often are we tempted towards something with the simple question of, “What if…”?
As you ponder these questions, think about how your greatest temptations are reflected in your answers. And, remember, we all struggle with sin. We all lack faith. There has only been one person able to withstand all of the devil’s schemes, and you are not Him. (It’s Jesus, btw.)
So, give yourself grace to acknowledge your points of struggle, but also remember that seeking to understand how you (and I) are tempted will help us combat it when it comes.
Three Questions That Can Tempt Us Away From God:
1. “Will God really provide for me?”
After fasting forty days and forty nights, [Jesus] was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ~ Matthew 4:2-3
“Aren’t you so hungry, Jesus?…”
“Why hasn’t your Father fed you yet?…”
“He made manna fall from heaven every day for those Israelites; but, He has given you nothing?!… Huh… Just somethin’ to think about’…”
Isn’t it ironic that Jesus would later multiply bread for thousands upon thousands; and yet, here he is, starving… but, Jesus knows, the core of this temptation isn’t about the bread. It’s about God.
“Will God really provide for me?”… “Will He really come through?”… “What if He doesn’t?”
We are so often tempted towards self-reliance.
Jesus could have absolutely turned that stone into bread. He didn’t need permission from His Father. He had the power. So, as the devil simply asked,…
“Why depend on God for your bread when you have the power to depend on yourself?”
“Why rely on Him when you can do this on your own?”
“You don’t really need Him… right?”
At this moment, the devil was simply suggesting… “What if God won’t actually provide for you?… Huh… Just somethin’ to think about’…”
There is a lot of sin in this world that stems from the simple doubt that God will actually provide what we need. Because, if God isn’t going to provide for me, then…
“I’m gonna need that promotion at work, and I’m gonna need to do whatever it takes to get it.”
“I’m gonna need that money, and I’m gonna need to figure out a way to make it happen.”
The temptation to doubt God’s provision for our lives can tempt us to do things against our character, against our integrity…
The temptation to doubt God’s provision for our lives can tempt us to worry, to fret… It will keep us up at night, because we are having to rely on ourselves to make ends meet and ‘make a way’ in this world.
This seed of doubt, when planted into us, leads us to ponder, “What if God doesn’t come through for me?”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ~ Matthew 4:4
Jesus would, just a few chapters later, preach to a very large crowd, “… do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25)
Our Father knows we need these things, Jesus says. Sometimes, the problem is that we confuse our needs with our wants. Scripture is clear. When we fully rely on Him, and we seek Him first, we will have all that we need. He is the God who provides, but, alas, the temptation to rely on ourselves is a real one.
2. “Will God really help me?”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you… so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ~ Matthew 4:5-6
“God says He’ll protect you, huh?… He says He’ll help you?… He says that He saves?…”
“But, what if… He doesn’t?”…
“What if you take that leap of faith, and God doesn’t really care?”…
“What if, it turns out, you’re not really worth saving?… Huh… Just somethin’ to think about…”
We are so often tempted towards self-doubt.
Isn’t it interesting that the first temptation was about, “You don’t need Him! Take care of yourself. Rely on yourself. You can make your own way in this world.” … And yet, the second temptation is, “But, what if you’re not good enough? What if you can’t be helped?”…
“What if you’re not worth rescuing?”
Again, Jesus knows, the core of this temptation isn’t about taking a ‘leap of faith’. It’s about God. “Why would God help me?”… “Why would God save me?”… “He’s so big, and I’m so little. What if He really doesn’t care?”
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside of your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ~ Matthew 10:29-31
There is a whole vat of sin that stems from the temptation to believe that you’re simply not worth loving. From negative self-talk… to anxiety… to depression… to self-harm… to many avenues of self-inflicted pain…
The insecurities we feel…
The lies we tell ourselves…
The ways we treat ourselves [and others]…
… all stemming from the temptation to doubt that God really cares… that God really loves… that God really finds us worthy of saving. And yet, scripture is clear…
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16
The Lord God loves you. The Lord God knit you together. The Lord God has a purpose for your life. The Lord God never leaves you nor forsakes you. As hard as you may try, you can’t escape His love.
… neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 8:38-39
3. “Is God’s plan really the best plan for my life?”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ~ Matthew 4:8-9
“You could do it God’s way, or… you could get what you want right now…”
“No waiting… Instant pleasure….”
“Besides, what if God is holding out on you? What if His way isn’t what you really want?…Huh?… Just somethin’ to think about’…”
We are so often tempted towards self-gratification.
Isn’t it intriguing that the devil tried to lure Jesus with power and prestige, when Jesus is already the King of the world? But, in God’s plan, Jesus would have to endure ridicule… rejection… and, ultimately, a cross…
As the other temptations have shown, the core of this temptation isn’t about power and prestige. It’s about God. As the serpent implied in the Garden of Genesis 3 with the fruit, “What if… God is holding back some of the good stuff?”…
“What if God’s plan isn’t actually the best plan?”
What if there’s another way to live that’s better than His way? What if…?”
Now, be assured, the devil is a liar. His way leads to destruction. And yet, how often we are lured by the immediacy of pleasure…
That drink is right there.
That internet site is right there.
That money is right there.
That person is right there.
That hateful word is right there.
The temptation towards self-gratification is so attractive. It deceives us into thinking that we can make a better life for ourselves than the one God wants to give us. So, we find ourselves choosing it rather than obedience to the future and hope that God has for us.
Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” ~ Matthew 4:10
In these moments, we must remind ourselves, “Who better to know the best plan for a creation’s life than the Creator Himself?”… “Who better to guide us and direct us than the Shepherd who knows the way?”… “Who better to pledge our allegiance to than the King who is willing to die for those He loves?”
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ~ Matthew 7:11
Every temptation – every enticement, every ‘what if’, every seed of doubt – comes back to the very real question we all wrestle with…
“God, can I really trust you?”
“Can I trust You with my life, my whole life?”
“Can I really believe You are who You say You are?”
“Do you really care about me?
“Are You really everything that is Good?”
“Are You really the God who saves?”
Now, remember…
… pondering these questions is not a sin.
Doubt is not sinful. Doubt is part of faith. Doubt is acknowledging the realization that we are believing in something that we cannot see, and we are called to seek that which we cannot see.
Sin comes when we allow that doubt to lead us astray from His way… His will… His word. When we allow that doubt to overshadow His goodness, His love, His righteousness, His power, His forgiving grace… It is then that we must be careful, because sin will come knockin’ at the door.
Jesus stood firm against the devil’s schemes. (Of course, He did, right? You probably saw that coming.)
You and I, though? We’re not perfect. We’re not going to get it right every day… or any day. But, the more we seek out the character of God, the will of God, the kingdom of God, the more we will understand what His provision really looks like… what His care really looks like… what His plan really looks like, and…
…the more we know Him, the more we will trust Him.
His provision, His care, His plan, they are all good… all trustworthy… and, all worth waiting for. Don’t give up the fight, friends. He is with you.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. ~ 2 Peter 3:18
Written by Danielle Walker
For four ways to fight against temptation, see Spiritual Warfare: 4 Ways to Fight Against It
For more, watch Spiritual Warfare: MY personal struggle… The temptation towards self-doubt.
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