"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
1. What are you tempted by? Overeating? Drinking too much? Dating the wrong people? Gossip?
2. At what times do you give in to temptation? When you're alone? When you're depressed? Sick? Angry?
3. Who tempts us, according to the verses above?
4. Do you rationalize or justify your "own evil desire"?
5. What can you do to keep the temptation from becoming desire or the desire from becoming sin?
Pray for God to open your eyes to the areas of temptation where you struggle. Pray for Him to help you see the way out of that temptation.
If you like to memorize verses, memorize this one, or at least think about it:
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
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God really will provide a way out. I have seen that so many times. We just often don't take it. I think we are more susceptible to fall to temptation when we are depressed.
ReplyDeleteLike exercise, though, I think the more we resist temptation, the stronger we get.
The devil doesn't make us sin, though....WE do.