Hebrews 2:18 (NLT) – Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.
Someone who knows the way through somewhere is an invaluable resource when traveling through unknown terrain. Of course, there are those among us, driving lost, who fail to look for someone who just might know the way. “They” say that men are less apt to stop and ask for directions if their journey takes a twist and causes their “compass sense” to get messed up. Truth be told, lost-ness affects every one of us when we don’t ask for help when being tempted.
A note about evil temptation, it doesn’t originate with God. God may test people in an effort to strengthen their character and faith but we are promised that we will never be tempted or tested with more than we can handle. God doesn’t operate with intention to set people up for failure.
No matter what stage of spiritual growth is present in your life currently, be certain that temptation will never cease to exist. Don’t let that bit of information depress you or discourage you, realize that because Jesus was tempted and tested with ALL manners of evil, and emerged the undisputed champion over sin, we have someone to tell us and show us how to navigate the treacherous roads of temptation.
When being tempted, that is not the time to try to prove something to God about how strong you are. That sort of conduct usually is a byproduct of pride and we all know where pride leads. When tempted, the first response should be for us to fix our inward eyes upon Jesus and pray for His help in the time of our temptation. The second thing and probably most important thing to do is to listen to His response and then obey the directions that are given. Just like driving, lost-ness can be avoided if directions are followed.
Reflections
Context of scripture verse – Hebrews 2:1-18
Consider:
- Read the context of the verses
Challenge:
- How many times have you successfully defended yourself against temptation on your own? If you’ve overcome a life-controlling issue, did someone help you? Have you ever thought that you “would never succumb to something like that”?
Apply:
- Resisting temptation is most successful with a heart of humility. When you pray, ask God to show you the areas of pride where you may be tricked into falling for temptation. Don’t think that your past spiritual resume will keep you from falling…and don’t think that because of your past spiritual resume that you’re too far gone for redemption. With God all things are possible.
Note to Self: (reflections, challenges, reminders)