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What You May Not Know About Temptation

3/11/2013

5 Comments

 

1 Cor 10:13 - Part 2

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Last week we looked at 1 Corinthians 10:13 and read that the temptations we face are common, and it's the common temptations that get us so easily. I hope you decided to Be Uncommon and to take the Escape Route when encountering temptation. 

Speaking of the word temptation, pull up a seat, my sister, let's chat about that word for just a bit.  Let's look at what you may not know about it.  It was eye opening for me, and I think what we will learn today will take some weight off your shoulders the next time you encounter temptation.

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1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you.
We've heard all of our lives that God won't put more on us than we can bear.  Sisters that is wrong.  Can I just be honest with you? 

He will.

And He does.

You're probably thinking - Amy, you said what I would read today would give me relief, this doesn't sound very promising to me.  I know, but hang with me for a minute, I think you'll like this.

I looked up the original meaning of the word temptation as it is used here and was surprised. 

Here's what I found:
A state of trial in which God brings His people through adversity and affliction in order to encourage and prove their faith and confidence in Him.
Do you see what I saw?  Yes, He brings me through temptations in order to encourage and prove my faith and confidence in Him.  Not to prove who I am.

I have always thought that temptation was God's way of "seeing what I'm made of", to see how strong I am in my Christian maturity, but that is incorrect thinking!  

He doesn't need me to go through temptation to see what I'm made of, He already knows. 

The catch here is, I don't know what I'm made of, I forget who lives in me.  I forget that it's not up to me.  I forget that I am dead, and it is He who lives in me. He allows temptation to give me opportunities to see what He is capable of.  It's a chance not to prove what I'm made of, but to prove what He's made of.  A chance to prove to me that He is faithful. 
...and God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able
What are you made of?  If all scripture is true and believable, then you can know what you are made of...
 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. - Ephesians 1:19-20
If He can raise Jesus from the dead, he can certainly handle what is common to man.  If I have accepted Jesus as my Savior, He now lives in me and I have put my confidence in Him. Temptation gives me real life situations to test my faith. To test what I say I believe. To test Him.

And He is faithful.

He will not fail me.

Yes, He will put more on me than I can handle so that He can show me who He is.

If I allow Him to be Lord in my life, the pressure is off of me and is on Him.  All I have to do is call upon Him when the temptation presents itself, and let Him prove to me that what I believe about Him is true.

It's rubber meets the road, and girls, your Jesus likes to peel out!

Let Him show you what the One who lives inside you is made of.  You have the power within you.



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5 Comments
Vicki
3/13/2013 02:51:11 pm

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Esther Irish @LaughWithUsBlog link
3/15/2013 06:07:43 am

Great perspective on the why of our trials and temptations! Yes, He is always faithful!

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Amy link
3/15/2013 11:42:08 am

Thanks, Esther. I don't know what I would do if He wasn't!

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Dedra@SimpleOpulence link
3/15/2013 10:36:04 pm

Hi Amy,
I am coming by from A Royal Daughter Desire to Inspire. Glad to have found you. This is such an insightful post on temptation. I think that is so easy for those of us who are Christian to get caught up in phrases and cliche's and never really think about what they mean. Digging deeper into 'what you can bear" helps us to realize that we are not just "mere humans." We are beings who have the privilege of being the temple of the Holy Spirit. What may be impossible for us is completely possible with God. It is why we can say we can do ALL things Christ who strengthens us. Thank you for reminding me that I have to remember who I am in Christ when things feel overwhelming.

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Amy Dotson
3/16/2013 12:42:23 pm

Dedra, thanks for visiting and for taking time to read my post. Yes, we often forget who we are and it's easy to get hung up in the "sayings" of Christianese and lose our true identity. I'll be stopping by your site to visit you too!

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