In James 1:14-15 we read, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” These verses reveal to us the downward spiral of evil desires, which if give in to them, will lead to the conception and birth of sins, which eventually lead to death.
It order to better understand this downward spiral of temptations and evil desires, let’s take a look at king David’s sad failure which is recorded for our learning in 2 Sam.11:2-4
“ 2Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.”
In the second verse it says, “he saw a woman bathing” – Instead of turning his eyes away, David continues to look at her and notices that, “the woman was very beautiful to behold.” Clearly at this point David is starting to be “drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:14) The next thing that David does (vs. 3) is to send and inquire about the woman and finding out that she is married, instead of stopping in his tracks, he sends for her and commits adultery with her. David’s evil desire has conceived and given birth to shocking sins. (James 1:15 ) If you read the rest of this sad chapter you will see how these sins led to more sins and eventually to death itself.
This is indeed the sad story of how temptations coupled with evil desires will lead us into sin and sin will eventually lead to certain death!
Now I would like to bring to your attention four of the many resources that the Lord has made available to each of His children in order that we may be kept from falling into temptation and eventually into sin.
Resource #1
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41)
Praying to the Lord Himself and asking for His help to resist temptation is one of the very best ways to be preserved from temptations.
Resource #2
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Rom. 13:14)
Making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts is a very important part of being kept from evil. To me this means removing from myself, as much as possible, the specific things that have a negative draw on my emotions and affections. If something is tempting you to sin – stay away from it as much as possible. (See Gen. 39:10)
Resource #3
“Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:12-14)
Here we are clearly told to present ourselves to God as alive from the dead and we are also told to present the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness to God. Two wonderful and effective ways that do not leave the door open for temptations to gain an advantage over us.
Resource #4
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)
God is faithful in shielding us so that be will never be confronted with a temptation that is beyond what we are able to withstand with His divine help. His faithfulness will also always make a way of escape that we may be able to bear up under it.
May the Lord help each of us to avail ourselves of these four resources as we resist temptations and as we seek to bring increasing honor to God with our lives.
Author: Dave Zwicker