James 1:13 says Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. Notice the scripture doesn’t say that God cannot be tempted but that God cannot be tempted with evil. Why, because evil is not in Him. Jesus said the god of this world comes but he has nothing in me.
Temptation emanates from four sources and comes from the root word tempt.
- Inside man(James 1:13)
- External to man. From Satan, the tempter (Matthew 4:1)
- From man to God (Exodus 17:2)
- From God to man (Genesis 22:1)
The word tempt from the Strong’s concordance means test, try, prove. If tempt is used with a negative connotation , nuance or semantics, its from the devil so if you lose a 15 year old child or become sick do not say that God is trying you. Yes God tries His children but not with evil. In Genesis 22:1, God tried Abraham but not with evil.
Let us focus on our main scripture and the first source of temptation. Let us remove those negative desires inside us to kill them before they kill us. That magnetic attraction inside you to sin must die for Paul said I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless its not I who lives but Christ who lives in me. Stop all forms of lust, pride, lies etc.
Ways to overcome evil desires resident in our soul
- Fasting and Prayer (Isaiah 58:3-14)
- Renewing your mind with the word of God (Romans 12:1-2)
- Repentance (Psalm 51:17)
Prayer Points
You already know the evil desires inside you. Pray for God’s strength to overcome them. In the physical, avoid those traps.
Identify if the temptations of these biblical characters are internal or external
- Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden
- David commits adultery with Beersheba
- Sampson loses the power of God on his life
- Elisha refuses Neman’s gift
- Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness
