A couple of years ago, my doctor recommended a protein diet plan so that I could lose weight. The book he recommended was called “Protein Power,” written by Michael and Mary Eades M.D. While reading through the book, a passage about resisting temptation struck me.
“There are four components of any behavior–the physiological, the feeling, the thinking, and, finally, the doing. … Of these four components you have total control over just one, the actual doing component, and partial control over one other, the thinking component. Over the other two, unfortunately, you have no direct control whatsoever, a fact not lost on your old adversary temptation. These last two are its portals of entry into your behavior. If temptation can gain a foothold in your physiology and/or your feelings, it can often bend the other components to its will, resulting in self-destructive behavior.” pp. 212-213.
To illustrate the above, the authors describe this all too familiar scene.
“You walk into the break room to get your low-carb snack from the refrigerator and are overwhelmed by the fresh-baked aroma of still-warm doughnuts. There they are–at least a dozen fluffy, moist glazed ones in an open box with an attached note that says help yourself! Assuming you love doughnuts, what happens to you? You smell and see the doughnuts, which starts your physiology working. Your GI tract starts preparing for the incoming doughnuts, your pancreas actually releases a little squirt of insulin in preparation, and your whole being prepares for the consumption of the doughnuts–and all these changes are beyond your direct control. These physiological changes immediately cause you to feel consciously hungry and to crave the doughnuts. You begin thinking about how good the doughnuts would taste, and how hungry you really are and how just one wouldn’t really hurt anything and how you could really buckle down on your diet tomorrow and … You break down and eat the doughnut, then another, then you say, ‘Oh, well, I’ve blown my diet. There’s no sense in staying on it the rest of the day. I’ll start in earnest tomorrow. Now I think I’ll have another doughnut.’… And temptation has played you like a violin.” pp. 213-214.
When I read that two things came to mind. The first was how hungry I was for a doughnut. The second was, “Wow, that is an excellent example of how James said temptation works.”
James 1:12-15 says, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 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.”
The power to win over temptation starts with an understanding of the real source of it. It should be evident to everyone that doughnuts have no power. The only power doughnuts have over me is what I want from them. James is right; we are tempted when we are drawn away by our lusts and enticed. Instead of blaming everyone and everything else for our sin, we must see that we are lured like a fish after the bait. The shocking revelation is that we are holding the fishing pole and reeling it in. If we could only see that it is our lusts, and thoughts luring us, we could choose to stop fishing. You know the old line, “Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Fool me over and over again, and it obvious that I can’t tell a bad idea when I see one.”
Now that we know that the real battle is an internal one, one of the heart, we know where to be looking for temptations to attack. Jesus himself taught us, “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” (Matthew 15:17-20). The wise man wrote, “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23). Temptation comes from our own heart, our thoughts.
The doctor was correct; we partially can control our thoughts. That means that just because some “donut” thought comes into my brain doesn’t mean that I have to focus my attention on it. Break that thought. Cut the line. Stop fishing. When the “doughnut” thought comes, remember this spiritual encouragement: “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).
You can’t stop evil thoughts from coming, but God promises you that no thought can overcome you if you take his way of escape that he will ALWAYS provide. Now replace “donut” with thoughts of sexual immorality, drunkenness, envy, hate, greed, or any other works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21).
The Christian has an even more powerful weapon against temptation. Jesus himself is our power over temptation. God wanted us to know that He knows what it’s like to be tempted. Jesus set us the perfect example of how to win over temptation.
When Satan tempted Christ, he always responded with “It is written” and would quote the sacred writings (Matthew 4:1-11). Moreover, he taught us to pray, “Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13), and “Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41).
Hebrews 2:17-18 says, “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 reminds us, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
The next time you find yourself in the throes of temptation break that thought with this powerful one, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on me.” Christian, will not our faithful and merciful high priest answer that prayer?
Lastly, James reveals the real power to overcome temptation. It’s not enough to know how temptation works. It’s not enough to know that God has already promised the Christian that he will ALWAYS provide a way to escape and endure. It’s not enough to know that Jesus is my faithful and merciful high priest who can help me with temptation. As far as heaven is concerned, it has supplied everything we need to overcome temptation.
But there is one powerful thing I need to have to win. This thing will always find a way; it can not be defeated; it can not be replaced. Without it, I will fail; with it, I will win. Hear what James says, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.”
You see, when you love someone, love will find a way. It is the most powerful thing in the universe.
