Temptation - How to Escape

In the Bible, the first instance a type of situation recorded, always is the definitive usage of that situation. Every cause and effect is recorded clearly, that leads to the end result of the situation if we take the time to look at God's Word closely . This is one of the ways that the Word of God interprets itself. Since the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, the Devil's main weapon to use against mankind was "Temptation." The Devil assaulted the original parents of the whole race of man by getting them to sin through a lie and a temptation.
--- 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
The First Century believers were not ignorant of the devices of the Devil because the knew from the scriptures all of the ways, from the beginning, that the Devil had used to steal , to kill, and to destroy. They had the learning from the scriptures written prior to the First Century to use as their light to uncover Satan's darkness.

--- Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
It was definitly Eve's weakness to talk with the serpent. She should have detected by his question that the serpent was up to no good and should have walked away and told Adam what had just happened. Now note, in this record it was only the woman who was tempted. Satan's strategy was to talk with her when she was alone. Being alone gives Satan a distinct advantage in effectively hitting us with temptations. When we are alone, we do not have the strength and safety we get from having other believers to talk about it (temptation), and Satan took advantage by waiting untill she was near the forbidden tree. Satan tempted Eve in order to use her as his tool to attack and tempt Adam. The Devil has always sent temptation to us through people we do not expect and most often by those people who have the capacity to most influence upon us. Satan questioned what God's Word was in the situation by quoting God's Word incorrectly. He did not come right out with his main goal right off the bat. Instead he asked a question that seemed to be perfectly innocent.
--- 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
--- 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
If we want to be safe, we need to be very wary of talking with Satan (the tempter). The woman in her response to Satan, did what many people after her have done, she ADDED something to the Word of God that He did not say. In Genesis 2:16, God said, "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Nowhere did God say anything about touching the tree as a condition that would cause them to die.
--- 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
The Devil, as the father of all liars, is a scoffer of God's Word and scoffers of God's Word are his . Satan's method is to speak of the Word of God as unclear (open for private interpretation) or unreasonable in order to tempt people to sin. We must use wisdom to keep up a firm belief of God's Word and it's integrity. Satan instructs us to doubt first and then to deny what God's Word really says. Satan tempts us with false advantages from eating forbidden fruit. Satan wants to make us discontented with our present state in life by telling us that things are not as good as they should be. Then Satan tempts us to believe we can have the power and knowledge reserved for God Himself.
--- 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
Look closely at what has happened here, unlike the deception promised by Satan (great reward, power, money, whatever he can tempt you with), the steps he uses in his plans for you are not steps of advancement in life we want to take. They are steps he wants to get us to take, that thought very desireable at first, will not long after bring about our destruction. Here are the steps to "Destruction":
FIRST in verse 2: The woman enters into conversation with Satan.
SECOND in verse 3: The woman, not as clear as Adam on what God had told Adam (before He made woman), ADDED something to God's Word He had not spoken.
THIRD in verse 4: By listening to Satan (the tempter), was able to work his plan tempt Adam and Eve to sin and cause a seperation between them God. Thus, the devil was from the beginning a murderer, and the great mischief maker.
FOURTH in verse 5: The woman let Satan deceive her by believing his suggesting that God was keeping good from them, and that she can obtain great advantage by intentionally going against what she knew was the Will of God (His Word).
FIFTH in verse 6: She saw. Apperances are deceptive. The devil shows you something you think is really great, you want it but it is not what God wants for you. God has the best thing waiting for you. Don't let Satan distract you with what is dangerous for us to lust after.
SIXTH in verse 6: She took. It was her own act and deed. Satan can not force you to do wrong, he can however tempt and persuade us to sin and remove ourselves from the positioning that allows us to receive the blessing God wants for us, but Satan cannot force us to sin.
SEVENTH in verse 6: She did eat. When Eve first looked at the fruit she might not have intend to take it. and when she took it she might not have intended to eat it, but in the end she did. The wisest step would have been to stop the first stage to sin and to leave the object of temptation alone but she ate it anyway.
EIGHTH in verse 6: She gave it also to her husband with her. It's the standard reaction of people who have dong wrong to be more than willing, even zealous, to draw in others to do the same sin they have done. Eve had been prepaired well by the Devil to succeed in his attack on Adam through her and cause Adam to go against God's will (sin).
NINTH in verse 6: He (Adam) did eat. Adam had the permission of God to eat of the tree of life (and live forever) yet he neglected the tree of life and when he ate of the forbidden tree of knowledge He simply showed contempt of what God had given on him and contempt for what God did not give him (that God knew was not best for him). Adams sin was simply disobedience. Adam just went along with Eve, he was not deceived, he knew better. Adam had freedom of will and could simply have refused the fruit and left Eve on her own to face God, instead he sympathized with her and went along with her. Soon Adam and Eve realized the folly of eating of the tree of knowledge. They saw God who had loved them so much, angered, they lost His favor and grace, they lost the happiness of the garden, and gained discomfort in all aspects of life. The effect of their sin was so devastating that the curse of it has carried on from their childrens generations unto this day. --- 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
As a result of the devils first act of temptation, death and sin reigned from Adam untill God's plan to deliver man was achieved in Jesus Christ, His son.
--- Romans 5:14, "14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)"

Next lets look at the record in the Gospels of Jesus being tempted by Satan. In the temptation of Christ, God's Word illustrates that our enemy is subtle, spiteful, and very brazen, but Satan can be resisted and overcome. Christ suffered temptation for our comfort, because by his example we see that if we do not yeild to our temptations, they are not sins, they are only afflictions aimed at us by Satan. All of the temptations Satan aimed at Jesus were aimed at causing Jesus to sin against God. Notice that in all areas Jesus was tempted, he fought back at the Devil with the Word of God. (Hebrews 4:12, "12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.") Jesus set the example for us, he went by what was written in the Word of God for his course of action, which is the method we must have to use in order to overcome when we are tempted to sin.
--- Matthew 4:1-11, "1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
The Devil/Satan tempted Jesus to think doubt his Father's goodness and to not believe his Father's care for him. It is same trick that Satan used on Eve and Adam. Satan tries to take advantage of emphasizing our outward (what we can see by our five senses) condition and putting us into the position of not trusting God to take care of our needs. We need to learn not to take the wrong course of action to meet our own needs when we are in a position of great need, we need to believe God's promise that He will provide for us better than the world will provide solution for our needs.
--- "4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
Jesus fought the devil's temptation with the Word of God. Jesus quoted at the Devil," Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live."
--- "5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."
Of all things the next try on the Devil's part was to misuse God's Word to tempt Jesus. (Psalms 91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.) The Devil tempted Jesus to accept without verification or proof his Father's power and protection as a point of safety. The Devil has no objection to holy places (places of worship - churches today) as the scene of his assaults and we can not afford to be off guard anywhere. The holy city (the "capital") is the place where the Devil has the greatest advantage to tempt men to pride and false assumption. All high positions (places) are dangerously unstable and unpredictable. The advancements the world makes for us, sets us up as targets for Devil to launch his attacks and temptations.The Devil is knowledgeable of the Word of God and will misquote it readily in order to deceive people.
--- "7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."
Jesus replied again from God's Word as his defense against the Devil's challenge. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." To tempt God is to do something we know is going to hurt us intentionally, to entice God and expect God to jump in and rescue us.
---" 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."
Jesus was tempted to worship the Devil in return with the offer of the kingdoms of the world and all the wealth and all the women and glory of the world. To have glory in this life from the world is the most seductive temptation that people are most easily tricked into. Some temptations are openly wicked; and they are not merely to be opposed, but rejected at once. Jesus rejected the Devil's offer with disgust. Sadly, today, we find but few who can decidedly reject such temptations as the Devil offers us to "merely' worship him instead of God. The whole world might be gained with all it's wealth and fame and yet there will be no profit in it in the end. The Devil's devices have only one outcome and purpose: to steal, kill, and destroy. In the acceptance of such a proposal from the Devil is not worth the loss of what God has ready for us and your life as well.
---"10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
Jesus rejected this offer with abhorrence. "Get thee hence, Satan!" We have to be quick and firm in resisting temptation. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. But when we listen to the tempter and deliberate the offer is when we most often are overcome by the methods of the Devil..
--- "11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."
Jesus won the final round by rejecting the Devil's offer with the Word of God. Jesus did not take it upon himself to come up with a defense of his own reasoning, he knew that it is God's Word that defeats the Devil/Satan. This example to us shows the importance of putting God's Word into our hearts and retaining His Word in our minds in order to be well equipped to battle the Devil and his temptations effeciently. Jesus Christ was helped in this difficult situation by the angels for his encouragement to go on with his ministry. The end result being that we can trust in him because he knew by experience what it was to suffer, to be tempted and that he will come to those of us who suffer temptation with ministering of relief.

These two examples from the scriptures make it very clear the way the Devil/Satan works, his methods to obtain his goals of stealing, killing, and destroying. Yet God also makes clear in no uncertain terms what sort of outcome we get from His ability to deliver us safe from temptation. In what Jesus Christ obtained for us through his death and resurrection we were delivered from fear, bondage, and having won the ultimate battle for us against the Devil. He is able to comfort us when we are tempted in any area of our lives, all we have to do is to stay true to God and His will and the outcome will be perfection for us.
--- Hebrews 2:14-18, "18 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."

--- Hebrews 4:14-16, "16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
God, for His children, goes beyond just comfort for us when we are under assault of the Devil. Jesus the Son of God has become our high priest, and as the primary duty of the high priest, he makes intersession for us. Since he was tempted in the same ways all of us are tempted he understands the discomfort and pain that temptation causes in us. Knowing that he is our advocate to God, we can beyond a shadow of a doubt know in our hearts that we can approach the throne of God with boldness and receive help from God in these trying times. The comfort we have is that God will not let us be tempted by the Devil beyond our capacity to hold up under the pressure, and not only so, God even provides us with an escape route to enable us to continue in doing what He wants us to do and living the way He wants us to live.
--- 1 Corinthians 10:13, "13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

To often we do not use God's escape route nor do we even look for it because we have been taught that temptation is God's way of testing us. We stay in the most painful situations and put up with the most intollerable conditions because we mistakenly see a destructive assault from the Devil as God's doing, in the way of testing us. Let us get one thing straight, God does not tempt us and He can not be tempted either.
--- James 1:13, "13 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: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."
We are tempted when we allow our adversary to appeal to our desire for sensual gratification and ease, we get into the situation of "seeing" it looks good, feeling it is good, and then considering and acting on the thought that this is good, and in the end being defeated by the Devils temptation. The trap is no different today than it was for Eve or Adam. In order to fully understand God's ability to deliver us out of temptation we need to examine a few records from the scriptures.

A good number of us have had the opportunity in our lives to become acquainted with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego recorded in Daniel 3:12-29. We have not for the most part seen the message of deliverance from temptation that is recorded there. The king had given these three jews authority over the provence of Babylon. The king had created his own god , a golden image, and decreed that everyone had to worship "his" god or be put to death. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to reject the one true God, they stood for God telling Nebuchadnezzar whether or not our God delivers us they would not bow to any other God.
--- Daniel 3:12, "12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Well that went over as well as us approaching the politicians of our day and telling them to go fly a kite, that their laws were not in alignment with the Word of God (at least today you might not die for that). Nebuchadnezzer went into a rage, had a furnace lit, and ordered the three believers tossed in. The fire was so hot that it killed the men who threw them in.
--- "19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego."

Then the most unexpected thing happened, the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego performed a deliverance from the temptation of self-preservation by rejecting Him as the one true God. Not only were these three believers moving about in the fire, a fourth person was observed in the fire with them. On top of that, there was no visiable effect on the believers in the fire. When they were requested to come out of the furnace by Nebchadnezzer, they did not even have the smell of smoke on them and even their hair was not singed.
God sent an angel to deliver them because they completey believed and trusted in Him.
--- "23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort."

In the book of Acts we see another account of God's deliverance from the temptation of self-preservation that was presented to the apostles by way of the Sadducees (some of the religious rulers of the day) and the high priest of the temple. In their effort to silence the movement of the truth of God's word, they arrested the apostles an put them in prison. There is no prison so dark or so strong, that God can not visit his people in it, and if he pleases, take them out. Now the record does not record what transpired while they were in prison, but you can be assured they were not just sitting and doing nothing, they believed God would deliver them, and the last thought on their mind was to go off when if they got out and stop speaking God's Word. It is not for the preachers of Christ's gospel to retire into corners, as long as they can have any opportunity of preaching the gospel. In the middle of the night God sent an angel to break them out of prison and God's message to them was " Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." In the morning that is where they were. They would let no temptation in respect to preserving their lives come between them and doing God's will. God protects us as long as we keep doing what we are supposed to do.
--- Acts 5:16-24, 26-32, "16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people."

The jewish leaders were a little more than rattled by the turn of events and this time took a different approach to the situation. This time they were delicate in their treatment of these men of God, and tried to reason with them instead of just locking them up to shut them up.
--- "26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him."

From the Apostles view of God's position on the matter, it was simple, "We ought to obey God rather than men." In this statement is the release from temptation of all manners, temptation is always overcome when we obey God will, instead of being overcome by all the things we might be tempted with. For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego...for the apostles it was a smiple matter of what to do. When the rulers of the land (Government) and the religious rulers (Church) tempted them with laws of men in direct opposition to God's Word and will, without hesitation and fearlessly they proceeded to do what God said to do. The Devil will not often tempt you with great evil or apparent evil. Our temptation is in the realm of being tempted into accepting something that is "good" instead of that which God provides which is best. The bad side of accepting that which is good, is that what at first appears to be good will often end up working harm to us in some manner. The best things that God provides, that are according to His Word, always produce edifying and excellent results in our lives. The things from God will not stop us from doing His will, they will not silence us from speaking the Truth of His Word, they will not cause us to fall into disfellowship with God and remove us from His protection, and they will not discredit His Word in us as His children. The things from God will not come to us through giving into sensual pleasures that the world tries to tempt us with. As long as we keep aware of the methods of the devil, he will not be able to stop us from living victorious in this life. His snares and traps by way of temptations to our senses will be as obvious as God's escape route to avoid them.

God is able to deliver us from all temptations and attacks of our adversary. All we must do is stand on God Word as it relates to all areas of our lives as best we can.