Breaking Free of Temptations

 

Matt. 4:10-11; Luke 4:13

 

Subject: FREEDOM IN CHRIST

Theme:  If You Ever Feel Trapped by Temptations, God wants You to Live in Freedom.

Relevance: God offers each believer an inner freedom that allows us to live above our present circumstances. This form of spiritual freedom is extremely important to the child of God who feels trapped in the bondage of addictions, depression, abusive relationships, and other oppressive situations. The truth is that any person who feels as if he or she is in the clutches of something sinful, negative, or evil, can be set free in Christ! The fact that you and I can be free is a great encouragement!

Introduction:

The freedom we experience from the “law of sin and death” comes through victory over recurring temptations. Such freedom may be experienced in different times and situations, but you can have freedom from evil’s clutches.

Message:

FREEDOM FROM NAGGING TEMPTATIONS….

Matthew 4:10-11, 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. [11] Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Luke 4:13, And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

No person is ever entirely free from temptation, but we can experience a release from a “season” or a siege of temptation.  There are some basic things we can do to limit the period of satanic and demonic temptation.

   1.  Use the Word Skillfully.

Notice the phrase “it is written” mentioned in verses Matt. 4:4, 7, 10.   Jesus was a master at halting temptations with the power of the Word.

ILLUSTRATION:  We see this in the life of Jesus when He was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. The tempter came to Jesus with three rounds of temptation, and each time, Jesus refuted him with the Word of God. In the final round, Jesus commanded the devil, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:10). At that, the Bible tells us, “the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” (Matt. 4:11). There was a definitive end to this “season” of temptation in Jesus' life.

        A.  This Does Not Mean That Jesus Was Never Tempted Again.

Rather, it means that Jesus functioned in full freedom as He conducted His ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing for this period. The issue of His loyalty to God alone had been settled in a definitive way, and Jesus could never again be tempted on that point.

       B.  Each of Us Has a Propensity to Sin in Certain Ways.

1 Kings 11:1-2, But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; [2] Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

Temptation often hits hardest in our areas of weakness. For all his wisdom, Solomon had some weak spots. He could not say no to compromise or to lustful desires. Whether he married to strengthen political alliances or to gain personal pleasure, these foreign wives led him into idolatry.  He failed to identify his weaknesses and to prepare himself against these related temptations.    

APPLICATION:  You and I may have strong faith, but we also have weak spots -- and that is where temptation usually strikes hardest. Choose ahead of time to strengthen and protect your weaker areas, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If Solomon, the wisest man, could fall, so can you and I. The devil knows that, and it is at our weakest point that he comes to tempt us—sometimes in a way that seems unrelenting. How can we experience freedom from his steady barrage of temptation? By using the same method that Jesus used: We can speak the Word of God every time the tempter whispers his lies to us. We defeat temptation by understanding and acting upon the Word.  For example:

1.  When the devil tells us that we are weak, we can declare, “God says I am strong” (Joel 3:10).

Joel 3:10, Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

2.  When the devil says that we are doomed to failure, we can declare, “God says that I am more than a conqueror” (Rom. 8:37).

Romans 8:37, Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

3.  When the devil says that we can never change, we can declare, “God says that I am a new creature in Christ Jesus” (2 Cor. 5:17).

2 Cor. 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

4.  When the devil says that we are not worthy of God's love, we can declare, “God says that He loved me so much He sent Jesus to die for my sins so that I might live with God forever!” (John 3:16).

John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

APPLICATION:  Regardless of what temptation to sin you may experience, God has provided a passage of His Word that declares such a temptation to be a lie of Satan intended for your harm.  Find the portion of God's Word that applies to your specific circumstance and use it as the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17).   This is an outstanding plan for resisting temptation. To further strengthen ourselves against temptation, we can memorize and meditate on portions of Scripture that combat our specific weaknesses. Also understand that at the root of most temptation is a real need or desire that God can fill, but we must trust in his timing. In addition to using the Word personally, find another believer with whom you can openly share your struggles, and call this person for help when temptation strikes.  This should be someone who believes the Bible and can pray with you and remind you of God’s power to help resist the temptation.

Ephes. 6:17, And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

   2.  Know The Role of Prayer.

We are not only to speak God's Word to the tempter, but to ask God for strength not to yield to the devil's temptations.

        A.  Resort to Prayer When You Feel Tempted.

We should also know the value of prayer to resisting temptation.  Be quick to ask God in earnest prayer to help you stay away from people, places, and situations that may tempt you.

               1.  We have a Model Prayer.     

Matthew 6:13, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

               2.  We have a Clear Command.

Matthew 26:41, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

               3.  We have a Sure Promise.

2 Peter 2:9, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

        B.  Ask the Lord for the Strength to Resist the Temptation.    

When faced with recurring temptation, we must also ask for the help of Christ and the Holy Spirit in withstanding the temptation.

             1.  Ask God to Help You Stir Clear of Temptation.

Jesus said that when we pray, we are to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”—in other words, do not allow us to get into situations in which we are subject to the devil's tempting (Matt. 6:13). 

             2.  Maintain a Constant Watchful & Alert Attitude for Temptations.

On the night in which Jesus was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He had said to His disciples, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ” (Matt. 26:41).  When we maintain alert, we can see the enticements coming and prepare ourselves against them. 

APPLICATION: This is good advice for when you’re working with or around someone that is immoral or given over to sinful ways and perverted shady practices.  Also, there is the ‘sand paper person’ who frequently rubs us the wrong way, that we must be on guard against their friction, and thereby avert open conflict.  This can also be applied to certain ‘high pressure situations’ and major events that seem to put a great squeeze on our strengths, skills, time, and energy to ensure that we do not take out our frustrations on those we love the most.  If we learn to expect Satan to tempt us, he will not be able to catch us off guard or overtake us by surprise.  Being constantly watchful will deliver us from Satan’s surprise ambush.                                                                                                    

        C.  Use Prayer as a Means of Countering and Enduring Temptation.

Mark 14:32, And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

This experience in Gethsemane with the Lord Jesus and the three disciples portrays the varied purposes of prayer in relation to temptation. Jesus literally resisted temptation by using the same tools He encourages us to use.  For Jesus, prayer was not a means of escape, but respite; not a way to avoid difficulty, but a way to endure it. We know that Jesus humbly submitted to the Father's will. Luke tells us that Jesus' sweat resembled drops of blood. No doubt His prayer was filled with extreme emotion. Jesus was in terrible agony, but he did not give up or give in. He went ahead with the mission for which he had come. He knew that prayer would help him endure this extremely painful period. 

APPLICATION:  We miss the opportunity of communion and fellowship with God if we treat prayer as merely telling God what we want him to know.  Jesus knew that prayer was a stronghold for enduring through a period of trial and temptation.

APPLICATION: Sometimes we forget how fully human Jesus, Son of God, Savior, really was. Here we see it. His agony fills the garden.  Agonies consume us, too. To face the imminent death of a loved one or the accidental death of a child or our own approaching demise -- these agonies can tear at our souls.

Do we have a Savior who knows how heavily we tremble, how deeply we groan? Yes, we do. Can we come to this Savior in prayer and find a friend? Yes, we can. Jesus is with you; he's been there; he knows the feeling. He will help you come through the temptation as you turn to Him.  The Lord reassures of this blessing when he said, in Hebrews 4:15, 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.

He knows firsthand what we are experiencing, and he is willing and able to help us in our struggles. When tempted, turn to God for strength by a short prayer– or even linger in His presence, communion, and fellowship, or find a quiet place to pull out your Bible and read a psalm all the while trusting God to help.   

Conclusion:

Many are trapped in lethal sinful lifestyles! There is a freedom that is relevant to us no matter the sinful patterns and destructive behaviors. For those stuck in the bondage of addictions and sinful habit patterns…. For those struggling regularly with thoughts of depression and deep dark despair….

For those living daily in abusive relationships longing for positive change and contemplating running away…. Even others experiencing oppressive situations, which have their root in satanic influences.

God roundly offers freedom through Christ to you and me! To experience this freedom Christ prayed:

John 17:14-17, I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [15] I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. [16] they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [17] sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Christ prayed earnestly that we would not become enslaved and influenced by the evil present in the world system, but instead become versed and capable with the “Word of Truth” as the “Sword of the Spirit.” To be more set apart for God’s glory, usage, purposes, and practices—“sanctified.” Belove, sanctify yourself unto God through embracing the Word more.

Remember 1 John 4:18 and embrace the truth that God’s perfect love removes all kinds of fears. We need to learn to accept the reality of His love for us, so that our fears do not control us. If you're afraid of facing a person, a situation, or a temptation in your life, God's love can help you put your fears to rest. Don’t be afraid to trust the Lord with even your greatest fears to make this vital commitment to the Truth.