God Is Bigger Than The Temptations

I Corinthians 10:13: “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.”

When a person turns their life over to Christ it will be then that they will begin to experience temptation and opposition in their walk with the Lord. Some Christians are surprised when they begin to experience it, but before you were saved and the devil didn’t have to try to make you stumble because he already had you. Now, some think that because they are being temped they have done something wrong but this is not the case. Jesus was temped, and yet, the Bible says without sin. It is when we give in to a temptation that it becomes a sin.

Now notice that it says, it is common for every child of God to be tempted. But also, notice that God is faithful and won’t abandon you, and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. Now, also notice that with every temptation there comes an escape hatch, a way of getting away from the temptation. Some temptations we are told to run from because of how strong those temptations are for us. 

But the greatest thing that we can do is walk in the Spirit, for the Bible tells us that if we walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Thus, it means we need to have a discerning spirit and that only comes through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

We need to understand that Satan comes at you through temptation and he has two objectives. One, he tempts you so that you will sin. Thus, when we sin we begin to feel that we have failed the Lord and we then don’t move on to the things that He has called us to. Some have a hard time coming back and it begins to affect everything in their life. But according to I John 2:1, we have an advocate in Christ Jesus who prays for us and intercedes every day on our behalf. I John 1:9 also tells us that the Lord forgives and will cleanse us of the sin.

But Satan has another objective through temptation and that is to get us to trust in our own strength and power rather than the Lord. Did not Jesus tell us that without Him we could do nothing? This is exactly what Romans 7 and 8 are telling us.

Everyday Christians walk through a minefield of temptations that are contrary to the things of God. The only way that you and I can survive is to be walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit that you may be controlled by Him just as a drunk man is controlled by the alcohol he has consumed. I believe that we have made the indwelling of the Holy Spirit too complicated.

First, you cannot be saved unless the Holy Spirit has come into you. I Corinthians 12:3. Second, Luke 11:13 says “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Pastor Lee Cruse is hoping that every member of this fellowship will come to their Heavenly Father and say “Lord thank you for indwelling me and saving me, but now Lord I am asking to be controlled by the wonderful person of the Holy Spirit” and I believe that He will fill you.