Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us, but God tests us to bring out the best in us. A TEST or TRIAL is a God given opportunity for us to practice and thereby test our spiritual relationship with the Lord. The cause of temptation stems from our old carnal nature when it is not being controlled. A temptation does not originate with God.
Satan’s very nature is to tempt. One of his names is the “tempter.” In the garden of Eden, Satan disguised as a serpent came to tempt Eve. In the Book of Job Satan tried to tempt Job to curse God and he used every means available, even Job’s wife. Satan also tempted the Lord Jesus. Peter warns us that Satan is trying to devour us.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8
Temptations are real, and they are common in our day-to-day life. However, yielding to temptation is considered sin. As said by one person, “Temptation becomes sin only when the suggestion of evil is accepted and yielded to”.
What is the way out of temptation? Jesus faced temptations and came out victoriously. In all the temptations he used Scripture. James comes up beautifully in his letter:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4.7
May the dear Lord help us to resist temptations every day!