Purpose

Adam and eve

TEMPTATION
 IS SWEET

KNOW YOUR WEAKEST LINKS

ITS YOU RUN YOUR LIFE ON GOD OR MONEY

 THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL… WHAT THE FRUILT OF EVIL?
 SERVING MONEY…..BUT IF U WANT TO HAVE MONEY SERVE GOD AND MONEY WILL JUST CHASE
YOU.
 SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM AND ALL SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU
 ECC 5;12

We must guard against temptation,

first, so we won’t commit sin and,

second, so we won’t become a source of temptation to others, causing them to sin because of us.

Christ warned, “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but
woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!” (Matthew 18:7).

When Christ taught us the “Our Father,” he included the petition “lead us not into temptation”

(Matthew 6:13).

SOLUTIONS
  Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke
22:46; see 22:39–45)
 Remember what Saint Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you that
is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength,
but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
When temptations come your way, pray for strength and remember these encouraging words:
“I
can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)


Man vs sin
Soldier …story/retreat
Created to be like Christ
 You were created to become like Christ.
From the very beginning, God's plan has been to make you like his
Son, Jesus.
 This is your destiny and the third purpose of your life. God
announced this intention at Creation: "Then God said, `Let us
make human beings in our image and likeness.
 The image is incomplete and has been damaged and distorted
by sin.
 So God sent Jesus on a mission to restore the full image that we
have lost.
What does the full "image and likeness" of God look like? It looks
like Jesus Christ! The Bible says Jesus is "the exact likeness of
God," "the visible image of the invisible God," and "the exact
representation of his being."
 God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our
character for heaven.
 Obedience unlocks God's power.
 Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose
to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy
you, but either way, they will define you. Tell me what you
 are committed to, and I'll tell you what you will be in twenty years.
We become whatever we are
committed to.
 Your heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and develop the
characteristics of Jesus
Christ.

SIN
THE FAKE SWEETNESS OF SIN

TEMPTATIONS
 Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
On the path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a
stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block when you realize that
it is just as much an occasion to do the right thing as it is
to do the wrong thing. Temptation simply provides the choice.
While temptation is Satan's primary weapon to destroy you, God
wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good
instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ.
 God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to
experience circumstances in which you're tempted to express the
exact opposite quality! Character development always involves a
choice, and temptation provides that opportunity
 God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice.
You can't claim to be good if you've never been tempted to be bad.
You can't claim to be faithful if you've never had the opportunity
to be unfaithful.
 Every time you defeat a temptation, you become more like Jesus!
HOW TEMPTATION WORKS
 All temptations follow the same the pattern
 In step one, Satan identifies a desire inside of you. It may be a
sinful desire, like the desire to
get revenge or to control others, or it may be a legitimate, normal
desire, like the desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure.
 Temptation starts when Satan suggests (with a thought) that
you give in to an evil desire, or that you fulfill a legitimate desire
in a wrong way or at the wrong time.
 We think temptation lies around us, but God says it begins within
us. If you didn't have the internal desire, the temptation could not
attract you.
 Temptation always starts in your mind, not in circumstances. Jesus
said, "For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts,
sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness,
deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and
foolishness.
 Step two is doubt. Satan tries to get you to doubt what God has
said about the sin: Is it really
wrong? Did God really say not to do it? Didn't God mean this
prohibition for someone else or
some other time? Doesn't God want me to be happy?
 Step three is deception. Satan is incapable of telling the truth and is called "the
Father of lies."
Anything he tells you will be untrue or just half-true. Satan offers his lie to replace what
God has
already said in his Word. Satan says, "You will not die. You'll be wiser like God. You
can get
away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else
is doing
it. It is only a little sin." But a little sin is like being a little pregnant: It will eventually
show
itself.
 Step four is disobedience. You finally act on the thought you've
been toying with in your mind.
What began as an idea gets birthed into behavior. You give in to
whatever got your attention.
 You believe Satan's lies and fall into the trap that James warns
about: "We are tempted when we
are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our
evil desires conceive and give
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Do
not be deceived, my dear
friends!"

OVERCOMING TEMPTATION
Satan does not have to tempt those who are already doing his evil will; they are
already his.

Defeating Temptation
Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it.
 "Where am I most tempted? At work? At home? At a neighbor's
house? At a sports bar? In an airport or motel out of town?"
Ask, "Who is with me when I'm most tempted? Friends?
Coworkers? A crowd of strangers?
When I'm alone?" Also ask, "How do I usually feel when I am
most tempted?" It may be when you are tired or lonely or bored or
depressed or under stress. It may be when you've been hurt or
angry or worried, or after a big success or spiritual high.
 You should identify your typical pattern of temptation and then
prepare to avoid those situations as much as possible.
 Request God's help. Heaven has a twenty-four-hour emergency hot
line. God wants you to ask him for assistance in overcoming
temptation.
 Temptations keep us dependent upon God. Just as the roots grow
stronger when wind blows
against a tree, so every time you stand up to a temptation you
 become more like Jesus. When you
stumble-which you will-it is not fatal. Instead of giving in or
giving up, look up to God, expect
him to help you, and remember the reward that is waiting for you
Run from anything that gives you the
evil thoughts ... but stay close to anything
that makes you want to do right.
2 Timothy' 2:22 (LB)
Remember that the temptations that come
into your life are no different from what others
experience. And God is faithful. He will keep
the temptation from becoming so strong
that you can't stand up against it.
When you are tempted, he will show you
a way out so that you will not give in to it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)
 There is always a way out.
You may sometimes feel that a temptation is too overpowering for
you to bear, but that's a lie
from Satan. God has promised never to allow more on you than lie
puts within you to handle it.
He will not permit any temptation that you could not overcome.
However, you must do your part
too by practicing four biblical keys to defeating temptation.
 The battle for sin is won or lost in your mind. Whatever gets your
attention will get you.
 1. Refocus your attention on something else. Since temptation
always begins with a thought, the quickest way to neutralize its
allure is to turn your attention to something else. Don't fight the
thought, just change the channel of your
 mind and get interested in another idea. This is the first step in
defeating temptation.
 The battle for sin is won or lost in your mind. Whatever gets your
attention will get you.
 Temptation begins by capturing your attention. What gets your
attention arouses your emotions.
Then your emotions activate your behavior, and you act on what
you felt. The more you focus on
"I don't want to do this," the stronger it draws you into its web.
Ignoring a temptation is far more effective than fighting it. Once
your mind is on something
else, the temptation loses its power. So when temptation calls you
on the phone, don't argue with
it, just hang up!
 To reduce temptation, keep your mind
occupied with God's Word and other good thoughts. You defeat
bad thoughts by thinking of
something better. This is the principle of replacement. You
overcome evil with good.
 If you're serious about defeating temptation you must manage your
mind and monitor your media intake.
 Be careful how you think; your life is
shaped by your thoughts." Don't allow trash into your mind
indiscriminately. Be selective.
Choose carefully what you think about.

 2. Resist the Devil.

 how can we resist the Devil? Paul tells us, "Put on salvation as
your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God."
  Second, you must use the Word of God as your weapon against
Satan. Jesus modeled this when he was tempted in the wilderness.
Every time Satan suggested a temptation, Jesus countered by
quoting Scripture. He didn't argue with Satan. He didn't say, "I'm
not hungry," when tempted to use his power to meet a personal
need. He simply quoted Scripture from memory. We must do the
same. There is power in God's Word, and Satan fears it

 3. Realize your vulnerability. Don't carelessly place yourself in

Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.