TIMES OF TEMPTATION

“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. 1 Cor. 10:13 NKJV”

The presence of evil in the world has made temptation, which is also known as trial, a reality of Christians. As darkness continues to attack light, they of the light may go through experiences that are in contrast to the promises in God’s word. This need not bother a Christian so much as Christ has put us on a vantage position over our enemies and their works.

Scripture lets us know that Christians have a role to play with respect to temptations that come their way. I need, at this point, clarify the word temptation before continuing. The word temptation is readily associated with sinful activities, but this is not all to the word temptation. The Greek form of the word temptation as used in the New Testament is “peirasmos (pi-ras-mos');” which means a putting to proof (by experience [of good], experience [of evil].¹

A financial challenge is a temptation to a Christian, a case of sickness is a temptation to a Christian, a moment of depression is a temptation to a Christian, and a season of abundance is a temptation to a Christian. These and many more are forms of temptation to Christians.

Our role with respect to the experience of temptation is in Jesus’ encouragement for us to pray that we fall not into temptation.² In another occasion, he admonished we prayed against being led by God into times of temptation:³ this has to do with a case where God permits a temptation to come to us partly because we did nothing to avert it in the first place.

This role of ours is very important with respect to the degree to which we experience the blessings of God’s kingdom. Scripture lets us know that the kingdom of God suffers violence and that those that will experience the kingdom are they that take it by force.⁴

Prayer averts evil. We do not need to wait until a trying time comes our way before we begin praying: we can, through praying in the Spirit or understanding direct prayers into our future that will keep the evil day at bay. God asked Job if he has shaken evil out of his days.⁵ Job didn’t, and he was bound to go through that trying time.⁶ When we pray we avert temptation, when we don’t pray we allow temptation.

God’s role in our times of temptation is to occasion it for our good. Scripture says that all things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose.⁷ God allows some temptations come our way – after we failed to avert them – in a bid to have our faith tested to know the quality it is made up of. Testing in the life of a Christian is a very important part of his Christian growth: it reveals the fault-lines in his character and also gives him an opportunity to know the progress he has made in his spiritual growth. Bear in mind that whenever God allows temptation come our way, it is always for character formation and life promotion.

Scripture admonishes us to allow trying times because it works patience in us and we are to allow patience do her work of making us whole and lacking nothing in character when we respond positively to temptations, and lacking nothing in possession when the time of temptation is over.⁸

The way of escape is promised, but the taking away of the temptation is not promised. The way of escape is designed to cause us to bear the temptation while it last. Every temptation will pass away when it has accomplished what it is intended for. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.⁹ The way of escape is communion with Christ either through prayers or partaking of the flesh and blood of Jesus.

Certain times, times of temptation, may not be as a result of our prayerlessness, it could be a case of divine ordination: the more reason we have to pray to be able to bear it. Several of Paul’s temptation was as a result of divine ordination, Jesus, speaking to Ananias, concerning Paul said, “For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.”¹⁰ The way of escape is still the same for whatever the cause may be. The exit of the temptation is still the same for whatever the temptation may be.

If Christians fail to avert times of temptation through praying, they are encouraged to subject themselves to the learning process instituted by the temptation by responding positively to it through right attitude and heartfelt communion with Christ. The faster they respond, the earlier the temptation leaves.

Since God allowed it come, He can allow it go.

References

¹ (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded   Greek-Hebrew   Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

² Mark 14:38

³ Luke 11:4

⁴ Matthew 11:12

⁵ Job 38:12-13

⁶ Job 3:25

⁷ Romans 8:28

⁸ James 1:4

⁹ Psalms 30:5

¹⁰ Acts 9:16

BLEEDING HEAD

“And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,”

         JOHN 19:1 (KJV)

While Jesus journeyed to the Cross, a crown of thorns was platted and put on his head. It is necessary we understand that everything that was done on Jesus’ body depicted something of importance to the redemption of mankind. Through the body of Jesus, God put an end to the consequences of the sin of mankind, committed by Adam.

The bleeding head of Jesus on the Cross signifies man’s redemption from poverty. Thorn is a symbol of poverty, and this is clearly captured in the curse that God pronounced on the ground (uppermost layer of the earth that is easily accessible to man) because of Adam’s sin. “And to Adam he said, because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and to dust shall you return Genesis 3:17-19.”

It was symbolic for Jesus to have the thorns on his head: and this lets us know that poverty is a state of the mind and also an attack on the mind. In the true sense, poverty is not a state of the pocket, but a state of the mind. It is also not a function of what you don’t have; rather, it is a function of what your mind lacks.

There is no way a man can prosper if his mind is not prosperous. As long as a man keeps thinking along the line of mediocrity, impossibilities, limitations, he will never be wealthy. Even if such a man possesses money, probably through an inheritance or hustling, he will one day come back to the level of his thinking.

Through the crown of thorns that was put on Jesus’ head he has liberated man’s mind from the grip of mediocrity and limitations. You can work out your ideas with a certainty that they will prosper, because they will indeed prosper.

The platting of the thorns into the shape of a crown is worthy of note as it contains a revelation for humanity. The crown indicates a kingly position, and this lets us know that prosperity has somewhat to do with kingship. The influence of a king is a measure of his prosperity. King Solomon is a good example of this. Your kingly destiny in Christ will speak the more when it meets with wealth. No more are we under the curse of poverty, our ground is blessed; therefore, our seeds of business, ministry, idea can prosper because the ground is no longer cursed for man’s sake; rather, it is blessed for Jesus’ sake. Hallelujah!