BySome people in church believe that the temptations they face are from God and that He is testing them. This belief leads them to think that the temptations are good and friendly and that God is somehow involved in regulating them so they won’t be negatively affected. As a result, they begin to negotiate some of the temptations with God, believing that He is somehow a party to the temptation. These thoughts stem from a lack of understanding of the doctrine of free will and man’s depraved nature. With a better understanding of these concepts, they would realise that God can’t be tempted by evil.
Evil is prevalent in the world
“And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” – 1 John 5:19.
As a person who has accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour (a born-again person), you are of God. It is the devil that rules the world, and those who are not of God are of the world. Wickedness is the order of the day in the world because of this. So, if someone gets tempted to rape someone, it is not God that caused it, no. It is the world ruled by the devil. God cannot be tagged with these things. In Habakkuk 1:13 (KJV), the Bible says,
“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity…”
God is too pure to behold evil. How, then, can He be the one responsible for temptations as evil as the ones we go through? Once you are in the world, you will be tempted by things of the world; its ruler, the devil, will tempt you. It is until God comes in to deliver you from your depraved nature that you.
God is too pure to behold evil. How, then, can He be the one responsible for temptations as evil as the ones we go through?
Process your thoughts well
If God is in charge of your mind, you will make good decisions. For that matter, you must submit your thoughts to the Lord. One way through which believers can get rid of evil thoughts is by casting down demonic imaginations. How? By the speaking of God’s Word in authority. Yes. When your thinking pattern is in the Scriptures, and your concern is about kingdom business, you can cast down demonic imaginations which breed temptation. The solution of casting down demonic thoughts is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 10:5. The devil must be resisted fiercely when he tries to infiltrate your thoughts. Once you entertain him, you make the temptation stronger.
Submit to the Word
Always focus on submitting to the teachings of the Word without compromise. Be like the apostles in Acts 6:4, who gave themselves continually to prayer and the Word of God. In most cases, it is a mind that is not submitted to the Word of God and prayer that is tempted. Do not get it twisted. You can be submitted to the Word so that your temptations die away. How many times was Jesus tempted in the Bible? How many times are you tempted in a day? For instance, a young man whose mind is full of lust can be tempted to have sex with a colleague who is married. However, a young man who has submitted to the Word may not even be tempted by a married woman. Why? The truth he has gotten from scripture makes such a temptation disgusting to him. When you submit yourself to the Word, some things do not tempt you anymore, and even when they do, you overcome them with the Word of God.
In summary, understand that God can’t be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone with evil. The temptations you face stem from the wickedness prevalent in the world, your own depraved nature, and the influence of the devil. By recognising this truth, you can better equip yourself to resist temptation and grow in your faith. To overcome temptations, process our thoughts carefully and cast down demonic imaginations through the power of God’s Word. Submitting yourself fully to scripture and prayer is essential in building a solid defence against temptation. As you grow in your knowledge and application of God’s Word, you will become less susceptible to certain temptations and more capable of overcoming those you face.
