GOD DOES NOT TEMPT US BUT SATAN WILL CERTAINLY TRY
1 Cor 7:5
5 Do not refuse and deprive and defraud each other [of your due marital rights], except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer. But afterwards resume marital relations, lest Satan tempt you [to sin] through your lack of restraint of sexual desire. [Ex 19:15.]
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5 Do not refuse and deprive and defraud each other [of your due marital rights], except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves unhindered to prayer. But afterwards resume marital relations, lest Satan tempt you [to sin] through your lack of restraint of sexual desire. [Ex 19:15.]
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Transcript
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00:29Our message today is entitled, God does not tempt us but Satan will certainly try.
00:37When we look into the scripture for our answers regarding this subject today, we
00:44see that Satan attempts to tempt us with every kind of evil and he lays snares
00:51for us even in our best actions. He lays incentives or influences before our
00:59minds in hopes to cause us to sin against the Most High God. For example, in
01:071st Thessalonians chapter 3, when Apostle Paul was speaking to the brethren, he
01:14told them in verse 4, for even when we were with you, you know, we warned you
01:21plainly beforehand that we were to be pressed with difficulties and made to
01:26suffer afflictions, just as to your own knowledge it has since happened. Verse 5,
01:33that is the reason that when I could bear the suspense no longer, I sent that
01:40I might learn how you were standing in strain and the endurance of your faith,
01:46for I was fearful, lest somehow the tempter had tempted you and our toil
01:52among you should prove to be fruitless and to no purpose. Well you see, Satan is
02:01called the serpent of old, he is called the devil and the tempter. He tempted our
02:08first parents Adam and Eve, our Savior, and he also tempted Ananias and Sapphira
02:17to lie to the Holy Spirit. The account is told in Acts chapter 5 verse 3. Now
02:27tempt or test means to try or test. The word is used in different senses and it
02:36does not always involve an evil purpose with an inducement to sin. God tested
02:45Abraham, as we're told in Genesis chapter 22, God commanded him to offer up his son
02:53Isaac purely for the purpose of proving his obedience and faith to confirm and
03:00strengthen him by his trial. This great trial was to provide him an example of
03:08perfect obedience for all future ages. When it is recorded for future
03:16generations that God tested his people for the purpose of whether they would
03:21walk in his way or not, and that he allowed false prophets to rise up among
03:27them who prophesied vain and empty lies and things to try them to see whether or
03:33not they would seek the Lord with their whole hearts, well we have to interpret
03:38these acts by what was spoken in James chapter 1 beginning in verse 13. Let no
03:48one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God, for God is incapable of being
03:54tempted by what is evil and he himself tempts no one. Verse 14, but every person
04:01is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desires, lusts
04:08and passions. Verse 15, then the evil desire when it is conceived gives birth
04:14to sin and sin when it is fully matured brings forth death. You see people are
04:22said to tempt God when they unreasonably require proofs of his divine presence,
04:29his power or his goodness. All we have to do is look around at his astounding
04:36creation and beauty of what is miraculously created and spoken in
04:41Romans chapter 1 verses 19 and 20 which declares, for that which is known about
04:48God is evident to them and made plain in their inner conscience because God
04:54himself has shown it to them. For ever since the creation of the world his
04:59invisible nature and attributes, that is his eternal power and divinity, have been
05:05made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things
05:10that have been made, his handiworks. So men are without excuse all together
05:17without any defense or justification. Well let it be known that it is proper
05:25and fitting for us to seek our loving Father's divine assistance and to pray
05:31to him to give us what we need, but we are not to tempt him or expose ourselves
05:38to dangers from which we cannot escape without miracles. So a share, a personal
05:47experience which happened to me many years ago when I was learning about the
05:52power and the presence of the Holy Spirit. My husband Lee and I were in a
05:58prayer meeting and I pressed the Holy Spirit for something that I felt was
06:04very important and proper for the time for his immediate help. In my impatience,
06:12do you catch that? In my impatience I pressed him so much at that time that he
06:20withdrew his presence from me. Dear listener, this was the most awful and
06:27horrible and empty experience that I have ever had in my entire life. God
06:35withdrew himself from me and I felt naked without his presence and covering
06:42This must have been how Adam and Eve felt in the garden when they sinned
06:47against God. I fell on my knees. I begged God to forgive me and I cried out like
06:54David in Psalms 51 when he said, cast me not away from your presence and take not
07:01your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me
07:08with a willing spirit. I learned a hard lesson that day. You see, God is not
07:16obligated to work miracles in our favor and he will certainly not be ordered
07:23around by immature, childish faith. There is a testimony that deals with
07:30patience in tribulation which reminded me of myself back in that day. It begins
07:38by telling that there was a certain lady who prayed a great deal for patience. She
07:45complained to another Christian that while she prayed for patience, all she
07:50seemed to get was trouble. The reply was, the Lord is sending you trouble in order
07:56to produce patience in you. The testimony goes on to say, how many times have you
08:03prayed for patience and the Lord sent along your way a child that was naughty
08:08or disobedient or a boss who was demanding and or a husband and or a wife
08:15who was difficult to live with. The testimony ended by the Christian lady
08:21telling the impatient woman, it was all an answer to your prayer for patience so
08:29that you may have the opportunity to exercise and practice it. Accept it from
08:35the hand of God for that is your part in training. You see, the Israelites
08:42frequently tempted God in the desert as if they had reason to doubt his presence
08:48or his goodness or his power after all of his appearances and miracles on their
08:54behalf. They were a hard and stiff-necked people. In Psalms chapter 78, beginning in
09:03verse 17, we read of how they tempted and tested God by demanding that he provide
09:10for them on their terms rather than by simply trusting and obeying him and
09:17standing in awe with grateful thanksgiving and praise. Verse 17 tells us,
09:23but they sinned even more against him by rebelling against the Most High in the
09:29wilderness and they tested God in their hearts by asking for food of their fancy.
09:35Yes, they spoke against God. They said, can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
09:42Behold, he struck the rock so that the waters gushed out and the streams
09:47overflowed. Can he give bread also? Can he provide meat for his people? Therefore the
09:54Lord heard this and was furious. So a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger
10:00also rose up against Israel because they did not believe in God and did not trust
10:07in his salvation. Yet he had commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of
10:13heaven, had rained down manna upon them to eat and given them of the bread of
10:19heaven. Men ate angels' food. He sent them food to the full. He caused an east wind to
10:27blow in the heavens and by his power he brought in the south wind. He also rained
10:34meat on them like the dust, feathered fowl like the sand of the seas, verse 28,
10:40and he let them fall in the midst of their camp all around their dwellings. So
10:46they ate and were well filled and he gave them their own desire. They were not
10:51deprived of their craving, but while their food was still in their mouths, the
10:57wrath of God came against them and slew the stoutest of them and struck down the
11:02choice men of Israel. In spite of this, they still sinned and did not believe in
11:09his wondrous works. Therefore their days he consumed in futility and their years
11:16in fear, verse 34. When he slew them, then they sought him and they returned and
11:23sought earnestly for God and then they remembered that God was their rock and
11:29the Most High God was their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they flattered him with
11:34their mouths and they lied to him with their tongue, for their heart was not
11:39steadfast with him, nor were they faithful in his covenant, verse 38. But he, being
11:47full of compassion, forgave their iniquity and he did not destroy them. Yes,
11:53many times he turned his anger away and he did not stir up his wrath, for he
11:58remembered that they were but flesh and a breath that passes away and does not
12:03come again. Even the scribes and the Pharisees often tested Jesus and
12:10endeavored to catch him in their snares. For example, we see this in Matthew
12:16chapter 22, verse 18. But Jesus perceived their wickedness and he said, why do you
12:24test me, you hypocrites? Now, the meaning of the word tempt and temptation means
12:34experience or trial, to perforate or pierce through in order to find out the
12:42character or the constitution of someone or something. You see, if steel is going
12:49to be used for a building, its character or solidness must be tried to see
12:55whether it is strong enough for the job that is destined for. The devil tempts us
13:02with the precise purpose of showing that we are failures and his main effort is
13:08to destroy the trust we have in God and his son Jesus Christ. His main purpose
13:15and thrust is to destroy mankind. Jesus tells us in John chapter 10, verse 10,
13:22that the thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they
13:31may have and enjoy and have it in abundance to the full till it overflows.
13:38God never tempts us in this way. He tries or tests us to prove to us and others so
13:47that we might grow and mature in righteousness and can be used with
13:52greater trust by him. Jesus allowed himself to be tempted to show the world
13:58that there is a devil and that he is very active in this world. God's Word is
14:04called the book of life and the activity of the devil is clearly shown in this
14:10heavenly book which shows mankind that he is real, vicious, wicked, and cunning.
14:18Apostle Paul calls him the prince of the power of the air. Jesus endured this
14:25temptation to prove to us since the devil tempted even Jesus who is the
14:31author and creator of life, there is not a single one of us that Satan will leave
14:38alone. He tested Jesus, he will test us. And we learn and we're taught in this
14:46wonderful book of life that as Jesus faced the devil victoriously, so can we
14:53with his word and his power as genuine believers who live in him. Though Jesus'
14:59temptation by Satan, we learn also that whatever is suggested by the devil cannot
15:06possibly be for our eternal good or welfare. And we see clearly also through
15:13Jesus' temptation that giving priority to material prosperity which is
15:19symbolized by the making of bread out of stones and premature fame and by
15:26ruling over kingdoms of the world are all of the devil. God never desires that
15:33we have material prosperity at the expense of our salvation and our
15:39spiritual relationship with him. We learn that our focus and desire and longing as
15:46believers must be for God's kingdom and righteousness first. Then all of our
15:53physical needs will be added as taught by our dear Savior in Matthew's gospel
15:59in chapter 6 verse 33 and 34 when he says, but seek and aim and strive after
16:07first of all his kingdom and his righteousness, his way of doing and being
16:12right and then all these things taken together will be yours besides. So do not
16:18worry or be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties
16:24of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble. You see Jesus' temptation
16:32also shows us that out of every temptation of the devil we can become
16:38stronger. Then Jesus will entrust us with greater responsibilities in his
16:43kingdom. There's a wonderful testimony that I read that tells about an old
16:49saint in the days past. His name was the Venerable Bede, B-E-D-E, who lived a life
16:59of such, who lived in such purity and serenity that his young students whom he
17:07was teaching marveled. The wonder grew upon all of them so greatly that at
17:14length they resolved to approach the master and asked to be told the secret
17:20of his purity and his peace. They came one day and said, father we are harassed
17:27with many temptations which appeal to us so often and so strongly that they give
17:33us no rest. You seem to be untroubled by these things and we would like to know
17:41the secret. Do not the temptations that harass our souls appeal to you? Do they
17:48never come knocking at the door of your heart? The old man listened and he smiled
17:55and he said, my children I do know something of the things of which you
18:02speak. The temptations that trouble you do come making their appeal to me but
18:10when these temptations knock at the door of my heart I answer, the place is
18:16occupied. That is awesome. Probably not one of us who are listening to this
18:23message today and all others who will hear it at a later time have not been
18:28spared of the temptations and the harassments of the evil one at one time
18:33or another in our lives. But dear listener, you must not despair or be
18:39troubled. Remember our dear Savior taught us how to pray. Lead us not into
18:46temptation. In Matthew's gospel in chapter 6 verse 13, which is called the
18:52Lord's Prayer, let's read that to refresh our memories beginning in pray
18:57therefore like this, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your
19:03kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this daily
19:10bread and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven, left remitted, and let
19:17go of other debts. And have given up resentment against our debtors and lead
19:24us, bring us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For yours
19:30is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Verse 13 declares
19:37lead us not into temptation. If we look at the preceding scripture which says
19:45forgive us our trespasses or sins as we forgive others, we have actually prayed
19:52that the guilt of sin may be removed and that we may not be tempted to do it
19:57again. It's not as though God tempts anyone to sin and that is scriptural and
20:05because it is scriptural it is indeed a fact that you can believe in and trust.
20:12King David prayed in Psalms chapter 19 verses 13 and 14, keep back your servant
20:20also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall
20:26be blameless and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression. Let the
20:32words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O
20:36Lord, my firm impenetrable rock, my Redeemer. This is like praying, Lord do
20:45not let Satan loose upon us. Chain up that roaring lion because he is wicked,
20:51subtle, and deceitful, and spiteful. Dear Lord, please do not leave us to
20:57ourselves for we are very weak, my Lord. Please do not lay stumbling blocks and
21:03snares before us, nor put into circumstances things that may cause us
21:09to fall. O Lord, please have mercy upon us, your weak, ignorant, and fragile
21:15children. You see, dear children in Christ, temptations are to be prayed against
21:23both because of the discomfort and trouble they bring and because of the
21:29danger we are in by being overcome by them. And not only that, but the guilt and
21:36the grief that follows afterwards. Our part is to pray and trust the Lord for
21:43his protection and deliverance from evil. Lord, please deliver us from evil, from
21:49the evil one, the devil, the tempter. Keep us that neither we may not be assaulted
21:55by him nor we may not be overcome by his assaults. You see, Satan leads people
22:02into sin by various means. Sometimes he does it by direct suggestion, in the case
22:09of Judas Iscariot, and sometimes through his agents who disguise themselves as
22:15messengers of God. And sometimes he leads people into sin through a person's own
22:22weakness. He tempted Christ directly, trying to lead him into compromise by
22:30promising him worldly authority and power. Along with his work of tempting
22:35mankind, Satan also delights in deception. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, verses 25 and 26,
22:44we see the qualifications of those who serve the Lord. Verse 25, he must correct
22:51his opponents with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may
22:55grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, that they will perceive
23:00and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge. Verse
23:0526, that they may come to their senses and escape out of the snare of the devil,
23:10having been held captive by him, henceforth to do his God's will. And
23:19also, we must add that the scripture speaks about the sins of the flesh, and
23:27these are things as well, that in overcoming the sins of the flesh, these
23:34also qualify us to serve the Lord. Hallelujah.
23:41Dear ones, this is a big issue in our day today. Many, even those who sit in the
23:48church, are held captive by Satan's deception and lies, and their own weak
23:54preferences and inclinations. Satan's evil methods are designed ultimately to
24:02silence and destroy the gospel. He seeks to stop the spread of the gospel, God's
24:10Word. In the parable of the sower, we see this in Matthew chapter 13, verses 18 and
24:1719, when he teaches, listen then to the meaning of the parable of the sower.
24:22While anyone is hearing the word of the kingdom and does not grasp and
24:27comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart,
24:32and this is what was sown along the roadside. We see that when the gospel is
24:39preached, Satan tries to blind God's people in understanding so they cannot
24:45grasp the meaning of the message. We must remember that the death of Jesus
24:51Christ on the cross is the basis for Satan's final defeat. This event is the
24:59grand climax to a sinless life during which Jesus triumphed over the devil
25:05repeatedly. Satan hates purity and righteousness. Christ's death upon the
25:11cross defeated Satan's hold over those who have come to him for repentance and
25:16forgiveness of sin, and life promised to live in his holy standard of
25:21righteousness, which is found only in him alone. Our strength for Christian victory
25:29over sin again is provided through the death of Christ. We have assurance that
25:37the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet in Romans chapter 16 verse 20.
25:45But now we need to understand that such personal victory depends on our will to
25:53offer resistance to Satan's temptations. We are told in Ephesians chapter 4 verses
26:0125 through 32 that the resistance that we need to continually work on to live
26:08in this victory. So we're going to read that, beginning in verse 25, again chapter
26:164 of Ephesians, verse 25.
26:21Therefore putting away lying, let each one of you speak in truth with his
26:26neighbor, for we are members of one body. Be angry and do not sin, and do not let
26:33the sun go down in your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole
26:39steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that
26:46he may have something to give him who is in need. Verse 29, let no corrupt word
26:53proceed out of your mouth, for what is good and necessary edification, that it
26:58may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by
27:04whom you were sealed for in the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath,
27:10anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be
27:17kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in
27:25Christ forgave you. And also in 1st Peter chapter 5, verses 8 and 9, we are
27:32reminded, be well-balanced, temperate, sober-minded, be vigilant and cautious at
27:40all times, for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring
27:47in fierce hunger, seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him, be
27:53firm in the faith against his onset, rooted, established, strong, immovable, and
27:59determined, knowing that the same identical sufferings are appointed to
28:05your brotherhood and the whole body of Christians throughout the world. You see,
28:10to help Christians win this battle against Satan, God has provided the power
28:16of Christ's blood and the continuing prayer of Jesus Christ in heaven for
28:22believers and the leading of the Holy Spirit and personal weapons for
28:27spiritual warfare. He did not leave us as orphans without provision and protection
28:33and guidance. This short, in a nutshell, study on showing that God does not tempt
28:42us, but Satan will surely try, describes how easily we can misunderstand God's
28:49purposes in the experiences and situations that he permits in our lives.
28:56What we think to be temptation can actually be an exercise for acquiring
29:03strength. In James chapter 1, in verse 2, we are told, count it all joy when you
29:12fall into different temptations. Let us recognize God's hand of strengthening
29:19and training in what we would rather shun and run away from. This all shows us
29:25where God will lead us. He will not abandon us, but he walks with us and he
29:32provides all the guidance and protection that we need, dear listeners. Jesus Christ
29:38has provided it all by his death, burial, and resurrection on the cross. Let us be
29:45eternally grateful forever and ever. Hallelujah!
30:08you