“The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.”
                                     Genesis 3:6  NIV

I love comedy.  When we went to NYC I was so happy that I got to see the Saturday Night Live set.  One day I’d love to attend a taping.

church lady

 

In the 1980’s there was a skit called Church Chat, where Dana Carvey played a character named The Church Lady.  In these skits the Church Lady would mock celebrities on their moral failings.  When trying to get them to admit what caused them to do what they they did, she would inevitably turn her head, look in the camera and ask, “Was it…S-a-t-a-n?”  Her question exposed the truth of where our temptation comes from.

 

In the garden of Eden Satan took on the form of a serpent.  He tempted Eve through her eyes and ears.

With her eyes she was attracted to the beauty of the tree and its fruit.  Oh how often what we see as beautiful can create an unhealthy desire within.   Eve’s ears heard what eating the fruit could do for her and this appealed to her deepest desires for self-worth.

Temptation happens when the enemy of our soul recognizes an unhealthy desire in us
and then exploits it.  

James says,

“each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”1

The slippery slope of sin starts with us.  Satan tempts our desires and we become bound by them.

James goes on to say,

“Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.”2

In The Beginning, we were able to be tempted, and nothing has changed in that regard; but what has changed since the garden is our ability to reject temptation and not let it give birth to sin.

In Romans 7 & 8, Paul tells that we can overcome our sinful nature because we are

“more than conquerors through him who loved us”.

Let there be a bounce in your step as you walk through today knowing that you have what it takes to defeat temptation.  You are more than a conqueror!

Prayer

Father…
Your Words says that You will give me the desires of my heart, as I delight myself in You.4  I want You to fulfill the desires of my heart, not the enemy.  Help me to spend time with You and in Your Word so the desires of my heart get in line with Your heart.  Let my desires, my motives be so pure that they leave nothing for me to be tempted with.
In Jesus Name…Amen

1                James 1:14
2                James 1:15-16
3                Romans 8:37
4                Psalm 37:4

#Dare2Share
Post in the Comment Section below

 Check out my blog Later in the week for a FREE Bible Study on:

10 WAYS TO BEAT TEMPTATION

Sherry Stahl