How to Resist Temptation
By Pastor Matt Black
13
January 2007
Leadership Paradigms
1 Corinthians
10:13
Open your Bibles to Psalm 18, and let’s read verse 13. The title of this morning’s message is “How to Resist Temptation”.
Introduction: We’re going to learn this morning that Christ comes into this world to set it right! In Adam the whole world fell into a world of iniquity, but when Christ comes into the world, He begins to recreate it one heart at a time!
Outline:
- Identify your Sin
- Identify your Saviour
- Identify your Stewardship
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
I. Identify your Sin
- Revelation. Identify your sin. Call it what it is.
Example: perfectionism- idolatry
Laid back: laziness and gluttony
- Repentance. If one is not repenting, he is persisting. To persist in sin is, not to abandon it. But if the commission be habitual, a thing allowed, a thing indulged in habitually--such a sin is persisted in.
A sin is persisted in, although it may not be outwardly repeated, if it be not duly confessed. If any of you had slandered his neighbor to his great injury, it would not do for you to merely abstain from repeating that offense.
- Restitution. The sin is not abandoned until it is confessed, and reparation made, so far as confession can make it. If not confessed, the injury is allowed to work; and therefore the sin is virtually repeated, and therefore persisted in.
II. Identify your Saviour
A. Summary of our creed is: Jesus is Lord
B. Lordship entails three areas
1. Control
2. Authority
3. Presence
Introduction: When any trial or difficulty comes along, a Christian’s greatest struggle is going to be accepting God’s will and keeping a right heart attitude toward the Lord and others. There are three aspects to the Lordship of Christ that are foundational to living the Christian life: Control, Authority, and His Presence. These three aspects of making Jesus Christ Lord is the foundation of living out our faith. Without understanding and living out the Lordship of Christ, we will be overtaken by our trials and the hurts of this life.
Authority Control
Control: God control’s all things. This
is seen first in Creation. He brings all things into existence. (Gen. 1:1,
John 1:1-3; Acts 17:28).
Authority: God's right to be obeyed stems from his status as Creator. God's authority is absolute: it may not be questioned (Job 40:1-5; Rom 9:20) and it extends to all areas of life (1 Cor 10:31; 2 Cor 10:5; Col 3:17).
Presence: Christ’s Lorship is personal. He has promised to be with us while working out His plan through our lives.
God’s Wonderful Control
The foundation of all of life is that God is in control of all things. What do the following verses tell us about God’s control?
1. What does the following verse tell us about God’s control in all things? Ephesians 1:11
2. Acts 17:28 says, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being”. What does this tell us about every detail of every day?
3. God’s control in making me who I am and my family who they are: Psalm 139:13-16
4. Colossians 1:17 says that by Jesus Christ “all things consist”. What does that mean to your present circumstances?
God’s Authority over our Lives
As we said above, God's right to be obeyed stems from his status as Creator. God's authority is absolute: it may not be questioned (Job 40:1-5; Rom 9:20) and it extends to all areas of life (1 Cor 10:31; 2 Cor 10:5; Col 3:17).
1. Job was a righteous man that loved God and loved his family. He questioned God many times throughout his trials. Did Job have a right to question God? (Look at Job 40:1-5)
2. Look at Romans 8:28-29. Does God have a purpose for suffering and hurt in our lives?
3. Now look at Romans 9:20. Do we have a right to understand what God is doing through the trials in our lives?
4. Read 2 Corinthians 10:5. Where does God’s authority over us begin?
5. Are certain anti-biblical thoughts controlling you? If so, what are they? Please name them specifically.
6. Colossians 3:17 tells us we should have a certain attitude in all the circumstances in life. What is that attitude, and how can you apply it to your situation in life?
7. Genesis 50:20 tells us that Joseph had a certain understanding about wrongs and hurts and difficuties in life. How would you describe his philosophy? How would you apply this philosophy to your life right now?
God’s Presence with Us
Christ’s Lordship is personal. He is working out His plan in and through us.
1. Look at Matthew 1:23. What is Christ’s name, what does it mean, and what does that mean to every detail of my life?
2. Hebrews 13:5 gives us a promise from Chrrist. What is it? Can anything go wrong in your life without God having a purpose in it and personally guiding you through it?
3. 1 Corinthians 3:16 and Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us God has given us a downpayment of heaven? What is it? What does that tell us of God’s investment in us?
4. Philippians 1:6 give us a promise that God will work in our lives until He brings us to heaven. What implications does that have on the trials you have gone through?
III. Identify your Stewardship
A. Definition
B. Submission
C. Spiritual Non-Negotiables
When great pressures enter our lives, there is an enormous temptation to direct our lives according to our own game plan. This would be fine if God were not sovereign, or if God did not have a plan for our lives. The fact is God owns everything, including us, God has our best in mind, and therefore God has the right to tell us what is best for us. This is called the Principle of Stewardship. Because we are God’s stewards, we are to care for God’s property (ourselves, our family, etc.) the way God intends. This is called the Principle of Submission. Finally with stewardship and submission in mind, we are going to look at the spiritual areas that are non-negotiable in the life of a child of God.
The Principle of Stewardship
A steward is a manager. In America, we live in an ownership society. We pride ourselves in doing what we want to do. Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way”. In God’s world, we cannot do it “our way” without devastating consequences to our lives and spiritual health. God owns us and every thing we have. We are not to treat anything we have as if it is ours. It is all God’s. A steward is a manager, and we must manage all things faithfully the way that God has prescribed in His Word.
1. Read 1 Corinthians 4:7-14. Would you treat your things differently if they belonged to someone else? What if you acted as if God owned everything you have: your home, your clothes, your furniture, your money, your time?
2. Read Job 31:24-28. According to these verses, where should our security be?
3.Think of a time recently when everything was going wrong. Did you obey God in the following areas: prayer and Bible reading, family, time, finances, church? According to Proverbs 3:5-6, should life’s problems affect our obedience? If not, why not?
4. According to I Corinthians 4:2, what is the trait that is most important in a steward?
The Principle of Submission
Since God owns me, I never have a right to tell Him no.
1. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” How many rights does a crucified person have?
2. Have you ever argued with God when bad things have come into your life? Read Job 1. What should your response be to God to every circumstance? We should W_________ God.
3. What is it that is keeping you from worshipping God in every circumstance in life?
4. What are the top 5 areas where you struggle with submitting to God?
5. According to Romans 12:1-2, what does submission to God accomplish?
6. Is there any one at this moment in your life that you want to please other than the Lord? If so, what must you do to make God first in your priorities?
The Spiritual Non-Negotiables
Since God owns us, He has the right to tell us what to do. Since He has our best in mind, we will always bring hurt by not doing God’s clearly revealed will. We will cover two areas in our study today.
God and His Salvation
God saved you to use you and that you would stop worshipping yourself and worship Him.
What does 2 Peter 3:18 mean when it says to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of…Christ”? What are some practical ways you can do that?
According to Romans 10:17 and James 5:16, what are two of the ways that God gives us grace (the Puritans called them the “means of grace”? Can you think of other ways God gives us His grace?
- Are you willing to meet with the Lord each day in prayer in the Word?
- Are you willing to be accountable to another person for this time? ____________
God and His People
The Scriptures tell us that Christ gave His life for His church. He died so that He could redeem a bride that “he might present it to himself a glorious church”.
1. What does Hebrews 10:25 mean when it says we should not forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”?
2. Read Acts 2:41-47. What were the activities of the early believers”?
3. Read Ephesians 5:27. What is God’s purpose in keeping us in the fellowship of the church? What will happen if we are not in fellowship with God’s people?
God and His Resources
Matthew 6:21 tells us, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Jesus here tells us the most important lesson about money. Our heart, our desire and hope, is tied closely to our treasure. Our money and our heart go together. We all know that, of course, to some extent. But when Jesus calls our attention to this part of our character, he confronts us. He alerts us to the powerful tug that material wealth possesses, an allure that makes us do and act and believe contrary to our Christian confession. We say that we live for heaven. Our pocketbook shows us what we really live for. He calls us to examine where we place our money and our heart: earthly pleasures that fade away or eternal kingdom investments that last forever.
1. Where is most of your treasure? Is that where your heart is?
2. When you give, does that frighten you or excite you? Why?
Read Deuteronomy 8:17-18: “And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
3. Read Psalm 50:7-15 in conjunction with the verse above. Do you act like God "owes" you something? Why?
3. 2 Corinthians 9:7 gives the principle of cheerful giving. Of course Malachi 3:8 tells us if we do not give God His tithes and offerings, we are robbing God. Of course God owns everything, not just the tithe. As you study 2 Corinthinas 9:7 and Malachi 3:8-11, what are some things that God will do if you withhold what is His?
4. In the same thought, what will God do if you give you live under His Lordship with His resources?
Other Areas
There are many other non-negotiables in the Christian life that we have not named.
- What are some areas that come to your mind? (please include a scripture reference)
- As you meditate on this lesson, what are some areas of stewardship in which you have managed poorly (pleased yourself, acted like an owner)? What are some areas you have managed well (pleased God, acted like a manager)?