INTRODUCTION
This series on “Temptation”, distinguishes between temptations of lusts enticed by Satan and temptations designed to test and prove our faith. It will make you aware of the schemes and devices that the devil might employ to distract God’s people from completely devoting our hearts to Father God. It will provide guidance on how we may avoid or overcome temptations. In this first message, we examine the devil’s snare of lusts and sin; The tempter Satan, snares men to submit to spiritual activities that are not of God.
Ultimately, as we approach the Lent (and the Ramadan) season in holiness, prayer, self-denial and fasting to draw closer to God, the message will help our walk in overcoming lusts and temptations.
1. MEET THE TEMPTER
“Lucifer, son of the morning”, is man’s adversary in temptation. “…That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world [was] cast out [from heaven] into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”. (Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 12:9-10; Luke 10:18; Ezekiel 28:13-15).
Jesus says: “[Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him…for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44). Since the beginning, in God’s Eden Garden, when Adam and Eve fell to Satan’s lusts and lies, all mankind encounter his temptations. (Genesis 3).
Satan and his hosts of defiled ‘angelic’ beings go to and fro in the earth, and walk up and down in it, seeking whom they may devour with treats of lusts and lies; while he accuses men before our God Day and night. (Job 1:6-7; 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10; Zechariah 3:1-2).
2. LUSTS – THE TEMPTER’S SNARE
Temptations generally embed in lustful desires and are evil. The devil preys upon one’s lustful desires and entices by them, unto temptation. He uses subtilty craftiness, deception and lies to devour God’s people, by holding out lusts to them as he did to Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:1-5; 2 Corinthians 11:3).
For example, God commanded man saying he may freely eat of every tree of the garden of Eden: and that he shall “surely die” if he ate “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. But in order to deceive “the woman”, Satan craftily held out a lie, distorting God’s words asking: “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”. (Genesis 3:1).
He then enticed her saying: “Ye shall not surely die: [rather], your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil”. (Genesis 3:4-6). Drawn away with lusts, “the woman” saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise”, and was enticed. She “ate of the fruit and gave unto her husband”. (Genesis 3:4-6).
After this encounter, spiritually, mankind’s godly spirit died and was submitted to the sinful flesh and lusts. This is symbolised in God’s word to the woman saying: “… and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee”. (Genesis 3:16).
3. FLESH, ENTICEMENT AND SIN
Brethren, “… every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death”. (James 1:13 -15). Lusts of the flesh are sin and evil!
Lusts are vile natural passions, ‘weapons of power’ and control which work typically against God’s word. They include: pride, idolatry, lies, hypocrisy, strife, deceit, hatred, envy, jealousy, witchcraft, adultery, anger, malice, discord, unforgiveness, stubbornness, greed, and several other lustful dispositions. Anyone bearing such traits are vulnerable to temptation. They could be used by the devil to your hurt, or against others. (Deuteronomy 5:7-21; Galatians 5:20-21; Colossians 3:5).
3.1. THE MATRIACHS OF FAITH ENTICED
It is interesting to observe that as was with Eve, “the mother of all living”, Sarah, Rebekah and Rachael – the matriarchs of faith, were all ruled by lusts; and they enticed their husbands to their lustful desires over God’s word. (Genesis 3:20; Hebrew 11:11, 20).
For example, in spite of God’s promise to give them a son in their old age, Sarah lusted after having a child and enticed Abraham to go into her maid Agar to conceive Ishmael. (Genesis 15:4; 16:1-4; 17:15-21; 18:10-14). Similarly, God had said that the elder son of Rebekah’s twins shall serve the younger. Yet driven by lusts, she conspired to deceive Isaac and caused the younger son Jacob to steal Esau’s blessing. (Genesis 25:23-24; 27:6-29). And Rachael, who could not have children “envied her sister” and enticed Jacob to give her children by Bihah, her maid. (Genesis 30:1-6).
What shall we make of the faithful matriarchs and patriarchs, yielding to fleshly lusts and enticements? It shows that even those having faith in God can lust; and they can entice others to sin against God’s word. It also demonstrates the spiritual conflicts that people of faith wrestle with over their fleshly lusts and the will-power not to submit to sin; and the war over trusting and obeying God’s word or obeying the lusts of the flesh.
3.2. GOD’S TRUTH OR SATAN’S LIES
Brethren, lusts of the flesh are the tempters snare. They entangle mankind in the contest for choice between God’s word (the Spirit of Truth), and Satan’s spirit of Lies. On the one hand, TRUTH calls to believe in the truth of God’s word by faith. Here, one does not require sight, appeal, attraction, pleasantry or justification to believe.
On the other hand, LIES call to believe in Satan’s lies of lustful desires, which often, are deemed attractive, appealing, and pleasant to the eyes; or may be justified by worldly views or human wisdom. The force of the lies of lusts, because they are vile passions, may be over-powering in enticing one to obey their lusts, over the pure, sanctifying and righteous Word of God. (I Corinthians 2:4-5; Psalm 12:6; 19:8; Proverbs 30:5; John 17:17).
Brethren, anything that opposes God’s word is evil and a temptation! Beware therefore, of the vanities of eye-seeing and ‘prideful wisdom’, which in arrogance, will seek to assert man’s knowledge over divine truths.
The next message will examine lusts and spiritual conflicts in temptations; especially the conflicts between fleshly lusts, will-power, and the Spirit of God.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, we give thanks and praise for Your word.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”. (Matthew 6:9-13)
I make this prayer in JESUS Name.
Have a blessed week and a fruitful month, as you wait on the LORD.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 03/3/2025.
Access previous messages at <https://childrenofgraceministries.international>.
