Dealing With Temptation 1 Jn 2:16 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Remember, from last week, that the trouble with temptation begins in your mind. As preachers have said before, “Sow a thought, reap a desire; sow a desire, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character.” It all starts with a thought.
The next two things with which you must be concerned are your flesh and your eyes. Both of these have lusts. Lust is the desire to gratify the senses or bodily appetites including sexual desires. And the trouble is that these lusts can never be satisfied.
Prov 27:20 … the eyes of man are ____________ satisfied.
Jas 1:14-15 But every man is tempted when he is ______________ ___________ of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath __________________, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth _____________.
The sin conceived by lust will kill a man before he can satisfy the lust that conceived his sin.
So, concerning the flesh, here are some practical things we can do to combat temptations [in another lesson we will deal with the spiritual things we can do]:
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not _________________ for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
1 Pet 2:11 … ______________ from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
2 Tim 2:22 … ______________ also youthful lusts: but _______________ righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Ps 101:3 I will set ____ ______________ _______________ before mine eyes …
Job 31:1 I made a ______________ with mine eyes; why then should I _________ upon a maid?
Eph 4:22 That ye _______ _______ concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts … Eph 4:24 And that ye ______ _____ the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Here are two really good reasons to combat these temptations:
Ps 106:14-15 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent _________________ into their soul.
Ps 81:12 So I __________ ___________ _____ unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.