THE THREE TEMPTATIONS
There are THREE temptations common to man that as you become AWARE of them, you will NOT SUCCUMB to them as readily OR as often. They are:
1.) The lust of the flesh,
2.) The lust of the eyes,
3.) The pride of life
This teaching is CRYSTAL CLEAR throughout the Bible - all one has to do is LOOK !
Adam and his wife fell for the temptations:
Gen 3:1-13 (NIV)
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"
4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.
5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the WOMAN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD (#1. TEMPTATION), AND PLEASING TO THE EYE (#2. TEMPTATION), AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM (#3. TEMPTATION), SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me-- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Jesus successfully resisted the temptations:
Luke 4:1-15 (KJV)
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD, COMMAND THIS STONE THAT IT BE MADE BREAD (#1. TEMPTATION). (How did Jesus overcome? . . . )
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5 And the devil, TAKING HIM UP INTO AN HIGH MOUNTAIN, SHEWED UNTO HIM ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD IN A MOMENT OF TIME.
6 AND THE DEVIL SAID UNTO HIM, ALL THIS POWER WILL I GIVE THEE, AND THE GLORY OF THEM: FOR THAT IS DELIVERED UNTO ME; AND TO WHOMSOEVER I WILL I GIVE IT.
7 IF THOU THEREFORE WILT WORSHIP ME, ALL SHALL BE THINE (#2. TEMPTATION). (Jesus AGAIN answered with the WORD of GOD . . . )
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD, CAST THYSELF DOWN FROM HENCE:
10 FOR IT IS WRITTEN, HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE, TO KEEP THEE:
11 AND IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR THEE UP, LEST AT ANY TIME THOU DASH THY FOOT AGAINST A STONE (#3. TEMPTATION). (What did Jesus do? . . . )
12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, HE DEPARTED FROM HIM FOR A SEASON.
14 AND JESUS RETURNED IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT INTO GALILEE (YOU GET PRETTY PUMPED UP AFTER WINNING A BATTLE WITH SATAN :) : and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
Here are the three temptations spelled out in plain English:
I Jn 2:16-17 (KJV)
16 For all that is in the world, THE LUST OF THE FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Here are the three temptations as defined in the Greek:
1.) The lust (longing, set your heart on) of the flesh (the body or sensual nature),
2.) The lust (longing, set your heart on) of the eyes (the eye or the eyes of the mind, the faculty of knowing),
3.) The pride (an empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthy things) of life (the present state of existence)
Pastor, HOW do I resist these temptations??
FIRST, KNOW about them so that you can watch for them.
SECOND, DECIDE not to yield to them and SPEAK the Word of God against them.
THIRD, WALK in the SPIRIT and you will NOT FULFILL the lust of the flesh :)
Here are some DETAILS in scripture to help you to know how to “walk in the Spirit”:
Gal 5:14-18 (KJV)
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YE SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.