1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptationhas overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be temptedbeyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Temptation is the attractive opportunity to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

“Lust of the flesh” –our passions

“Lust of the eyes” – our possessions

“Pride of life” – our position. 

Feel

Have

To be

Genesis 3:6

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it

Matthew 4:2

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 

Approach #1

Matthew 4:3

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 

Approach #2

Matthew 4:5-6

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 

Approach #3

Matthew 4:8-9

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Temptation is the attractive opportunity to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way

Overcoming temptation has nothing to do with will power but everything to do with identity

Matthew 3:16-17

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 

Your identity frames your choices

James 1:13-14

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

Psalm 37:4

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart

Your identity will frame actions

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Your identity frames your completeness

John 15:11

I have told you this, so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 

“My deepest awareness of myself is that I’m deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn or deserve it.”

–Brennan Manning