Welcome to the The Purity Bytes Podcast. This podcast is designed to give you bite-sized chunks of wisdom and helpful information about sexual purity. Visit us online at purityreport.com.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:13-15
Let’s cut to the chase.
We all sin. We all fall short of God’s high standard of living. We have all lied, stolen, coveted, lusted (which is adultery according to Jesus), dishonored our parents, placed other things before God, and the list goes on.
James levels the playing field by pointing out we are all tempted. No man, woman or child alive is free from temptation. Jesus Himself had to endure temptation (see Hebrews 4:15).
So, where does temptation come from?
James makes it clear we are all tempted by our own evil desires. Temptation does not come from without but from within. The lure of pornography or illicit sex does not come from pictures, pixels or prostitutes. The issue is the fallen flesh in which we live.
Satan also tempts us. He is called “the tempter.” However, when Satan tempts us, he uses the evil desires in our flesh as a vehicle. He merely dangles the bait.
Speaking of bait! The Greek words used in this passage to describe being “dragged away and enticed” by our lusts are also used to describe a fisherman reeling in a fish hooked onto his line. This is a very appropriate picture. Imagine if you will a fish swimming in a lake. He comes across a tasty looking morsel floating by. But, he cannot see well enough to notice the fishhook or the line leading to his ultimate demise. The fish is hungry and bites into the bait. The hook is set and the fish is hopelessly ensnared.
Now, the issue with this poor fish is not the bait that was waiting for him to come along. Many have said, “If we could ban all pornography and if women would dress appropriately then I wouldn’t be so tempted!” The fallacy of this kind of thinking cannot be overstated. The problem the fish had was that he was hungry! Because the fish was hungry the bait was completely irresistible. It was only a matter of time before this creature was hooked and dragged away. Of course, our temptation is not to eat a worm on a hook. Ours is much more subtle and deceptive. But, the problem we have is the same as that fish. Our flesh is hungry for sin. Our flesh knows nothing but sin and desires nothing but sin. Paul put it this way, “…nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. (Rom.7:18)”
So what do we do about temptation? We cut to the root - our evil desires!
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
Many times in the past I have tried different techniques to overcome temptation, and in particular sexual temptation. I have tried to pray more, read more scripture, be more accountable to other Christians, focus on Christian service, and the list goes on. I succeeded only in frustrating myself, burning myself out and becoming embittered toward the Christian life. I seemingly had no more power over my impulses after all of that activity than when I had first begun. Worse, my anger and frustration was contributing to my addiction even more.
I have since come to discovery that the “way out” is not an activity, discipline or technique. He is a person!
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Jesus Christ Himself is the way out of temptation.
Paul wrote that God would “provide a way out” and Jesus declared that “I am the way.” Putting these verses together gave me the answer that I was looking for!
Jesus knows that we are tempted and He wants to help us through it. He understands because He has also endured temptation (Hebrews 2:18). The way out of temptation is our relationship with Him. When we learn to fellowship with Jesus Christ in the midst of our temptation He strengthens us and turns our desires away from the object of our lust. The more we learn to turn to Him for help in the middle of temptation the more we become surrendered to His work within us. We are able to hear His voice in the midst of what formerly was a source of shame and despair.
I have found that my evil desires and temptation that comes through them no longer drag me away from the Lord. Now temptation actually drives me to Him! I have found through this principle that I am in fellowship with Jesus much more often and experience the peace that comes through resting in Him and allowing Him to handle the temptation for me. When I realize that a woman is in my presence that my eyes are drawn to, I begin to talk to Jesus in my mind (and sometimes aloud!). His peace and strength begin to flow through my thoughts and I feel His love and acceptance in that moment. Then my desire to lust after that women are overridden by the love and acceptance that Jesus offers to me. Jesus is doing His amazing work of transforming my mind. I have seen my sinful desires, and in particular pornography, masturbation and objectifying women, wane significantly since I learned to let Christ into my temptations.