Temptation is tactic used by the enemy against humans since the dawn of our creation. Dating as far back to the time of Adam and Eve, Satan used temptation in order to persuade Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. We all know that his temptation worked—Eve took the bite and committed the first sin—but why did it work? One of the reasons why it worked was because Satan fed temptation into a desire:
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6 ESV
Now, I don’t think I’m telling you anything new when I say our human desires and nature are not the same as God’s. When Eve acted on a human desire and committed the first sin, humans became separated from God, for God is perfect and free of sin. God’s desire on the other hand? To be in a relationship with every one of us. Yes, that’s right.
The God who created the universe and everything in it wants a relationship with you.
To make having a relationship with Him possible, God had His Son Jesus pay the price we deserved for our sins. As a result of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross, we now have the ability to communicate with God through the gift of His Holy Spirit, and we no longer have to be separated from God.
If giving into the temptation of a human desire leads to sin, and if sin creates a separation between us and God, then God, who wants to be near us and wants to have a relationship with us, would never do anything to tempt us.
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:13-17 ESV
Often times, when acting on our human desires, we obtain a temporary comfort or happiness. The happiness and comfort is often easily achievable, making it all the more enticing. But are our desires life giving? We can see in that passage that when we give into temptation and it causes us to act on our human desires and sin, the result is death. If we want what is truly best for us, we must be strong in fighting against temptation and seeking out what it is God is providing for us. God is faithful in providing everything we need at all times, and everything He provides is good.
With the power of God’s Spirit and His goodness on our side, no temptation Satan tries to throw our way can have power over us.