Trials and Temptations “If we don’t quit, we win.” James 1:2-3 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. God wants to use trials to mature us. Get God’s perspective. Trust God’s process. James 1:4 (NIV) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 1a. We can use trials to draw closer to God. *“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” CS Lewis * Ask for His help. James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Stand firm in faith. James 1:6-8 (NIV) But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT) These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. Satan wants to use temptation to destroy us. James 1:13 (NIV) When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone… Understand the process of temptation. James 1:14-15 (NIV) ...but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Deception | Desire | Disobedience | Death “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” Be real about our weakness. James 1:16 (NIV) Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 2a. We can use temptation as a target for growth. Learn how to overcome. James 1:17 (NIV) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) 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. A – Avoid the situation C – Counter with the Word D – Develop healthy friendships C – Commit to prayer Live in victory. James 1:18 (NIV) He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
