The Golden Nugget: Some temptations seem impossible to overcome. But God will always make a way of escape if we look to him.
Daily Verse: “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 endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13
Daily Message:
People encounter temptations all the time. God never promised to keep temptations from you, but he did promise to give you all you need to fend them off. You can see how God provides a way of escape from temptation in the encounter Jesus had with the devil, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 4:1–11.
The devil tempted Jesus in three different ways: 1) suggesting Jesus trust him instead of God for sustenance, 2) challenging Jesus’ trust of God by encouraging Jesus to jump off the top of the temple to see if God would keep him from getting hurt, and 3) enticing Jesus by offering to make him king over all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus’s response to all three temptations was to submit to God. Nothing the devil offered could compare to the relationship between God and his son, Jesus. Jesus disarmed Satan’s temptations by relying on God for protection, good decisions, and the strength to withstand the devil. The devil could only slink away. God is the refuge from temptations.
Consider This:
- Are there some temptations that you think God cannot handle?
- In John 14:12, Jesus said that if you believe in Him, you are capable of doing even greater things than he did. How does that inform your ability to withstand temptation?
Take Action:
Sometimes we know a specific temptation is making its way toward us. Decide right now how you are going to resist that temptation. Ask God to give you the same ability Jesus had.