GRACE INCREASE WHEN BORN AGAIN’S ARE TEMPTED
As we have seen in the beginning of this book that all people are first born as sinners. However I believe we are not tempted into doing sin from our first birth, but that we do sin by natural nature, even as young children. I believe that temptation really begins after we become born again in the Spirit. The devil does not bother to tempt sinners to do sin, however he cannot wait to tempt a newborn saint, with a newly washed robe, to do sin again. But take heart, our Lord Jesus defeated the devil!
In the following verses we can see that the devil also tried, but failed, to tempt Jesus just after Jesus received the Baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." 4 But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Now look very carefully at the scripture above. The very first thing that satan, with his temptation approach, asked Jesus, is whether Jesus really is the Son of God. This could very well be the same case with the new- born child of God. The devil wants the born-again child of God to question whether he or she really are or have become the son or daughter of God. In the same verse, another thing we see is that the devil wants Jesus to perform a miracle in order to prove His Identity. We can see that performing miracles cannot prove one’s status as a child of God, otherwise Jesus would have turned those stones into bread, and instead Jesus spoke the word of God against those accusations. Likewise as born-again children of God we can do exactly the same. The next thing we see is that the devil wants Jesus to commit suicide and then try to convince Jesus that He would be saved by God by attempting so. This is also a very important fact we can learn regarding suicide. In the devil’s last approach, he offers to Jesus all the wealth and power of the world if Jesus would worship him. As we also know that money is the root of all evil (1Titus 6:9-10). Then again, Jesus provoked and defeated the devil by speaking the word of God.
1Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 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.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
My journey first started out as having faith in Jesus, which, after many trails and failures turned to an endless hope in Him. Eventually it all led to an everlasting love for Him because I never knew what true love was until I discovered that It’s not a feeling, but a person. God is Love; He is the source of Love. His promises never fail, He forgives and He loves unconditionally.