“Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”
‍Luke 22:40

We should make it a point daily to not only pray, but pray that the Lord protects our minds and hearts from all temptation. We must never confuse God’s testing and trials with Satan’s temptation and seduction. Unfortunately, it is us that turn our testing into temptation when we stop relying on the Promises of God and begin to rely on our own wisdom and strength.

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God will test us at some point in our life to strengthen our faith, deepen our trust in Him, mature us as a Disciple, and allow us to accomplish good under tough circumstances for the Glory of God. Through every test, we are to endure with patience seeking the Wisdom of God through faith, not our flesh. The Lord promises to give liberally to those that desire the wisdom of His Word and a patient strength. Satan, on the other hand, tempts by deceiving us in believing bad things are good and a little sin here and there will do no harm. Satan would rather us abide in sin and trust in our flesh rather than faith in God and God’s Holiness. The evil one wishes to tear down our faith and move our trust from the Lord onto our flesh, the world, or the devil himself.

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- God wants us to trust; Satan wants us to lust
- God teaches us dependence; Satan teaches independence
- God is love; Satan is hate
- God provides Salvation; Satan provides damnation
- God calls us good; Satan calls us never good enough
- God’s Word is Truth; Satan’s taunts are lies

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”

‍Ephesians 6:17–18

Though our greatest defense is the shield of faith, we need to remember our greatest offensive weapon to the temptation of Satan is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. As Jesus Christ was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, Jesus used the Word of God and belief in every word against Satan’s trickery. If the Bible was enough for Jesus then, it should be more than enough for us today. The Bible keeps our minds in obedience to Jesus, worship of God alone, and our focus on the Will of God. The Word of God keeps us out of the imaginations of our own minds and in the all-wise Mind of God that bends us away from the faults of our flesh and towards the Power of the Spirit. It is one thing to simply say God’s Word, it is another thing to know God’s Word, but it does not become the Sword of the Spirit until we believe God’s Word. The Truth of the Bible and belief in every word kicks the deception of Satan, as we say here in the south, “where the sun don’t shine.”

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God will test us occasionally, but never leads us into temptation and sin.

“God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”

‍1 Corinthians 10:13

Our way out of any trial of God or temptation of Satan can only be found at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is there alone where we find our victory over the trials of life and the temptations of Satan. God gave us His Son Jesus to deliver us from evil; not lead us to it.