House of Glory: What Is Temptation?

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

Everybody experiences temptation. It doesn't matter how "spiritual" you are or how long you've followed Christ. Sometimes, it seems like a faint whisper. Other times, it's an unbearable shout in your mind. Regardless of how it sounds, you know what it's like to be tempted. But if someone asked, could you define it?

Temptation is simply an enticement to take a God-given desire beyond God-given boundaries. Many people reject this idea. They refuse to believe their temptation could be even remotely related to God. But think about it: in what ways are you most often tempted? Material possessions? Intimacy? Relationships? Food? These are all things that God not only created, but also uses to bless His people. The problem comes when we take those drives beyond the healthy limits God set.

For example, He created sex for enjoyment within marriage. But this divinely approved desire is horribly corrupted by physical intimacy outside of marriage. In those cases, something the Creator designed for His purposes becomes a source of guilt and shame. That's not what God intended.

One of Satan's top strategies is to distort a God-given drive for his own evil purposes. You can short-circuit such an attack by reminding yourself of the origins of this drive and praying for the strength to use those drives for God's glory.