Why does God allow us to be tempted? Why does God allow temptation in our lives? All of us have and daily deal with temptation. Besides the obvious abuse of modesty leading to sexual temptations, there are temptations such as eating unhealthy food and the temptation to each in larger quantities that we ought. There is the temptation for us not to work as hard as we can or not to work at all when we are supposed to be while being paid to do so. Then there are those tempting moments for us not to not speak the entire truth! And the list goes on. Today, I want to show you through the Book of Mark, chapter 1, that while God does not/cannot “cause” temptations (James 1:13), He does allow our temptations and trials for our own good. Let’s get started.
If we are being honest with ourselves, we will admit that there is an overwhelming amount of temptation in today’s world; especially in America, Europe and the West. It’s important to establish that God is not the “cause” of temptation, but does allow those temptations in our lives. James 1:13 says, “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”.
Today’s Truth Text is straight out of the Book of Mark, Chapter one, verses 12-13. Right after Jesus was baptized and came up out of the water, “the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove” (vs.10), “The Spirit IMMIDIATELY drove Him (Jesus) out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to Him” (Mark 1:12-3). What’s going on here? Why would God allow for this? What is God trying to accomplish? Let me explain:
FIRST: NOTICE THAT THE SPIRIT “IMMEDIATELY DROVE HIM” JESUS INTO THE WILDERNESS. Mark declares that “the Spirit drove” Christ into the wilderness. The verb used for “DROVE” was frequently used to describe Christ’s EXPULSION of demons and appears two other times in this chapter (VSS. 34, 39). The word “DROVE” also reflects Mark’s forceful style of writing as the other gospel writers used the word “LED”. To “drive” is to push from behind while the word “lead” is to pull from the front. Either way, it was God who was behind allowing Jesus himself in the flesh to be tempted by Satan himself.
SECOND: The word “TEMPTED” means both “TESTED” to prove what the person is (in this case God tested Christ) and tempted to solicit to evil (which was Satan’s goal). Mark writes of this event of “testing” as a very real experience of conflict that Jesus experienced personally. Being “TEMPTED BY SATAN” is something that all believers face, but Jesus triumphed completely over his adversary. It’s important to note that only Mark writes of the “ANGELS” who were ministering to Christ during His forty days of grueling temptation in the wilderness with the wild beasts. Mark speaks of the “WILD BEASTS” Jesus faced in the wilderness. Wild beasts were a very real thing in the wilderness and the Roman Christians who had seen those terrors first hand in the Roman Colosseum-arena made this very real to the reader.
IN APPLICATION: The “temptation” coupled with the very strong word “IMPELLED” or “DRIVEN” begs the question as to WHY God would drive Jesus to a position of temptation and testing.
TEMPTATION IS PART OF GOD’S WILL: It’s important to understand that the temptation of Jesus here in Mark 1 was part of God’s will. And this intense temptation was no ordinary temptation, as Jesus was tempted for FORTY DAYS. He was “tempted by Satan” for quite some time.
A TEMPTING-HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT: Jesus was “with the wild beasts”, which stresses the hostile environment. Temptations come in many forms. It’s important to understand that financial, sexual and even having access to power and authority over others certainly lead to the temptation and the testing of our flesh, strength, faith and belief in God. When we see godly leaders fail (i.e. Ravi Zacharias), it should become abundantly clear, that none of us are immune to temptation. This is why God allows different levels of temptation in that He is building us up with each temptation so that we can face larger temptations and trials. Without the testing, trials and temptations in life, we would not be able to be able to face our adversary on any level.
THE LENGTH OF OUR TEMPTATION AND TESTING. The number FORTY is used in Scriptures is commonly used of a time of testing (Deuteronomy 8:2; Numbers 13:25, 14:33-34). You and I might face a fleeting moment of temptation or a period of time of temptation and testing. It’s important to understand why Jesus was tempted for 40 days as a symbolic representation that “temptation” is really a time of “testing” of our soul, carnal desires, and the strength of our faith.
WE MUST UNDERSTAND WHO OUR ADVERSARY IS: The word “SATAN” is the name of our enemy, and means “an adversary” or “opponent”. When we face trials, temptations and stress, we often want to blame others in our time of stress, pain and trials. Let’s make sure in such times to stop, pray for the help, protection, provision and blessing of the Holy Spirit to take us THROUGH and not FROM those times of temptation and trials because God allows for such times in effort to build us up and mold us into greater men and women of God.
LASTLY, GOD IS OUR HOPE AND WILL HELP US: The specifics of Satan’s temptations are not given to us, but we know that when they were complete, the angels ministered to him (Jesus) with sustenance and encouragement. God met Jesus in His physical, emotional and spiritual needs. God didn’t just show up and tell Jesus to get moving, but He met Jesus’ needs as a human being who had just been tempted and tried for 40 days and nights. God will do the same for you and I. I want to leave you with a few encouraging Scriptures to pray through, meditate on, and apply to your life.
WILL GOD ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND YOUR ABILITY TO RESIST? The answer is NO. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13.
GOD’S SOLUTION-SIMPLY FLEE: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). When temptations come our way, we are wise to simply flee. By doing so, in most cases, we avoid the trials that will come as a result of our giving into such temptations.
IN CLOSING: Remember that we serve a God and High Priest who understands our suffering, temptations and trials because He (Jesus) himself has been templated and tried in human form (Hebrews 4:15). Lastly, because Jesus himself suffered and was tempted in human form, He is able to help you and I when tempted (Hebrews 2:18). And He sends His Spirit (Holy Spirit) as our Helper in such time.
Let’s remember that we will never face temptations and trials that take God by surprise or that are new to Him. All of us have to face all sorts of daily trials and temptations. God has seen it all. Besides the obvious abuse of modesty leading to sexual temptations all of us will face temptations relating to eating unhealthy food and temptations to skimp on our work ethic, speak the truth, to use our influence and power uprightly, and the list goes on. In such times, let’s remember the model Jesus gave us in how to respond to temptation and trials in the Book of Mark, chapter 1. God does not and cannot “cause” temptations (James 1:13). He does so for a reason. And that reason is to make us stronger in our faith and raise us up into greater, stronger men and women of God. “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.” ― G. Michael Hopf
