Temptation’s Limit

Written by Vinnie Tumia

Temptation is a pain. Day in and day out, it visits our life. And it’s not just a harmless desire for a second dessert with a few more calories. Instead, it’s a barrage of alluring pulls toward our weakness. That ‘Achilles’ heel’ could alter the course of our life and ruin relationships.

While God doesn’t tempt us with evil, He permits the temptations we face. He is not the tempter, but He leaves the door unlocked so the tempter can enter. The great news is that there are also times that He intervenes for us.

Genesis 20:6 “And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.”

Abraham was a believer struggling to trust that God would protect him. In his doubts, he lied about his relationship with Sarah. He figured a heathen king would kill him to get to his gorgeous wife. King Abimelech was not a God follower. He was a gentile king following the path of his unbridled heart. Abimelech took Sarah in, assuming she was single. Then God stepped forward!

In His astounding grace, God kept Abimelech from doing what normal, hormone-driven, powerful, unsaved men do. That night, Abimelech never touched Sarah. Instead, God intervened. “for I also withheld thee from sinning against me.” We don’t know how God restrained the King:

• An upset stomach?
• A sudden migraine?
• Some unexpected company?
• An emergency trip to after-hours?

However it happened, He did it. God can and will do the same for us. After all, He did it for an unbeliever! Jesus said it this way: “Pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Luke 22:40).

Though we have already succumbed to past temptations that we could have avoided, there are avoidable temptations in our future.

One big solution is to ask for God to deflect the enticements! Why is this not a daily or even hourly request that we bring to God? The only reason we wouldn’t is that we love our sin too much, or we believe we are immune to its danger.

There are avoidable temptations in our future.

While we can‘t avoid all temptations, we can avert some! So, let’s get to praying!