The dictionary defines ‘to tempt’ to mean ‘to persuade or attract someone to do something that seems pleasant or advantageous but may be unwise or immoral’.
Who is the one who tempts us?
Who is the one who tempts us? Satan! He is roaming on the earth like a lion, seeking people to devour (1 Peter 5:8). However, he is not entirely to blame as James 1:14 tells us temptation also originates in us: “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” Three particularly common sources of temptation are money, sex and power. Are you only interested in making more and more money? Do you watch sexually explicit movies, read unwholesome books, watch porn? Will you do anything to have power over others even if it means doing things that are underhand including engaging the occult?
Do you see how temptation works?
Do you see how temptation works? You are consumed by what you focus your heart and your mind on. In order to be victorious over temptation, we have to put our focus on the person of Jesus Christ. Get your eyes off of temptation, and get them on Jesus. We do that because in Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are –yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus has been there and can show us the way out for we read in Hebrews 2:18, that because Jesus “Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted“. However far you have fallen, you are not to give up because “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
How to fix your eyes on Jesus?
How then do we fix our eyes on Jesus? It is by practicing the conscience presence of Jesus Christ. It’s never taking your eyes off Him. We are told to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to set our minds “on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2). Jesus and Satan don’t occupy the same heart at the same time. If your heart and mind are filled with the presence of Jesus Christ, there’s no room for Satan there. The Christian life boils down to that: keeping your eyes on Him, focusing on Him, thinking about Him. You are in communion with Him every moment of every day in all your activities and in all your interactions. Keep your eyes on the Master. And you can say with Him, “Away from me, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10).