Temptations, How Satan tempts Us.

1John 2:15-17
"Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."

Starting from Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned against God, the world was given to satan. Whatever that belongs to the world, belongs to satan. 2 examples will be cited to help in understanding the way temptation works in our lives.

3 "Classical" ways of Temptation
1)Lust of the Flesh
2)Lust of the Eyes
3)Boastful Pride of Life


1)Lust of the Flesh
The lust of the flesh includes the desires of things that we crave for, be it food which seems so sinless to undesirable things. Satan uses these things that at times we are deprived from for a while, to attack our obedience to God. Hence, causing us to sin.

2)Lust of the Eyes
Lust of the Eyes refers to the desires of what we "see", alternatively what we think is right. When we submit to this temptation, we choose to ignore God's word, following our own way. In any cases, it will cause us to defy God and disobedience is a sin! This temptation is closely linked to pride of the life.

3)Boastful Pride of the Life
What boastful pride of the life means is - to be the god of our own life. Thinking that we are better than others, including God when it comes to ignoring God's word. When we play god in our own lives, we are saying, 'God, I am better than You, I do not need to follow Your word." and then we disobey God. Sin again. See how 'we see' and pride are closely linked.




Example 1: "Case Study of Adam and Eve's fall"
Serpent tempted Eve into eating the fruit which God forbidden Adam and Eve to eat. Eve, being incited by satan to eat, started to crave for the fruit she was deprived from(falling into the temptation of lust of the flesh). When serpent asked "Has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" Satan twisted God's word into "any" instead of "one", that is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve, replied with distorted God's word, "God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you shall die." God did not say 'touch it', Eve did. That allowed satan to attack Eve again, which is the lust of the eyes.

Satan told Eve that "You surely will not die!" , "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."(stirring up the pride within Eve to be like God, pride of the life) Eve, ignoring God's word that disobedience will lead to death, followed her thought which she learned from the deception from satan, chose to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for good and pleasing to the eye(lust of the eyes), and also desirable for gaining wisdom(pride of life), she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." Genesis 3:6


Example 2: Jesus Overcoming the 3temptations during the 40days Fasting
Satan challenged Jesus through the weak point of His hunger, saying "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." Satan is trying to tempt Jesus into the lust of the flesh, that is to satisfy the need to have food when it is not the time for Him to have(He is fasting!). Satan wanted Jesus to disobey God by eating when He is not suppose to be. Jesus rebuked, "For it is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" Jesus did not add words like Eve did but cited God's word clearly. Hence, satan can't find another loophole to attack Jesus but to bring Him to elsewhere, highest point of the temple in the holy city.

Satan taunted Jesus to prove to him that He is the Son of God, "throw Yourself down, For it is written: He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.' " Satan is trying to lead Jesus into His own thinking, ignoring God's words, thus into the temptation of the lust of the eyes. Jesus, however, did not want to disobey God with His own thoughts, rebuked satan knowing that God said do not test Him. "For it is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Satan knowing Jesus did not fall into the temptation of the lust of the eyes, led Jesus to a very high mountain and attacked Jesus with Boastful Pride of the Life. Satan, having possession of the world after Adam and Eve sinned against God, offered the world to Jesus if He bow down to him. Tempting Jesus with a possession He can proudly show off to others. "All this I will give You," he said, "if You will bow down and worship me."

Can you see how desperate satan is when he try to tempt Jesus into disobeying God, by offering the world that he has. And in his desperateness, trading such a ridiculous deal when Jesus already owned the universe. Jesus knew the evil scheme of satan, wanting Jesus to worship other god, rebuked satan saying, "Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."


After reading these 2examples, see how satan works to tempt us. Lets be watchful not to fall into them, reading God's words and citing them without twisting God's words.

Referrence taken from "The Bondage Breaker" Youth Edition by Neil T. Anderson and Dave Park. Do grab a hold of this book!