Authority and Power Over Temptation
One day at work many years ago, my boss crossed the line and really upset me. I felt I was being pressured beyond what I could endure. I was about to march into my boss’s office and spew out a series of un-Christlike words. Not that it is wrong to confront your boss when he is out of line, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do it, and I was tempted to do it the wrong way. I just could not take it anymore! I remembered the promise Paul gave.
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Instead of simply claiming the promise, I sent up a prayer to God and told Him He was not holding to His end of the agreement, because I was beyond what I felt I could stand and overcome. I remember in that moment I felt a peace come over me, and my desire to march into my boss’ office with a string of unsanctified words was gone. God did hold to His agreement! Ever since then, every time I have been tempted, God has delivered me when I remembered and chose to claim this promise.
It is a misnomer that God will not give you more than you can handle. He will definitely give you more than you can handle, but He will never give you more than He can handle if you just let Him be the One to handle it.
One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Luke 9:1 NLT
A semi truck comes barrelling down the highway but comes to a complete stop when the traffic officer puts up his hand. The truck has more power than the officer, but the officer has the authority. The state backs the officer’s authority, and the state with its military has more power than the semi truck. Likewise on our own we have no power to defeat the enemy. But authority over evil has been given to us, and all the power of heaven backs up our authority over evil. Just like the police officer has no power by himself to stop a semi truck, the state gives him the authority and the state has the power to enforce his authority over the semi truck. Likewise we have no power by ourselves to overcome temptation, but God gives us authority over evil and provides the power to overcome.
“He would sooner send every angel out of Heaven to protect his people, than leave one soul that trusts in him to be overcome by Satan.” –Great Controversy Page 560
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He will never give you more than He can handle if you just let Him be the One to handle it.
Thank you William this is so exciting, so challenging, so reassuring.
I am so glad you have explained the authority we received from the LORD to do His work, it is not of ourselves and it is not for us to use as we will.
This is awesome Pastor Earnhardt! simply wonderful. I never looked or thought about that verse in that light. Far to often I put God in a box and this is a good example of how I put God in a box. I was simply blessed by this because God continually reminds us to give everything to him and he is our savior...SAVIOR. God wants our burden but we think we can handle them, but in actuality we can not. Thank you and I pray that God will continually bless your ministry.
Amen! What a powerful illustration of the authority we have over all evil. May we never let lust conceive and give birth to sin which leads to death.
I believe that lust has a foundation in selfishness which is natural to us. If we do not choose to let the Spirit of God's Love take over our walk in life, lust is an automatic destroyer of our life.
The most basic driver of our life is spirit. Lust is a part of the "fruit" of the spirit of selfishness. If we choose the Holy Spirit as our motivator, purity and righteousness are part of the result of His motivation in our lives.
I really liked your example of traffic officer on authority and power. We are vested with both of these stop evil.
Thank You William. Since now we have authority over sin, we are more than conquerors, lets soldier on as to war, put the gospel armor unto victory.the battle has already been won on the cross. Happy Sabbath all saints
What encouraging words to hear. Now I know am not alone.
This post is a wonderful support for those of us that seem to live through many troubles. Some people seem to have it easier than others. All of us have only one life to live, and learning to live our own life with faith, love and patience, seems to be part of the reason for these troubles or trials.
I liked how you phrased this, "He will definitely give you more than you can handle, but He will never give you more than He can handle if you just let Him be the One to handle it."
A couple of months ago, I was notified via a formal email, along with several other relatives, that our mom/grandma was moving. 85 years old, with every lifestyle disease, she was going to move out of a 3000 square foot condo in three weeks. Although I was talking to my mom and we were quite close, she didn't tell me anything about this move. Mom did move in three weeks, and two days later had a heart attack and went to the hospital for a few days, then went to a siblings for a couple of days. Next, Mom moved to her new apartment in an assisted living community. Only there a night or two, she tripped on a rug and broke her femur and went to another hospital for surgery. In a few days, she went to a rehab place. On a Friday, she went into respiratory distress and died three days later. All unexpected.
All on it's own, this was very difficult to live through. But just before all this happened, I had my two grandchildren for the summer. The three year-old didn't want to go to camp so I had them full time.
Taking care of a 3 year-old and 5 year-old from morning, until bed time, proved many times to be overwhelming.
These are only part of the troubles of this year and it's a good thing that I took off from teaching this semester because I wouldn't have been able to teach.
The scripture that comes to mind is, "He knows the way that I take, When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." He's not going to let up on the purification fires!
Thanks William for taking the time to write posts that inspire and encourage us.
Thank you all for the kind words and observations. Happy Sabbath to everyone!
Thanks for the encouraging and inspiring message. I pray that God will continue to bless you and make you a blessing. However, I would hesitate to use the term 'misnomer' with respect to that statement (1 Cor. 10:13) especially if it is clearly stated in the Word. Our perception is likely to be that we are being tested 'beyond our ability to cope,' but our faith in God reminds us that the God of the impossible is right there with us in the midst of the fire. It might not be unusual to ask, 'my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" However, our circumstantial fires, though very real, lose their power to harm us when we trust the Word.
Greetings Pastor William, Thank you for your diligent commitment to writing for our interest and edification.
I think it is good that there are some who are able to identify with you in finding comfort in your interpretation :"He will definitely give you more than you can handle, but He will never give you more than He can handle if you just let Him be the One to handle it." It is indeed through God's power that: "I can do all things through Jesus Christ Who strengthens me"; "For it is God who is working in me to will and to do of His good pleasure"(Phil 4:13, 2:13).
And yet, I think God is teaching us a very important truth about the trust He puts in His children: like He trusted David, and Abraham, and Peter and Gideon and Esther and Mary; while at the same time, HE CONTROLS how much Satan is allowed to do
1. "GOD IS FAITHFUL. (How?)
2. HE will not ALLOW the temptation to be MORE THAN YOU CAN STAND.
3. When you are tempted, HE WILL SHOW YOU A WAY OUT so that you can endure" 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
I don't think God's Word can be any clearer said. God is placing trust in His children, based on the level of each person's development.
The same truth is in: "I CAN DO, all things THROUGH JESUS CHRIST"
Jesus Himself taught it another way:
1. The Holy Spirt led Him into the wilderness TO BE TEMPTED of the devil (Matthew)
The Holy Spirit drove Him into the wilderness TO BE TEMPTED of the devil (Mark)
Why? Because that is what JESUS CHRIST CAN BEAR.
2. When you pray, pray like this
"Our Father who art in Heaven...........
Lead us NOT INTO TEMPTATION"
Why? The Holy Spirit would not lead us to be tempted of the devil, because we cannot bear it.
Rather, God ALLOWS, or limits the temptations of the devil, according to what we can bear.
Every person is tested, based on her or his unique strengths and vulnerabilities, at her or his unique level, so we can grow by His grace: "For when I am tried, I shall come forth as gold."
"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me": my testimony that I am walking, as my Father trusts me to walk (not His carry me), through the valley of death, while He walks besides me.
There are the times He shelters me, surrounds me, raises me up, bears me up (carry me), gives me strength/power, wisdom/sound mind, love/love/GOD's Love.
God bless in your ministry.
Interesting William that in the heat of the moment you had the
presence of mind to offer up a prayer. I would dare say most of
us would have lost it and the tirade would have ensued. You are to
be commended and envied for such a close relationship with our
maker. In regard to our lesson, the thought that temptation is not
sin has been expressed a number of times and I agree. The title of
Mondays lesson "When Lust Conceives" in most of our minds is
talking about sexual desires. I wonder about Matt 5:28 with the
thought that temptation is not sin. We all agree that temptation
begins in the mind. It seems a little difficult to apply both
trains of thought.
A magnificent illustration indeed.Thank you.
Thanks alot for sharing. Tis very inspiring