Tempted and Tested

(Matt 4:1) Then Yeshua was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Tempted

(1 Cor 10:13) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 (CEV show you how to escape) so that you can stand up under it.

Elastic on your pants after you were pregnant, or put on a lot of weight - it can never return to where it was before.
Worn rubber band - will break, and can never return to where it was before. (If it gets pulled just one more time, it will snap in a second.)
Healthy rubber band - will bounce right back (1 Cor 10:13 promise)

(Heb 2:18) Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Heb 4:15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin.
Help is available. Someone who?s been there before, can hold your hand and get you through it.
Foot prints in the sand, AA - daily meetings, sponsor: call anytime

Ways to overcome temptation

(Matt 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
temptation is brought on by the evil one.
when you encounter temptation, you need to get away from the evil one, and his influence. AA - people, places, and things. (i.e., After graduating college I would not go back to Rockaway because most of my friends drank alcohol and smoked marijuana. I needed to get away from people, places and things.)

(1 Cor 6:18 NIV) Flee from sexual immorality.
Run, run as fast as you can. You can?t catch me I?m the gingerbread man.
(2 Tim 2:22 NIV) Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Ryrie: ... Temptation is to be avoided by fleeing what hinders, by following what helps, and by seeking the company of spiritual people.

(Gen 39:7-12) and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. ... And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

must refuse; can?t deliberate or think about it; you must refuse.
day after day she continued; the enemy won?t stop, expect it
even be with her - he kept out of her way as much as possible (Living Bible). This may be why the Jewish leaders added more laws. They created a fence around the laws. New laws to keep people as far away as possible from God?s law. This way, if people broke a law, they never broke God?s law. (i.e., G-d, don?t take His name in vain. Religious Jews won?t write it, or say it. This way they can never take it in vain.)

(Matt 26:41) "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
(Luke 22:46) "Why are you sleeping?" He asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."
Praying is a way to overcome temptation. We need God?s help and power because we can?t do it our self.

What is the difference between being tempted and being tested?

Temptation comes from the devil, and he tempts us to steal, kill and destroy.
Testings come from God, and He tests us to help us mature, to grow in our trust or dependence on Him, and to refine us (to make us pure and of great value).

Tested by God

(James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(Living Bible) Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don?t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.
Giving into temptation is to break God?s law. A trial is a difficult time. James tells us to consider trials a joy; we should welcome them.
Why? Testing develops perseverance, and ultimately maturity. Then we can handle anything. This is different than giving into temptation.

(Gen 22:1-2) Some time later God tested Abraham. ... God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains."
God tests us so we can trust Him more or depend upon Him more. He wants to know, "Can we trust Him even when He asks us to do something that is illogical or doesn?t make sense?"

(Job 23:10) But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
(Psalm 66:10) For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
Job and David both understood that being tested by God makes us like gold or silver; pure and of great value.

(Isa 48:10) See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
God may allow difficulties or afflictions to test us and purify us.