Temptations are NOT Random

I have noticed as I study temptation that those that come my way are not of random sort. All of the temptations that come from the evil one are designed to take advantage of those things in my life that are of importance. I am tempted with control as I have a role where I am to be the leader in an environment. I am tempted with boasting as I have experience in my career. And there are are plenty others as well. This is not a coincidence, but targeted.

“³And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’” — Matthew 4:3 (ESV)

I read and studied and wrote on this same passage just a bit ago. I realized then that if Jesus can and was tempted, then it is not unusual at all that I am. This morning I am led back to the passage and pick up that the evil tempts by design and in those areas where he knows we may have weakness. Here in this passage, the evil one tempts Jesus by coming after his status as the Son of God. The evil one comes after the power that Jesus has and looks to feed Jesus’ ego and allow Him to prove Himself, which would certainly be easy for Jesus to do, and He would not have to apologize for doing it. But Jesus does not take the bait and instead turns it into the learning moment for all.

It may seem easy for Jesus to turn away from the temptation, and frankly I believe it is. What I see here is the map to the avoidance of the temptation. It all starts with knowing that the evil one is coming after me in the place where he knows I am weak and vulnerable. I have to be prepared for the temptation and prepare for how to combat it. When I am in a position of leading, I have to know that the temptation is there to control the environment and turn that into serving those in my charge and allow them to lead and I simply guide. There, I have avoided the temptation already. When I am coaching a peer in my role, I have to remember the experience I have and teach as oppose to direct so that they have the opportunity to learn and grow themselves as opposed to listen to be talk about all of the experience I have. There, I have avoided the temptation again.

When defending an area from others, those defending it first look at all of the area where there are weaknesses and work to fortify those prior to planning on the counter attack. Once the areas are fortified, the planning begins at how to continue to maintain that fortification and how to move forward with the counter attack. Planning is the way to avoid temptation. It is important to know where I have weakness so that first I can fortify and maintain those weak areas so that I can then move forward with the plan the LORD has for me.

I have to know that the evil one is coming after me and that when doing so, he is coming after the weakest point. It is not random. It is targeted. I have to know this and prepare and fortify against the attack. I have to maintain that fortification and not be distracted by the attack in the strong areas I have in my life. I have to know that the attack on the strong areas is just that distractions while the evil one is quietly coming after my weaknesses to destroy my and the relationship I have with God. Temptation from the evil one is NOT random and I have to be prepared.

Where are you protecting against the temptations from the evil one? Are you protecting against the attack at your strongest points? What if you take a look at your weaknesses and fortify them first, knowing that is where the evil one will be coming?