Some of us often think that we are invincible and cannot be tempted. The truth of the matter is that the perceived lack of temptation can mean one of two things. Either you are so strong in the Lord that all temptations are powerless against you, or nothing is a temptation to you any longer because you engage in sin with no resistance. No one can claim to be totally free from temptation. Even our Lord was tempted in the wilderness by satan. Satan knows our weaknesses, having had a long time to study us and he is expert at ensuring that we are subjected to the maximum possible degree of temptation.
However, we are comforted by the fact that God does not allow us to be tempted beyond our capabilities and with every temptation comes a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13). With this knowledge, we can view temptation as just another test which, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome with distinction. Sometimes God uses the temptations satan throws at us as a test of our loyalty to Him, but be assured that He is always in control and will not let satan tempt you beyond what you are able to bear. Temptations may get tougher as you get stronger, otherwise they wouldn’t be a temptation anymore! As the King of the Universe, God is within his rights to test any of His subjects, but as long as we meet the temptations in the power of His Spirit, we are safe.
Jesus once talked about the unpardonable sin i.e. grieving the Holy Spirit. Many have wondered what He meant by this. What is the unpardonable sin and how is it committed? The unpardonable sin may, aside from outright blasphemy, occur when one fails to take advantage of the aid the Holy Spirit provides in resisting temptation, choosing instead to indulge in the resultant sinful actions that the temptation spawns. The unpardonable sin is not necessarily a once-off act, but rather it is the dullness of the conscience that is the result of repeatedly neglecting to listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit of the sins in your life and His warnings against temptations. Eventually, the Spirit of God will leave you to your own devices and there will be no forgiveness as you will no longer have the convicting voice of God’s gentle Spirit wooing you to repentance. The Psalmist recognized this when in Psalm 51, after having committed the heinous crimes of adultery and murder, he pleaded with God not to take away the influence of the Holy Spirit from his life. He knew that without such influence, he would be lost forever. (Ps 51:11)
If you are worried about having committed the unpardonable sin, chances are you haven’t! The fact that you are being tempted is a good thing as it means that you still have some good in you that satan seeks to destroy. Don’t give him the pleasure of totally corrupting you! Ask God for help in times of temptation. Don’t lead yourself into temptation by being in the wrong place at the wrong time or subjecting your senses to stimuli that lead to unwarranted temptation. Most temptations are triggered by the five senses. The strongest deterrent to temptation is active service in the kingdom of God, a strong prayer life and knowing how to apply the Word of God.
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."-1 Cor 10:13
"Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me."-Ps 51:11
