Keith Battle - Triple T

Triple-T. I want to talk about three things that begin with «T». I want to discuss managing Temptations, managing Triggers, and managing Treasures. A temptation is an enticement to do something that I should not do. Can you relate? Have you ever been tempted? Yes, a temptation is an enticement to do something that I should not do, to say something that I shouldn’t. Has anyone ever tempted you? Did they say something that made you feel bothered? Almost everyone here has experienced that; that’s called a temptation. Your children can do that to you, especially if you have a little one or a sibling, right? They can really push your buttons. I mean, you just don’t know what else to do but say words that you want to echo off the walls, but you don’t. Praise God, sometimes you resist, and sometimes you don’t.

What I want you to understand about temptation can be found in James chapter 1, beginning in verse 12. It says something interesting about temptation: as difficult as it is, temptation becomes more challenging when you’re saved. Now, there are certain standards we should operate within, and certain boundaries exist for us as believers, narrowing the window of what is acceptable. What once was gray is now very black and white: you really shouldn’t cheat on your taxes, you’re called to love people, and you’re not supposed to have sex outside of marriage. I just slipped that in there. Now, this lane can be very troublesome, and it can get exhausting trying to avoid temptation because we live in a world that doesn’t necessarily follow the same rules we do.

Here’s the good news about temptation: James 1:12 says that God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. There are blessings and rewards that come from enduring temptation. It’s not a pleasant thing, but there are rewards associated with it. The reason this should be encouraging is that temptation can really wear you out. If you are fighting against temptation, it can be exhausting, especially when people around you aren’t fighting. You might find yourself saying, «I’m tired of fighting. I’m exhausted.» But the blessing is, if we endure temptation, the Bible says God blesses those who do and rewards us.

This is very powerful because I believe temptation is a revelation of your elevation. I just want to sound a bit like Jesse Jackson for a moment, but it really is true. It reveals where you’re headed. If you view temptation this way, then every time you are tempted, it gives you a glimpse of where you’re going. If I fail at this level of temptation, how can I expect to progress to the next level? What I’m facing at this level reveals what I’m going to have to deal with at the next level. But as you successfully pass through temptations, God can trust you with more. He entrusts you with promotion, prosperity, bigger responsibilities, and more opportunities. Why would He even give me my dreams when my dreams come with temptations, if I can’t handle temptations even before I have my dreams? Does that make sense?

One of the hymns says, «Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; each victory will aid you some other to win.» It’s true: every time we win against temptation, it empowers us to face the next one. I’ll explain later why you and I are tempted by the same things repeatedly. Have you ever noticed that there are not a lot of things to tempt us, but there’s usually one specific thing that does? You could say, «I’m trembling,» but here’s another thing to remember about temptation: it is not a sin. It is not a sin to be tempted. Sometimes we feel upset with ourselves as Christians because we think, «How do I keep thinking that way? I shouldn’t be thinking like that. I shouldn’t have those desires.» But if you beat yourself up just for having a thought, that’s not accurate.

Temptation does not begin with a thought; it is not a sin to be tempted. It is human to experience temptation. By the way, God doesn’t tempt us. In verse 13 of James 1, it says, «Always remember this: when you are being tempted, do not say, 'God is tempting me.' God has never tempted anyone to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else.» So the natural inclination is: if God is not tempting me, then it must be Satan. «Satan is coming after me!» you might think. But James doesn’t say that. James states that it’s not Satan and it’s not God. Guess who it is?