“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, might be found unto the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” [1 Peter 1:6, 7.] “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” [James 1:2-4.]
Satan tempts you in order to hurt Jesus
The temptations that assail the children of God are to be regarded as the outworking of the wrath of Satan against Christ, who gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sins and redeemed us by His blood. Satan is filled with wrath against Jesus. But he cannot hurt the Saviour except by conquering those for whom Christ died. He knows that when through his devices souls are ruined, the Saviour is wounded.
Recognizing and Resisting Temptation = Fighting The Lord's Battles
The heavenly universe is watching with the deepest interest the conflict between Christ in the person of His saints and the great deceiver. Those who recognize and resist temptation are fighting the Lord’s battles. To such are given the commendation, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation.” [James 1:12.] Endurance of temptation means the cultivation of patience.
When Feeling Helpless, Flee and Cling to The Savior
The tempted, harassed soul cannot trust in his own strength of purpose. Feeling his utter helplessness, he flees to the stronghold, saying, My Saviour, I cast my helpless soul upon Thee. The fiercer the temptation, the more strongly he clings to the Mighty One.
Pass over the temptation to Christ and leave it there
By faith, he passes the temptation over to Christ and leaves it there. Faith in the Saviour’s strength makes him more than a conqueror. It is the miracle-working power of Jesus that arms the Christian with strength to overcome as Christ overcame.
Temptation is not sin unless cherished
Temptation is not sin unless it is cherished. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, will fill the soul with peace and abiding trust. “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” [Isaiah 59:19.]
A Case of Distressing Thoughts
A few hours ago I [Ellen G. White] listened to the complaints of a distressed soul. Satan came to her in an unexpected way. She thought that she had blasphemed the Saviour because the tempter kept putting into her mind the thought that Christ was only a man, no more than a good man. She thought that Satan’s whisperings were the sentiments of her own heart, and this horrified her. She thought that she was denying Christ, and her soul was in an agony of distress.
I assured her that these suggestions of the enemy were not her own thoughts, that Christ understood and accepted her, that she must treat these suggestions as wholly from Satan, and that her courage must rise with the strength of the temptation. She must say, "I am a child of God. I commit myself, body and soul, to Jesus. I hate these vain thoughts." I told her not to admit for a moment that they originated with her, not to allow Satan to wound Christ by plunging her into unbelief and discouragement.
Don't Personalize Satan's Temptations
To those who are tempted, I would say, Do not for a moment acknowledge Satan’s temptations as being in harmony with your own mind. Turn from them as you would from the adversary himself. Satan’s work is to discourage the soul. Christ’s work is to inspire the heart with faith and hope. Satan seeks to unsettle our confidence. He tells us that our hopes are built upon false premises, rather than upon the sure, immutable word of Him who cannot lie.
How Temptations Are Conquered: The oldest, most experienced Christians have been assailed by Satan’s temptations, but through trust in Jesus they have conquered. So may every soul who looks in faith to Christ.
Satan can't conquer us unless we let him
A man cannot put his feet in the path of holiness without evil men and evil angels uniting against him. Evil angels will conspire with evil men to destroy the servants of God. Those who are rebuked for their evil thoughts will hate the reprover of sin and will try to wrench him from the service of Christ. The conflict may be long and painful, but we have the pledged word of the Eternal that Satan cannot conquer us unless we submit to his control. Christ was crucified as a deceiver, yet He was the light and life of the world. He endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself.
Don't allow yourself to be separated from Christ
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] Can we measure the love of God? Paul declares that “it passeth knowledge.” [Ephesians 3:19.] Then shall we who have been made partakers of the heavenly gift be careless and indifferent, neglecting the great salvation wrought out for us? Shall we allow ourselves to be separated from Christ, and thus lose the eternal reward, the great gift of everlasting life?
Eat Up God's Word or Satan's Temptations?
Shall we not accept the enmity which Christ has placed between man and the serpent? Shall we not eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God, which means to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God? Or shall we become earthly, eating the serpent’s meat, which is selfishness, hypocrisy, evil surmising, envy, and covetousness?
The right to be a conqueror in Jesus' strength
We have a right to say, In the strength of Jesus Christ, "I will be a conqueror. I will not be overcome by Satan’s devices."
There's also a chapter in Messages to Young People on this topic
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