In Matthew 4 we find Jesus (after being immersed by John) “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness TO BE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL.” Point: Jesus was TEMPTED. We are TEMPTED in different ways, different things. Tempted to look, touch, eat, take, TEMPTED. After fasting forty days and nights, He was hungry! Duh!
I don’t know how He lasted so long… I get hungry after two hours! FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS! “Turn these stones into bread!” Could He? Yes! Did He? No! Why? How did He deal with it? You say, “Well He is God!” “No fair!” Quick answer, “RELATIONSHIP and CONNECTION.” Let’s dig deeper…
Tim Challies said, “Temptation is anything that promises satisfaction at the cost of your obedience to God.” Good definition. Think on it. ANYTHING THAT PROMISES SATISFACTION…. Alcohol, Sex, Porn, Drugs, Gambling, and so forth… “promises (quick) satisfaction!” This leads to pain, guilt, regret, heaviness of heart and mind, tears, family troubles, etc…
How to deal with it…
Look at the process of temptation:
1. The thought
2. Imagination
3. “Justification” (rationalization)
4. The choice (Commitment)
5. The action

Consider this. Sin takes you farther than you want to go and costs more than you want to pay… for sure! Adam and Eve could attest to that. She looked, lusted, took, and shared… but it began with listening to the wrong one (Satan). I mean, WHO talks to snakes?! Lost everything. They were not the only ones as Scriptures are replete with examples and stories of how sin has ruined the lives of people. Sexual sin is particularly difficult to deal with.
As a young preacher I went to visit a husband and wife, and when arriving I walked in and saw a few Playboy magazines. They were Christians and I inquired about these magazines of course. “Why do you have these in your home?” He answered, “Oh, I don’t look at the pictures, I just enjoy the articles.” Sexual sin is difficult to deal with. Well, I didn’t believe him.
Sexual sin is truly difficult to deal with. Not just for men but for women as well.
(Please keep part one in mind as we proceed. )
Breaking free of porn and sexual sin… what to do???

1. Don’t hide it, CONFESS IT. (James 1:13-15)
Understand and accept, it isn’t God’s doing. He does not tempt. (Barking up the wrong tree!)
God didn’t force that Christian to buy Playboy! Come on! Follow the cycle:
PROCESS
a.) Temptation begins by being enticed. For sure there would be no problem if SIN were seen as UN-ATTRACTIVE! A fish is not attracted by poop on a hook but put a juicy worm on the hook… watch out! “All Satan’s apples have worms (we usually find half).” The hook hurts, so why do we bite?
b.) See the ‘bait,’ for what it is. Amazingly, the more people look at the bait, the better it looks. How to deal with this?
2. Time to RUN! Look, while in the flesh we need to understand we are susceptible to so many things, so we have ‘boundaries.’ Those who are not Christians have ‘boundaries’ as well, just not as ‘narrow,’ (Romans 2:14-15). Christians (disciples of Jesus), ‘march to the beat of a different Drummer (Matthew 5-7.) Yet still vulnerable to sin. All this to say, we need to know when temptation comes there is a time to RUN. There are temptations which for me are more dangerous than for the next person. I’m not tempted to get drunk or do drugs, while others may be very tempted. I can just pass by certain things, while others may need to run. You have the idea.
a.) Example of Joseph. Genesis speaks of this young, attractive man who had come to serve in Potiphar’s house and Mrs. Potiphar (no boundaries) decided to try and seduce Joseph. Time and time again she tried. Joseph RECOGNIZED and REFUSED. We have no information on Joseph’s thought process other than he REFUSED… and he RAN. Where did that come from? Obviously he had been taught by someone. Took it to heart. He had firm beliefs and trust in God. He didn’t run because of the threat of someone telling his dad! He ran because of his relationship with his God, (Genesis 37-39). This is the key… Somehow we must develop this close walk with God.
Seeing temptations for what they are, depending on how dangerous they are in our own situation, will determine whether we IGNORE, WALK, OR RUN AWAY.
b.) “You’re only as strong, as you are honest.” Thus the need to have an ‘accountability partner.’ Weaknesses are a fact of everyone’s life. We have to admit this. Being honest will help as we confess. Get it out! Throw up. Confess to someone who will help. James speaks about this as does John. Confessing is the opposite of hiding something. Confessing and prayer bring healing. We need a “Jesus with flesh,” so brothers and sisters are to help each other.
3. Things to remember about “breaking free” of whatever…
a.) Don’t hide it, confess it (James 1:12-14).
b.) Recognize YOUR RUN TIME, and RUN from, not to it, (Genesis 37-39).
c.) “You’re only as strong as you are honest.”
4. Verses to study…
a.) Romans 6:1-14 (Remember, it’s more than baptism. It’s a death, burial, AND resurrection.)

You have any thoughts? Comments? Please submit. Love to hear from you.