3 Temptations You Will Face Until You Die

I call them cardinal desires because they’re our very natural make-up- Ancient desires. They were the very temptations that introduced original sin meaning they did not come as a result of it.

What do you say about a quick tour?

Meet Eve, the First Woman (Gen 3:6):

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food- (LUST OF THE FLESH)

And that it was pleasant to the eyes- (LUST OF THE EYES)

And a tree to be desired to make one wise- (PRIDE OF LIFE)

She took of the fruit thereof and also gave into her husband with her and they did eat.

Are you like me and you’ve wondered how the wisest man in the world could mess up that badly?

Meet King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 2:10) :

And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; (LUST OF THE EYES)

I did not keep any joy from my heart, (LUST OF THE FLESH)

because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward. (PRIDE OF LIFE)

Even the God-man could not avoid these temptations, after all he was flesh like us:

Meet Jesus (Matt 4:2-10):

If thou be the son of man, command that these stones be made bread (LUST OF THE FLESH)

***Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ (THE PRIDE OF LIFE)

***Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” (LUST OF THE EYES)

So you see? Every time an opportunity to fall came up, these three temptations were there. Even now you face them daily. Heck, I know I do. Sometimes I resist, sometimes I can’t but I know I’m a work in progress.

Was Jesus not hungry? He was.

Is he not the son of God? He is.

Do you think he didn’t want all the acknowledgement of the world and the riches? He did.

Didn’t he have anything to prove to us? He did.

But thank God for Jesus.

At each instance he refused because God’s will had to come first. He had discipline and the strength to seek God’s pleasure not his.

He showed that with that innate desire comes the strength to say no. And here’s the bomber: We’ll keep facing them until death escorts us from the earth.

Here’s a simple breakdown of what these desires can look like:

Lust of the eyes– They appeal to your mind…like a sense of being. Examples are money, clothes, shoes, houses, beautiful or handsome man, your looks (the unnecessary cosmetic surgery tweaks) etc.

Lust of Flesh– These things that will make your body itself feel good e.g food, sex, hard drugs, sleep etc.

Pride of life– Things that can make you proud… giving you assurance in anything apart from God r.g Wealth, a legacy, empire, intelligence, reputation, privileges, success, honour, respect etc

1 John 2: 15-16 concludes this matter better than I could ever put into words:

(AMP) For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

:17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

You are blessed 💓. Amen.