God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Usually say this in relationship to difficulties: clusters of grief; (god won’t), healing and new job at the same time; working overtime, no time with kids; god wont’

Usually say this in relationship to difficulties

Overwhelmed with problems - needing healing and a new job at the same time - god won’t

Overrhwhelmed; working overtime and needing time with your kids -

Today’s application

Going to talk about something face maybe even more than the things I’ve mentioned: temptation

Going to talk about something face maybe even more than the things I’ve mentioned: temptation, those times when we say, “I couldn’t help myself.” or “why did I do that again?”

e.g. overeat, overspend, lose temper, skip prayer time, oversleep, stretch the truth, social media, phones; compromise Christian integrity - these are all problems, and they tempt us daily, and we must overcome them

Overwhelmed with kids

The challenge for me

I have a real challenge this morning. Some may not feel like they are facing temptation. If you don’t think there is anything wrong with how much you’re spending, how much time you are spending looking at a phone, stretch the truth, compromise your Christian faith; then you won’t think you are being tempted

There’s a big difference between an alcoholic and an alcoholic in treatment - one is tempted to drink, the other has accepted i=t

You will be tempted today; tomorrow, this week; a lot;

main goal / topic - how to overcome the temptation the Jesus way: finding the spiritual solution to a physical problem

Temptation is a good thing -

There is truth to that - I’m going to apply this statement to temptation. think of those times when we say, “I couldn’t myself,”

caveat: hard to worry about resisting temptation if you don’t think you are being tempted; I’m okay with overspending, oversleeping, losing your temper: temptation happens to people who knows they are wrong and is trying to overcome it

A big difference between an alcoholic and a recovering aloholic

overeat, overspend, lose temper, skip prayer time, oversleep, stretch the truth, compromise Christian integrity

main goal / topic - how to overcome the temptation the Jesus way: finding the spiritual solutionto a physical problem

part of it is our fault: help me to stay awake - power nap, rest my eyes; help me not to lose my temper - stop trying to fix that car and take it to a professional

help me to stay awake - power nap, rest my eyes; help me not to lose my temper - stop trying to fix that car and take it to a professional

enough temptation without putting them in front of us - God helps those who help themselves

main goal / topic - how to overcome the temptation the Jesus way: finding the spiritual solutionto a physical problem

Jesus tempted like we were.

overspending - tough one - examine your desires

overeating - a discipline - accountability; stop buying unhealthy

procrastination - why do we do that?

It will always be there - it was there for Jesus, it is there for us; how to overcome it - again and again and again;

Jesus tempted like we were.

Does God Tempt Us (1)

Matthew 4:1 ESV

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

God might lead us into a place where we are tempted, but gives us the ability to

Leads us into places where we are vulnerable.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

problem with the statement is with the “god will not give” - the assumption is that God is giving you these things - reword it to say, God will not allow more than you can handle

Temptation is a good thing - the difference between an alcoholic and a recovering alcoholic

Vulnerable During Weakness

Matthew 4:2 ESV

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

It is written...

Everytime Jesus is tempted, he uses these words;

not saying that I have a Bible verse for everytime you are tempted

looking for a spiritual solution to a physical temptation

(more than you can handle - we can handle it by examining our spiritual roots)

not just how much are you praying and reading the Bible, but look deeper;

Fulfilling Unhealthy Desires

Matthew 4:3 ESV

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” v.3

40 days of hunger; fasting? shaking? I’m hungry! a desire becomes unhealthy when it becomes greater than God

Matthew 4:4 ESV

But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

man does not live by bread alone, but by the word of God; - temptation was a tricky one - realizing we need more than food; so much more than financial stability; the stuff we possess; everything we need comes from God

Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing.

The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 The Attack of the Tempter (Matthew 4:1–11 Contd)

The only way to true satisfaction is the way which has learned complete dependence on God.

saying a thank you prayer v. being grateful; getting what we think we need v. finding our needs met in Christ;

spiritual answer to unhealthy desire: remembering that God has supplied all my needs. be content;

looking for wrong kind of desires; instant gratification

(more than you can handle - we can handle it by examining our spiritual roots)

not just how much are you praying and reading the Bible, but look deeper;

e,g. couldn’t read or pray because of bitterness

The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 The Attack of the Tempter (Matthew 4:1–11 Contd)

The only way to true satisfaction is the way which has learned complete dependence on God.

Wrong Expectations of God -an instant gratification faith

god - instant miracle; impatient faith; Asking God for the Wrong Things

If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. v.6

The New International Version Chapter 4

If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down.

If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. v.6

devil: (knows the bible better than the church?) people will believe if you show them something

prove it, God; quick fix or I won’t believe; asking God for something we should not ask for;

temptation: instant gratification faith; want something real soon;

e.g. prayer meeting, shake the gates of hell together; got bored with God

instant miracle; impatient faith; give up praying; give up believing; prove it, God; quick fix or I won’t believe; asking God for something we should not ask for;

God has not intervened when I needed him. God has not shown me when I needed to see a miracle. How can I ask God to help me overcome; when I don’t believe he will intervene? Ok, God. Help me.

wrong expectations?

spiritual answer to physical temptation: trust God when the answer isn’t what you want or when you want it; trust God with what you can’t see or understand; love God long term

God wants a long term relationship, not a fling

Temptation of Power and Control - work; home; personal - hard to relinquish

Matthew 4:9 ESV

And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

don’t need power to crave it; don’t need money to be selfish with it;

abusive leadership; giving up control to the other person

root #3: I’ll find control where I can. (addicted to power - domineering boss at work; if I can’t find power, I’ll find it at home; spouse who rules by 1 man committee; if I can’t find it there, I’ll find it within myself; don’t tell me what to do! )

Am I unwilling to relinquish control to God.

I will continue to fall to temptation, because I come first.

Look deeper than your temptations. It’s not just the temptation itself, but our isolation from God that makes us powerless to overcome them.

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