GOD…WILL PROVIDE THE WAY OF ESCAPE ALSO, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ENDURE IT.’ 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 NAS The way of escape
In the wilderness temptation satan offered Jesus three things. He also offers them to you: 1) Satisfaction! Jesus was hungry and satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread. This was satisfaction without God, because God’s plan was to feed His Son supernaturally through angels. But Jesus refused to settle for less – and so should you! 2) Success! But it was success without God. Taking Jesus to the top of the temple, satan said “Jump off, God will protect You and everyone will believe in You“(Paraphrase). Success without the cross. Take the easy way out! And hasn’t satan made you that same offer: ‘You don’t have to take up your cross. You don’t have to practice self-denial.’ Satan lied then, and he’s lying to you now. 3) Significance! Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world and their glory if He’d just bow down to him. What an offer. Significance without God! But Jesus rebuked him with a reminder from Scripture that God alone is worthy of being glorified. Satan will take every legitimate desire you have and try to get you to fulfil it in an illegitimate way. But God ‘…will provide the way of escape…’ You say ‘I don’t see the way of escape.’ That’s because you’re focused on the temptation instead of the way out. God’s promise of escape doesn’t mean you won’t have to persevere and be faithful to Him. And, as in the case of Christ, it involves knowing and being able to use the Scriptures. But it does mean that when God’s purpose of victory over temptation has been served, you’ll come out victorious!