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Years ago, the city of Manila had an outbreak of a deadly disease. Health officials found that flies and roaches were carrying the germs. So the mayor decided to pay 6 cents for very ten dead roaches or flies. Eradicating the insects before they infected people helped to end the epidemic. James, the biblical writer, used a similar analogy to explain how unchecked temptations can defeat people. In Chapter 1 he writes, “Remember when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James says the source of temptation is our unbridled desires. He says our unchecked desires deceive us into believing that we must have what we want. Such deception leads us to disobey God’s Word. And our disobedience weakens our intimacy with God, and sometimes leads to death. Here is what the Bible says we can do to gain the victory over temptations. 1) Know and affirm that yielding to temptation is not a given for people in whom God’s Spirit dwells by faith. 2) Victory is possible when we yield ourselves to God’s Spirit within us. 3) When we fail, confess our failure to God, accept God’s forgiveness, and keep yielding to Him.
