Who’s Asking You Great Questions?
Jesus was masterful at asking questions. His questions enlightened, challenged and drilled into people’s deepest places. His subject matter was often surprising and sometimes perplexing, but for those willing to engage, his questions were revolutionary and liberating.
“What’s Your Greatest Temptation?”
This question came to mind while praying for someone I was mentoring. Whether this question or another, great questions provide possibilities for awareness, growth, and transformation. Specifically, around the temptation question, I was convicted that this question is worth personal reflection for all Christ-followers and particularly critical for leaders.
Why the Temptation Question?
Scripture teaches that the enemy of God tempts God’s children. Remember his question to Eve in the garden, “Did God really say…?” (see Gen. 3). His tempting approach with Adam and Eve twisted the truth, created confusion, and communicated false promises.
In another example, Jesus was confronted with testing in the desert when “the tempter” came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God…” (Matt. 4:3). The enemy’s tempting approach was to hit Jesus when he was physically weak, relentlessly threatening his identity from three different angles. Each time Jesus resisted temptation by quoting Scripture. Finally, Jesus authoritatively declared, “Away from me, Satan!” And, with that, “the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matt. 4:10-11).
“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Again, Jesus faced a significant time of testing in the garden of Gethsemane, expressing anguish, and modeling prayer. He prayed for himself and told his disciples to “get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation”(Lk. 22:46). As temptation pressed in on Jesus, he pressed in with his Father through prayer; and as Jesus prayed, an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him (see Lk. 22:41-43).
Are You Paying Attention?
Jesus faced testing and temptation. We will too.
Jesus resisted temptation. With God’s help, we can too.
Christ-followers can be assured of the following (see 1 Cor. 10:13):
Temptation is common to all;
God is faithful;
He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear;
When tempted, God provides a way out so you can endure it.
Knowing where you’re most vulnerable to temptation can be helpful. This might be a blind spot or shadow side. It could be an unhealthy obsession, unguarded strength, unmet need, or form of escape from reality. It may even be masquerading as something good that is actually reflecting something false. What’s your greatest temptation right now?
God does not promise to keep us from falling if we do not apply care, alertness, and caution. However, by paying attention with practices of prayer and Scripture, and inviting others to pray with us too, we can celebrate God’s amazing provision and protection as he ministers to us during times of temptation.
What questions are you asking that have the potential for changing people’s lives?
For more important questions to find a deeper purpose in your business, see below to download our exclusive digital workbook, “5 Key Questions Every Christian Entrepreneur Needs To Ask.”
This post was adapted from an earlier post by Dr. Sharon Simmonds on 11/7/2017.
