The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
notes by Pat Krabacher

26. Growing through temptation

A. Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards
he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him.
James 1:12 (LB)

“My temptations have been my masters in divinity.”
-Martin Luther

B. Every temptation is an opportunity to do good. . . .
While temptation is Satan’s primary weapon to destroy you,
God wants to use it to develop you.

Jesus’ perfect love, joy, peace, patience, and all the other fruit embodied in a single person.
To have the fruit of the Spirit is to be like Christ.

God develops the fruit of the spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances
in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality.

From the Bible we learn that temptation follows a four step process:
1) Satan identifies a desire inside of you,
2) Satan tries to get you to doubt what God has said about sin,
3) Satan is incapable of telling the truth, and
4) You finally act on the thought you’ve been toying with in your mind.

Some circumstances will cause you to stumble almost immediately, while others don’t bother you much.
These situations are unique to your weaknesses and you need to identify them, because Satan surely knows them.

C. Point to Ponder:
Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

Verse to remember:
God blesses the people who patiently endure testing.
Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12 (NLT)

Question to Consider:
What Christ-like character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?