Temptation No. 2

The Difference Between Temptation and Light from God

There are two classes of individuals in the world. One class is always applying what is said or written to themselves. They are ready to consider every accusation of Satan without demanding a reasonable proof. They are harassed and tormented until their confidence weakens, the old tendencies return, and they find themselves carnal once more. With some this has been repeated several times before they became settled in God.

The other class is just the opposite. They are ready to excuse and justify every questionable thing. They make the devil and circumstances responsible, rather than question if their lack in experience might not be the cause. They attribute many things to someone else, or temptations from the devil, when in reality God is trying to show them where they stand.

But how shall we discriminate (1) Between temptations from without, or carnal tendencies from within (2) Between doubts as to an experience or the thing that many times is the cause of doubts (3) Between real light from God or doubts caused by some mental or physical depression These are some questions which, if properly understood, would enable every conscientious soul not only to seek and obtain a satisfactory experience but to withstand every accusation from Satan in the future.

"The devil does not waste any time soliciting persons to what he knows they cannot perform. On the contrary he plies his temptations on the weakest point in the character; that which he knows the individual can do most easily; therefore the strength of the character is at the weakest point."

The temptation comes to feel hurt because of some real or fancied injury; to indulge in inward criticism and uncharitable suspicions; to incite unholy desires; or some other thing is presented peculiarly adapted to the disposition and circumstances of the one tempted. Now, is this wholly from without, or are there carnal tendencies within that can be appealed to Test it by watching what passes in your heart during such times of temptation. Do you commune with God as freely after such temptations as before Can you lift up your head with the same innocence and holy boldness as you did before If you can, it may have been wholly from without, but if your communion, countenance and confidence is weakened, it looks as though carnality was at the bottom. A clean soul will not pass anything lightly by and be afraid to look square at it for fear it might be carnality. With such, all deception is gone, and it is not compulsion that holds them to a close examination, for they are bound to be right at any cost. Carnal souls generally shrink back from giving God full permission to search out and closely examine everything within, and about them that looks questionable. They feel uneasy under the Omniscient gaze.

Occasionally souls run up against something that causes them to question if such a thing is consistent with Bible holiness. One class may be ready to call it carnality in themselves, while another may blame the devil, circumstances, or someone else with it. Now how shall we know what is the cause Try the following: If you attempt to get victory over the thing, and rise above it, but fail, it is quite a good sign that carnality is the cause. Or, you may get victory over that certain thing, but if you are troubled over a similar point, this also looks bad. But if you rise above the whole thing once and forever, it may have simply been a fiery trial, or test of faith. Carnality cannot be outgrown. We have known souls to get a special victory over some point and it continued for months, but all at once they were troubled again on that same point (or something similar,) consequently they would have another season of fasting and going down, and then would blaze and boom for several months, when again the same thing would be repeated. Why was this They may have been reclaimed or perhaps received a special victory, but they never held on long enough to get a thorough cure.

Temptation differs from God-intended conviction in that it intends to harass and torment the honest soul, while light and convictions are received, many times with ecstasy and joy, over the fact that "if I have not the real experience, there is a glorious hope of my getting it." Discouragement and despair always come from the devil, while God encourages and shows the hopeful side of everything.

A soul may not be clear, although he thinks he is, and yet God in His wisdom withholds the needed light, and conviction, until He sees, that such an one can bear it. Then when God does turn on the light, it is the devil's business to get that one all strained up and in such a hurry that he does not know it is the voice of God. Many times God is compelled to give souls a powerful blessing to keep them from going into despair or insanity. The disciples took ten days.

Don't be quick to make an assertion either that you have or have not the genuine experience. Keep still before the Lord and let him make it all plain. Never be quick to decide, while going through some severe test. Always wait until the clouds clear away and then look back and let God show you how you stood in the test. You ought to come out in as good or better condition than you went in.