Temptation comes for all of us—and its goal is to destroy us. As James 1:15 says, “When sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

Because we know temptation is deadly, the best thing we can do as Christians is to prepare for it. Last time we looked at the means of temptation from 1 Corinthians 10:13. But there is more in that simple verse that will encourage and equip us to resist temptation.

The Nature of Temptation

First Corinthians 10:13 gives all believers a wonderful promise: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.” This promise also gives us insight into the nature of temptation. In a word, temptation is human. It is not supernatural. It is not a force so powerful, so extraordinary that we are at a loss regarding how to deal with it. Temptation is common to humanity.

The temptations you face are the very same ones everyone else faces. It is the same for all of us. The temptations that come at you are the same temptations that come at me. We may each have our peculiar besetting sins—areas where our habits or weaknesses frequently draw us into the same sins over and over. We may be particularly vulnerable or susceptible to different temptations. But we all get hit with the same basic temptations.

More encouraging yet, these are the very same temptations Jesus experienced. Hebrews 4:15 says Christ “has been tempted in all things as we are.” Hebrews 2:17 says He was “made like His brethren in all things.” He suffered all the very same temptations that are common to us. That is why He is such a faithful and merciful high priest. That is why He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15, KJV).

The Extent of Temptation

Moreover, there are limits to the amount or extent of temptation that God will allow us to face. First Corinthians 10:13 adds, “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” God knows your individual limitations. If you are a Christian, He has planned your life to guarantee your security in Christ eternally. He will never allow you to face any test that is more than you, at any given point in your spiritual life, can handle.

We see an illustration of this principle in Jesus’ dealings with the eleven disciples. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31–32). When Peter assured the Lord that he was ready to follow Him even to death (Luke 22:33), Jesus replied, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me” (v. 34). It happened just as Jesus prophesied. But did Peter’s faith fail? No. Jesus’ prayer for him was answered, and Peter was ultimately restored to full fellowship and even leadership in the early church.

On that same evening of Jesus’ betrayal, while our Lord was praying in the garden, He prayed for His disciples: “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled” (John 17:12). In other words, the eleven had been perpetually guarded and upheld by Jesus’ sovereign, gracious keeping power. Only Judas, who never was a true believer, was left to carry out his own evil purposes.

While Jesus was praying, the disciples fell asleep (Mark 14:37–43). When soldiers arrived with Judas, “Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus the Nazarene.’ He said to them, ‘I am He.’” (John 18:4–5). His words had a profound effect on the soldiers: “They drew back and fell to the ground” (v. 6).

He asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene” (v. 7).

Scripture says, “Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way’” (v. 8). He was protecting the disciples. Twice He made the soldiers state whom they had come for. Then He volunteered the information that He was the one they were seeking, and He urged the soldiers to let the others go. He wanted to ensure that none of the eleven were arrested, “to fulfill the word which He spoke, ‘Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one’” (v. 9).

This implies that if any of the disciples had been taken captive, they would have been spiritually too weak to survive such a test and would have defaulted from the faith. Therefore, Jesus made sure they never had to face such a test. Peter almost messed everything up, because he took out a weapon and sliced off the ear of the high priest’s servant (John 18:10–11). But Jesus miraculously healed the ear and rebuked Peter, and the disciples were able to flee (Mark 14:50).

Through it all, Jesus Himself orchestrated all the events to make sure the disciples were not tested beyond what they were able to withstand. Peter, especially, was confronted with a severe test that night. And although he sinned greatly by denying the Lord three times and even sealing his denial with a curse, Peter’s faith did not fail. He was forced to look into his own soul, and he learned some valuable lessons that night. But through it all, the Lord sustained him and made sure he did not fall away.

Whatever level of spiritual growth we are at, our Lord never allows us to go through any temptation beyond our ability to handle. If we are true Christians, we cannot fall away. Our Lord Himself sees to that.

Furthermore, Christ prays for all true believers just as He prayed for the eleven in the garden. Hebrews 7:25 says, “He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” He also puts limits on the extent of temptation we can undergo. He is faithful. And He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability.

What courage this should give us in the battle with temptation! We not only have a Savior who sympathizes with us in our temptation (Hebrews 4:15), but who also protects us from being overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13).

(Adapted from The Vanishing Conscience)