The last words of Jesus to the devil were about what is in the Scriptures, regarding the prohibition of testing the Most High (Deuteronomy 6:16). Faced with this truth, the evil one left the Son until the opportune moment. Satan never gives up, for he knows that if one day we are disconnected from God, that will be the opportunity for him to make us fall into temptation. The good thing is that the Holy Spirit gives us assistance at all times. Remember: with temptation, comes the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

In this message, we will address cases where temptation has evolved into sin. The enemy is capable of doing insane things to make someone fall. There were two brothers, the only ones in the world, and their duty was to give an offering to the Lord. Abel took a beautiful lamb and offered it to God. His brother Cain took a random bush, cut it, and left it to the Lord. Faced with God's approval of Abel, Cain was enraged and killed his brother, becoming the first murderer in history.

Joseph, Jacob’s first son with Rachel, showed from an early age that he was the chosen one of God. His brothers envied him and, therefore, tried to kill him. Then they sold him to a caravan of Midianites, who, in turn, resold him in Egypt to Potiphar, the king's steward. Potiphar's wife wanted Joseph to lie with her. One day, she grabbed him, and he fled, leaving his cloak behind. That's how the woman managed to accuse him of harassment, leading to his imprisonment (read Genesis, chapters 37 and 38). What a price!

       There was great temptation in the house of Judah, Jacob’s son. Er, Judah’s firstborn, married Tamar, and God killed him. So, Judah commanded Onan to lie with his brother's widow, but he too was wicked – every time Onan gave her his seed, he spilled it on the ground. Then the Lord killed him. The devil knew that the Messiah would come from Judah and tried to prevent it from happening, which is why the wicked brothers died (Genesis 38:1-26). Finally, Jesus came!

       Achan's greed led Israel to be defeated by a tiny city called Ai. Seeing his people defeated by the men of Ai, Joshua fell to the ground and cried out to the Lord to know the reason for this event. God said that they had taken the accursed thing and, thus, were cursed. As long as they did not remove the accursed thing, the Most High could not go with them (Joshua 7:1-26). Then, they won the battle of Ai (Joshua 8:1-19).

      Because of David's sin with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, Nathan the prophet told the king that the sword would never depart from his house (2 Samuel 12:10). Amnon, David’s son with Ahinoam, fell in love with Tamar, the king's daughter with Maacah. Amnon raped her and, for that reason, was killed by Absalom, his half-brother (2 Samuel 13:1-33). Don't let the devil enter your family. He only does evil!

        When temptation arises, the best thing is to resist the devil while you seek God with all your heart (James 4:7). Jesus said that Satan came to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). Do not make a deal with the evil one, for the cost of his "services" is extremely high. But the gift of God is free for all who want to live before Him with fear and sincerity. He loves you!

       In Christ, with love,

       R. R. Soares