No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.
– 1 Corinthians 10:13
Oh, what a good verse. What an encouraging, comforting reminder for us at all times to have in our minds that when we are tempted, which we will all be tempted, today in all kinds of different ways, from all kinds of different directions, the world, the flesh, the devil, all conspiring against us at all times. We are bombarded by temptation. So when we are tempted, when you are tempted, know this one. Everything you’re tempted with is common to man.
1 Corinthians 10:13 Teaches Us that Temptation is Common to Man
There’s nothing unique ultimately when it comes to a temptation in your life. This all goes back to Genesis 3. And at the root, every temptation is grounded in doubting the goodness of God. Questioning the word of God. Defying the authority of God. At the root, all temptation goes back to these enticements that we see in the Garden of Eden. It’s all common to man, yet God is faithful.
As you face temptation, God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. You are not a prey to temptation. It is not a predator that has power over you. You have power over temptation, and God with that temptation will provide you a way of escape. I love that phrase, the way of escape. I was just reading the other day in 1 Samuel 23 when God saves David from Saul who was pursuing him, wanting to kill him. When God saves David, then David calls that place The Rock of Escape. I thought, “Oh, that’s such a powerful picture how God guards us and protects us and saves us, helps us escape.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 Teaches Us There’s Always a Way Out of Temptation
That’s exactly what 1 Corinthians 10 is saying, that you have a way out of temptation. God will provide you the way of escape so that you may be able to endure it. You can come out on the other side and not sin. How is all of this possible? It’s possible by the power of Jesus, who faced the full extent of temptation to sin in this world and never gave in once. He went to a cross to die for our sin as a substitute in our place. Our Lord rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, sent down his spirit to live in you and me, so that today when you and I face temptation, we have the spirit of the sinless one, the spirit of the one who has conquered sin and Satan and death, the grave. He lives in us.
So God help us to live in this reality today. When we are tempted, help us to realize the root of that temptation and not to doubt your goodness, question your word, and defy your authority, but to trust you. You are faithful. We pray that you would do exactly what you promised to do in 1 Corinthians 10:13. That you would provide the way of escape, and that we would take it by the power of your spirit, Lord Jesus, in us. That we would take it, that we would endure the temptation and come out on the other side in purity and holiness. God, make us holy as you are holy. Help us to resist temptation. Lord, help us not to flirt with sin, to rationalize sin, to justify sin. Help us to run from sin by your power, Lord Jesus, in us.
Prayer for the Karingani People
God, we pray for people around the world who don’t know about the power of Jesus over sin and death. Lord for the Karingani people of Iran, no known followers of Jesus among them, and much persecution of Christians who would try to spread the gospel to them in Iran. God, we pray for the salvation of the Karingani people of Iran. We pray that they would hear about and believe the good news of the one who has conquered sin and death for their salvation.
Oh, God, we praise you for your faithfulness to us. God, when we fall, when we give in to temptation, we praise you for your forgiveness. We pray that you would help us to be quick to confess, quick to repent, quick to receive your gracious forgiveness in our lives, and quick to turn from that sin and not give in to that temptation the next time. It comes by the power of your spirit and because of your faithfulness to us. We pray all this in Jesus name, in light of 1 Corinthians 10:13. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
