INTRODUCTION

Discerning the difference between the workings of God and the mischief of Satan sometimes serves as a difficult task for believers. Although the Devil is called the tempter in Matthew 4:3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
See All... and 1 Thessalonians 3:5For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
See All..., the Bible also shows that God uses temptation to try a man (Genesis 22:1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
See All...). Other than the association to instigating temptation, God and Satan have no other common ground in this matter. The Devil’s motive and method of temptation is simply wicked. On the other hand, the Lord tempts only for the sake of trying one’s faith to bring about a righteous outcome. Do not discount the fact that God never tempted anyone with evil (James 1:13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Consider the story of Joseph. His faith and obedience were tested by God (Psalm 105:16-21 [16] Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. [17] He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: [18] Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: [19] Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. [20] The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. [21] He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
  See All...). Yet, Satan always tempts people to do evil. Consider Judas (John 13:2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
  See All...) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
  See All...).
• Why is it important to be able to discern whether the instigator of your temptation is the Lord or the Devil? How can this affect your response to the temptation?
• What foundational distinctions can be found in the temptations of God and the temptations of Satan? How do these specific distinctions reflect the character of God versus Satan?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to give you discernment in times of temptation.
• Ask God to show you the desire of your enemy to destroy.

HYMN

FELLOW SOLDIER, WHERE’S THINE ARMOUR?

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