OVERCOMING TEMPTATION

BEAIN A TALK PRESENTED TO THE CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION (CYON) AND NIGERIAN FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC STUDENTS (NFCS) AT THEIR JOINED NIGHT VIGIL ON 3RD JUNE 2016 AT ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH MANCHOK
BY
JUBAL FREE-MAN DABO B.
When I received the invitation to this talk, my attention was drawn to the topic, and I ask myself, why this choice. This is because almost all talks I have delivered within this five months and about three yet to be delivered at Cross River, Pankshin and  Makurdi seem to either be same, directly linked or draws much more meaning from the above theme respectively. For your part I do not know what this sounds like to you, but for me, it sounds greatly words that seem to say ‘overcoming temptation is one achievement you must attain.

Temptation have been defined as a desire or craving for something, especially something considered wrong. It is often described too as an incitement of desire or cause of desire. When the Bible says ‘the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet.’ Isaiah 3:16 (King James Bible) it portrays the daughters of Zion as a temptation. Let us take for granted that when some see temptation as a CAUSE of desire, he/she sees it in the point of view of Isaiah 3:16.

Temptation is part of us, it is a reality we must live with, it is a cross we must bear and it is a thorny path we must journey through victoriously. But like Jesus, this cross must bring us a CROWN and this thorny path should lead us to the THRONE as only then can we say we have proven ourselves worthy of the Christian tag. It is recorded thus: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him”. James 1:12.

To this end, Christ never promised his followers a sugar-sugar life on earth rather he taught us life is bitter but called us to make a sugar out of the bitter life. This he showed us through his embrace of not only the cross but much more pains before the cross. What is beautiful is that, his hanging on the cross which is largely the symbol of our way to the throne, gave us the nuggets to overcoming the pains of bearing and journeying through this ‘crossy,thorny’ path. These nuggets include, Patience, endurance, contentment, perseverance, focus to mention but these.

WHO IS LIABLE TO FACE TEMTATION
As Christians, there is an attitude we must put on, the attitude that says “temptation is our inheritance, our birth right and our meal.” A goodness that does not pass through a test of some sort is yet a goodness to be trusted. The day we chose to do good, whether as Christians, muslims, ATReligious, Buddhist, or free thinkers, we subscribe to temptation. And as Christians, on the day we buy the ‘Christ like’ name, I mean from our baptism we begin a journey into the wilderness to be tempted. “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Matthew 4:1-4.

Again , C. S. Lewis (1898 - 1963) the Irish-born British novelist wrote in his collection of works 'The Screwtape Letters’ saying “The safest road to hell is the gradual one the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts”. As if to support Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714) the english clergyman of his words in his exposition on the Old and New Testament where he said “Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine gay colours that are but skin-deep”. This clearly shows that temptation never comes as temptation, most times it is seem real than any reality before us. It is also inviting as it shows of a success and or pleasure so easy to attain and it is the most beautiful of all options. But the wise easily knows its true nature as a temptation since first, it is a fact that the hard way is the holy way and beauty stands in the admiration of only weak minds led captive.

WHY OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONTEMPTATION
AN ALLEGORY OF THE "YOU", " YOURS" AND "MY, " ME"

The fact with life is that there is nothing the “You” or the “me” ever enjoys from temptation. All I need, all you need, temptation never promises as she (temptation) never dare to promise. What temptation ever promises is what only the “yours” and the “my” enjoys.

THE "YOURS" AND THE "MY" MERE POSSESSIONS OF THE "YOU" AND " ME"

The “yours” or  “My” is but a possession, or a property of the “you” as the “My”  is of the“Me”. The “You” here is the human soul, this is the substance of that call the human being. And this is that reality that shall ever be. This means it is the original, and the real you or me. My believe is that the human soul has no capacity to sin nor to do the saintly, it is just there as created and the book of Genesis 1:31 would say “God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased…”. All Christian literature will tell us God is good hence only goodness pleases him. If this be true, the human soul then will be a good substance and if it has any capacity then, it will be of goodness. But there is more to the soul from my point of view. I see the soul as only a receiver that is caged in it property. The only hope of the soul is the operations of the mind in relation to the body (from the abundance of the mind comes forth … )

The body that is the “Yours” of the “You” and “My” of “Me”, simply put, the material property of the immaterial soul is limited by the operations of the mind or conscience. This makes for the weakness of temptation. But the advantage temptation enjoys despite the limitations is the fact that the body, though is influenced by the mind (an immaterial property of the soul) to act, is also capable of acting independent of the influence of the mind or conscience through a uniquely independent attribute of human existence (the free will)  temptation is able to outgrow this weakness when the body though is miss led by the excesses of using this gift and attribute of human existence to spaiess the voice of the mind.

Sadly enough, the soul that is but a caged receiver from the operations of the body, receives this indirectly or on the opposite or contrary phase. This is because the soul and the body largely move in opposite directions.
Where the soul goes right, the body goes left. That is, if the one's pleasure is the other's pain. Hence, as they move in this opposite direction so they meet with each facing the opposite direction. To mean, in most cases, the soul suffers from the results of the pleasures of the body and enjoys from the result of the pains the body endures. This makes me reason that when Christ says “pick up your cross and follow me”, he meant suffer the body for the pleasures of the soul.

More worrisome is the fact that the soul suffers or enjoys eternally while the body suffers or enjoys temporally. Surface therefore to say, it is only great foolishness yielding to temptation that only aims at given some temporal pleasures to the outer destruction of an everlasting and ever living soul for the soul never dies. Yielding to temptation is as foolish as a man who is healthy and normal in his senses but chose to walk naked to keep is cloth from getting wet by the drizzling of rain.Here we have seen that we must overcome temptation because:
- We enjoy nothing good from yielding to it.
- We have the power to.
- It is foolish to yield to what we have the power against.
- Overcoming it proves our Christian worth.

TEMTATION IS HARD TO OVER COME
It was Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) the Irish poet, playwright, and wit. That wrote “I can resist everything except temptation”. It is a common fact that temptation is hard to overcome, but it is made easy by the ever sufficient grace of God who shall not test us more than we can pass. The devil will come with what may seem so dear to you but in fact is only dear to my flesh. A quote attributed to Theodore O'Hara (1820 - 1867) the U.S. poet and soldier. Reads thus “He's a businessman. I'll make him an offer he can't refuse”. This describes the Wight of temptation and explains why it may seem so difficult to over come.

HOW DO I OVERCOME TEMPTATION
When options are set before me, the first question I most ask first what each option appeals to, pleasure to my soul or body and then ask what would Jesus' answer be on each of these options if he should be in my place now. The Bible said “And when the woman saw that the tree was
- good for food, and that it was
- pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to
- be desired to make one wise”. Genesis 3:6-7.

Food in the literal sense is for the body the woman was to overcome this temptation by replying the devil in Jesus’ words.  “man shall not live by bread alone” (Matthew 4:4).
Again seeing that what the tempter offered was pleasant to the eyes and not the soul, shows it appealed for her worship of the tree. Lord Byron (1788 - 1824) the British poet will say: “Pleasure's a sin, and sometimes sin's a pleasure”. Put Jesus in the woman’s shoe would say “the scripture says worship the Lord your God and serve only him” (Luke 4:8).

The desire for wisdom when done wrongly will only bread pride. And since God had told both woman and man they shall die should they eat of the tree. What the woman did with regard to ‘C’ above is test to see, would she be wise as the tempter suggests or die as God said there by putting the Lord to the test Jesus in Mathew4:7 would reply “the scripture says, do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

KNOW YOUR TEMPTATION
 I am not so afread of temptation because I know that which is not profitable to me cannot tempt me. But I seek wisdom because I know it is that which is profitable to me that could be used against me.

STAND AGAINST THE FORCE OF TEMPTATION
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). It is of great importance that a Christian should be prayerful for the powers against us are much more beyond flesh and blood. The best and strongest prayer ever is one that says “Lord lead me not into temptation.”

KNOW WHO YOU ARE
One fact you must know is that you are call to sainthood by your baptism you have been marked to be a saint and the father of sin is the one foe against you. Jean Anouilh (1910 - 1987) a French dramatist says “saintliness is also a temptation”.

CALL TEMPTATION BY IT'S NAME
The problem with my generation is that we baptize sin and makes it simple to commit. To overcome temptation, we must call our temptation by it name. call sin by it name and the devil too should be call the devil.
Be Contented: what you do not have is what you do not need. What you want is not always what you need. So what you have is just that which you need hold on to it. Thomas Gray (1716 - 1771) British poet affirms that “Not all that tempts your wand'ring eyes and heedless hearts, is lawful prize; Nor all that glisters, gold”.

LADY KNOW THE MAN
Man is the greatest thread to woman when it comes to temptation. Sadly, she appears ignorant of that. At the end she cries in the words of Anthony Burgess (1917 - 1993) British writer and critic that says “He said it was artificial respiration but now I find I'm to have his child”. The woman should know well enough “Not trust a husband too far, nor a bachelor too near as Helen Rowland (1876 - 1950) the U.S. writer, journalist, and humorist would say. She should know too that not all men who come to her professing love that really loves her. Alfred Tennyson (1809 - 1892) the British poet say:

“Man is the hunter; woman is his game:  The sleek and shining creatures of the chase,  We hunt them for the beauty of their skins”.
The man will enjoy her only while she’s kind; But when she dances in the wind and shakes the wings, and will not stay he puff the prostitute away. John Dryden (1631 - 1700). As a lady you should read the mans lips and  think ahead of the him through his words. And when you realize his words would lead you astray, simply say to him politely “if you don't mind me saying so, this conversation is getting a little strange I have something to do. Then go away for good.

MAN KNOW THE LADY
Harry S. Truman (1884 - 1972) U.S. president made a statement to reporters on his 75th birthday, he said: “Three things ruin a man, power, money, and women. I never wanted power, I never had any money, and the only woman in my life is up at the house right now. Even the devil should rebuke Belial when he suggest you should be tempted through a woman as in Mark Twain’s ‘Paradise Regained’   because you already know, that is the worst temptation you should pray hard not to face. Robert Burton (1577 - 1640) an English scholar and churchman said in his The Anatomy of Melancholy. “I may not here omit those two main plagues, and common dotages of human kind, wine and women, which have infatuated and besotted myriads of people. They go commonly together. Tertullian (160? - 220?) will say to men; face the woman when she tempts you and say to her  “And do you know that you are an Eve? God's sentence hangs over all your sex and His punishment weighs down upon you. You are the devil's gateway; it was you who first violated the forbidden tree and broke God's law...You should always go in mourning and rags.

WATCH YOUR DRESSING
Watch how you dress lest you lead someone to sin or be let to temptation by a misrepresentation of yourself. Know too you are address the way you dress. A Hindustani proverb says “Open chests tempt even the righteous”.
Beware of Wealth: Do not wish for too much, if you have, be master of that which you possess. Andrew Carnegie (1835 - 1919) says “The vast majority of the sons of rich men are unable to resist the temptations which wealth subjects them to, and sink to unworthy lives”.

CONCLUSION
We all agree the devil tempts through what man so desires most, Food, Power and the pleasures of the flesh. It better said, once you know the problem, you are better equipped to face it. Temptations will come, when they come let them achieve the purpose for which they are allowed to meet you, which is  to prove you a true Christian worthy of God’s throne. Never forget. Prayer is your strongest weapon, wisdom, your code and focus your middle name for since we know where we are going, we should know the vehicle that will carry us there safely. May the ever living Lord grant us the necessary graces we need against temptation as together we pray:  “Lord lead us not into temptation.”