II Pet. 2:9a ... "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation."
When a person is tempted by evil, it is very likely that he feels alone and isolated. Help may seem far away. It might indeed appear that he must stand there in his own strength, trusting in his own wisdom and experience, and offering whatever resistance he can manage from within his own resources. This view of temptation is, nevertheless wrong and even dangerous, for the tempter is Satan, who is stronger than men in their own strength. This was emphasized by Martin Luther in the old, but still appropriate hymn, Ein' Feste Burg, as follows:
"For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe, His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal."
In reality, however, no Christian must face temptation alone, or feel that help is distant and difficult, or think that he has no choice but to trust in his own resources of wisdom and experience. The text above from Peter offers us great assurance, encouragement, and conviction that God is very close to His children and is instantly ready to offer effective resistance unto their deliverance. But how close is God to a Christian? He answers this question Himself in I Cor. 3:16, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" He adds in I John 4:4, "Greater is He who is in you than he (Satan the tempter) who is in the world."
Although each person has his own responsibility to resist temptation, and is therefore ultimately accountable for his own success or failure, the Lord is faithful to help him by putting at his disposal everything necessary for him to succeed.
First, God never allows the tempter to corner the Christian where he has no choice but to commit sin. The Lord always keeps open a route of escape, as I Cor. 10:13 promises: "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
Second, God limits the power of any temptation within the range of human resistibility, as the words just quoted assure, "who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able."
Third, God permits no temptation to come upon a Christian which has not already been met and overcome by many other people: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man," (I Cor. 10:13a).
Fourth, God has given us a perfect model in Christ who met and defeated every temptation, thus forever removing some of its power. The inspired writer says of Jesus that He was the "One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin," (Heb 4:15).
Fifth, God has given us a suit of spiritual armor that is efficacious in resisting temptation. We are urged to "put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil," (Eph. 6:11). This armor consists of a girdle of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, a shield of faith, and a helmet of salvation.
Sixth, God puts into the hands of His children "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," (Eph. 6:17). With this "armor of God" the Christian can defend his soul against the assaults of evil, and with the "sword of the Spirit" he can counterattack and defeat his foe, routing temptation and sin from the field of his life, at least for a while, (Luk. 4:1-13). The apostle Peter therefore refers to a very great benefit from God when he writes, "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation."
