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When it comes to temptation, we are our own worst enemy. The tempter has a part to play to be sure, as do friends and associates who influence us, but theirs is a bit part. The lead role in temptation goes to the enemy within—self—the almighty “I”! It is not the devil who leads us astray, but our own sinful desires. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:14). Although temptation may take many forms at its core it is ever the same. It is always rooted in our own evil desires, the product of our fallen nature.
“God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us.”
— James 1:13-14 (MSG)
Lord, deliver us from the evil within our own hearts. Amen.