Temptations

[briankarman]

I believe in the Divinely Revealed Word of God, both written and spoken through the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, but I have a problem. I don’t consider it a sin, because it is just a temptation, but often I am tempted to think I am God the Creator. I know this is irrational and in my mind I know I am not the Creator, but I still get the temptation. Surely the saints have had to deal with this temptation from the Evil One, but I am struggling with it. Please help.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

briankarman:

I believe in the Divinely Revealed Word of God, both written and spoken through the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, but I have a problem. I don’t consider it a sin, because it is just a temptation, but often I am tempted to think I am God the Creator. I know this is irrational and in my mind I know I am not the Creator, but I still get the temptation. Surely the saints have had to deal with this temptation from the Evil One, but I am struggling with it. Please help.

This is the problem with our fallen nature. The serpent tempted Eve by telling here that eating the forbidden fruit will make her “like God”. This makes us question God and his dominion over us. Thinking what it would be like to be God is normal, but it is not a sin unless you try act upon it or let it consume your thoughts.

As for the Saints. They were human like the rest of us. They probably had the same types of temptation, but they rose above them.

PF

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

Try the link below. It’s aa brilliant sermon on temptation. I am posting the first few paragraphs for you. But check it out.

Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives

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Demonology

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The Strategy of the Devil in Demonic Temptations

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

It was divinely providential that Christ allowed Himself to be tempted by the devil at the beginning of His public ministry. He is teaching us one of the most important lessons we need to learn in life. If He, the living God in human form, was tempted by the evil spirit, then we must expect to be tempted as well. In order to imitate Christ, we must resist the devil as Christ, Himself, resisted the devil.

As St. John tells us, we are tempted from three sources: by the world, the flesh, and the devil The world is the attractive sinful conduct of other people. The flesh is our concupiscence, the natural inclination that we now have after the fall of the human race, to follow what appeals to us even though it is displeasing to God. The devil is, in some ways, the most powerful enemy we have in the spiritual life.
therealpresence.org/archives/Demonology/Demonology_001.htm
If there is one thing we learn from the masters of the spiritual life it is to expect to be tempted by the evil spirit. It was the evil spirit who tempted Eve and brought on the fall of the human race. As we reflect on temptations by the devil in our own lives, we must keep in mind who the devil is. He is the evil spirit. Spirit because he is not sensibly perceptible. We cannot hear him with our bodily ears or see him with our bodily eyes. He is an evil spirit whose number is legion and who has been phenomenally successful in seducing untold numbers from their allegiance to God.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

There is a great book or you may find cassette / cd spoken by John Cleese. A brilliant study on the devils strategy and very entertaining,

The screwtape letter by CS Lewis.