I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
— Revelation 1:9
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
— Matthew 6:13
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
— Matthew 24:14
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
— Isaiah 24:17
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
— 1 Corinthians 10:13
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
— 1 Peter 1:6-9
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
— Luke 21:36
Watching in Special Seasons of Temptation, by John Owen. The following contains Chapter Six of his work, “Of Temptation, The Nature and Power of It, the Danger of Entering into It, and the Means of Preventing That Danger With a Resolution of Various Cases Belonging to It.” 1658.
Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
— Revelation 3:10
Chapter 6
Watching so that we do not enter into temptation — The nature and efficacy of that duty — The first part of it, as to the special seasons of temptation — The first season, in unusual prosperity — The second, a season of slumber of grace — Third, a season of great spiritual enjoyment — The fourth, a season of self-confidence
The other part of our Savior’s direction — namely, to “watch,” — is more general, and extends itself to many particulars. I will fix on some things that are contained in it: —
3. Watch the seasons in which men usually “enter into temptation. ” There are various seasons in which an hour of temptation is commonly at hand; and temptation will unavoidably seize upon the soul unless it is delivered by mercy in the use of watchfulness. When we are under such a season, then we are to be particularly on our guard so that we do not enter into — so that we do not fall under — the power of temptation. Some of these seasons may be named: —
(1.) A season of unusual outward prosperity is usually accompanied with an hour of temptation. Prosperity and temptation go together; indeed, prosperity is a temptation, many temptations, and that is because, without eminent supplies of grace, prosperity is apt to throw a soul into a frame and temper exposed to any temptation, and provides it with food and fuel for all. It has provision for lust, and darts for Satan.
The wise man tells us that the “prosperity of fools destroys them,” Pro 1:32. It hardens them in their way, makes them despise instruction, and puts the evil day far off from them 64 (whose terror should influence them to amend their ways). Without special assistance, it has an inconceivably malignant influence on believers themselves. Hence Agur prays against riches because of the temptation that attends them: “Lest,” he says, “I be full and deny you, and say, Who is the Lord?” Pro 30:8, 9 — lest, being filled with them, he should forget the Lord; as God complains that his people did, Hos 13:6. We know how David was mistaken in this case: Psa 30:6, “I said in my prosperity, I will never be moved.” All is well, and will be well. But what was at hand, what lay at the door, that David did not think of? Verse 7, “You hid your face, and I was troubled.” God was ready to hide his face, and David was ready to enter into a temptation to desert Him, and he did not know it.
As for a prosperous condition , I will not run contrary to Solomon’s counsel, “In the day of prosperity, rejoice,” Ecc. 7:14. Rejoice in the God of your mercies, who does you good in his patience and forbearance, notwithstanding all your unworthiness. Yet I may add to it (from the same fountain of wisdom), “Consider, ” also, lest evil lie at the door. A man in that state, is in the midst of snares. Satan has many advantages against him, forging darts out of all this man’s enjoyments — and if the man does not watch out, he will be entangled before he is aware.
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Footnote:
64 Amos 6:3 Woe to you who put far off the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; Isa 56:12 “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.” Luk 12:19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”‘ We attract destruction by being indifferent to it, as if there were no price to pay for sin.
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You want what should poise and ballast your heart. Formality in religion65 is apt to creep in upon you; and that lays the soul open to all temptations in their full power and strength. Satisfaction and delight in creature-comforts, the poison of the soul, is apt to grow upon you. In such a time, be vigilant, be circumspect, or you will be surprised . Job says that in his affliction, “God made his heart soft,” chap. 23:16.
There is a hardness, an insensible lack of spiritual sense, that is gathered in prosperity, that if not watched against, will expose the heart to the deceits of sin66 and baits of Satan. “Watch and pray” in this season. Many men’s negligence in this area has cost them dearly; their woeful experience cries out to take heed. Blessed is he that always fears, but especially in a time of prosperity.
(2.) As manifested in part before, a time of the slumber of grace, of neglect in communion with God, of formality in duty, is a season in which to watch, as it certainly has some other temptation attending it.
Let a soul in such an estate awake and look around him. His enemy is at hand, and he is ready to fall into such a condition that it may cost him dearly all the days of his life. His present estate is bad enough in itself; but it is an indication of a worse estate that lies at the door. The disciples who were with Christ in the mount not only had a bodily, but a spiritual drowsiness upon them. What does our Savior say to them? “Arise; watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation.”67
We know how near one of them was to a bitter hour of temptation, and not watching as he should have, he immediately entered into it. I mentioned before, the case of the spouse in Song 5:2-8. She slept, and was drowsy, and unwilling to gird herself to a vigorous performance of her duties, in a way of quick, active communion with Christ. Before she is aware, she has lost her Beloved; then she moans, inquires, cries, endures woundings, reproaches, and all, before she obtains him again.
Consider then, O poor soul, your state and condition! Does your light burn dim?—Mat 25.8, or though it gives light to others as brightly as before, do you not see so clearly the face of God in Christ by it, as you have done?68 Is your zeal cold? Or if it does the same works as formerly, is your heart not warmed with the love of God and to God in these works, as formerly — but you are only proceeding in the course you have been in? Are you negligent in the duties of praying, or hearing the word? Or if you observe them, do you do it with that same life and vigor as formerly? Do you flag69 in your profession? Or if you keep it up, are your wheels yet oiled in some sinister respects, either from within or without? Does your delight in the people of God faint and grow cold? Or is your love toward them.
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Footnotes
65 That is, rote obedience without a change in heart; “just going through the motions ”.
66 Matthew 13:22 “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Heb 3:13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
67 Matthew 26.41 with Luke 22.46.
68 2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
69 Become less intense.
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changing from that which is purely spiritual, into that which is very carnal, on account of the suitableness of natural principles and spirits, if not worse foundations?
If you are drowsing in such a condition as this, take heed: you are falling into some woeful temptation that will break all your bones, and give you wounds that will stick with you all the days of your life. Indeed, when you awake, you will find that this temptation has indeed laid hold of you already, even though you did not perceive it; it has struck and wounded you, even though you have not complained or sought relief or healing for it.
Such was the state of the church at Sardis in Rev 3:2. “The things that remained were ready to die.” “Be watchful,” says our Savior, “and strengthen them, or a worse thing will befall you.” If anyone who reads the words of this direction is in such a condition, if he has any regard for his poor soul, let him awake now, before he is entangled beyond recovery. Take this warning from God — do not despise it.
(3.) A season of great spiritual enjoyments is often — by the malice of Satan and the weakness of our hearts — turned into a season of danger as to this business of temptation. We know how it stood with Paul in 2Cor 12:7. He had glorious spiritual revelations of God and Jesus Christ. Instantly Satan falls upon him, and a messenger from Satan buffets him70, so that he earnestly begs for its departure — yet he is left to struggle with it. God is pleased sometimes to give us special discoveries of himself and his love, to fill the heart with his kindness. Christ takes us into the banqueting-house, and gives our hearts their fill of love. Song of Solomon 2.4
And this is by some signal work of his Spirit, overpowering us with a sense of love in the unspeakable privilege of adoption; and so he fills our souls with joy unspeakable and glorious. A man would think this was the securest condition in the world. What soul does not cry with Peter in the mount, “It is good for me to be here; to abide here for ever? ”Mat 17.4 Yet very frequently, some bitter temptation is now at hand. Satan sees that (being possessed by the joy before us) we quickly neglect many of the ways of approach to our souls, those in which he seeks and finds advantages against us. Is this then, our state and condition? Does God at all times let us drink of the rivers of pleasure that are at his right hand, Psa 36.8 and satisfy our souls with his kindness as with marrow and fatness? Psa 63.5 Let us not say, “We shall never be moved. ” Psa 10.6 We do not know how soon God may hide his face from us, or a messenger from Satan may buffet us.
Besides, there often lies a greater and worse deceit in this business. Men cheat their souls with their own fancies, instead of having a sense of God’s love by the Holy Ghost; and when they are lifted up with their imaginations, it is not expressible how fearfully they are exposed to all manner of temptations. How then are they able to find relief against their consciences from their own foolish fancies and deceptions with which they entertain themselves? May we not see such people every day — walking in the vanities and ways of this world, yet boasting of their sense of the love of God? Shall we believe them? If so, then we must not believe truth itself; how woeful then must their condition be!
(4.) A fourth season is a season of self-confidence ; temptation is then usually at hand.
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Footnote:
70 To pummel.
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The case of Peter is clear as to this: “I will not deny you; though all men should deny you, I will not; even if I were to die for it, I would not do it.” Mat 26.33, 35
The poor man said this when he stood on the very brink of that temptation which cost him such bitter tears in the outcome. And this taught him so far to know himself all his days, and gave him such an acquaintance with the state of all believers, that when he had received more of the Spirit and of power, he had less confidence in himself; and he saw that it was fit for others to have less also. Therefore he persuades all men to “pass the time of their sojourning here in fear,” 1Pet 1:17 — not to be confident and high as he was, lest they fall, as he did. At the first trial he compares himself with others, and vaunts himself above them: “Though all men should forsake you, yet I will not.” He fears every man more than himself. But when our Savior afterward comes to him, and makes a direct comparison, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these?” John 21:15, Peter is done comparing himself with others, and only cries, “Lord, you know that I love you.” John 21.15-17 He will lift himself up above others no more.
Such a season often happens. Temptations are abroad in the world, false doctrines, with innumerable other allurements and provocations. Every one of us is ready and very confident that we will not be surprised by them: though all men should fall into these follies, yet we will not. Surely we will never depart from walking with God: it is impossible that our hearts would be so drunkenly foolish. But, the apostle says, “Do not be high-minded, but fear; let him that thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall.” 1Cor 10.12 Peter had walked on the sea with Christ, confessed him to be the Son of God, and been with him in the mount when he heard the voice from the excellent glory. Would you think that, at the word of a servant-girl — when there was no legal inquisition after him, no process against him, nor anyone else in his condition — he would instantly fall to cursing and swearing that he did not know Christ? Let those take heed of self-confidence, who have any mind to take heed of sin.
This is the first thing in our watching: to consider well the seasons in which temptation usually makes its approaches to the soul, and be armed against them. And these are some of the seasons in which temptations are near at hand.
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