Do temptations come from Satan or from ourselves?

James 1:14 says, “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”   Acts 5:3 asks, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price?”  Which is it?  Are we tempted by our own lusts or by Satan?

I believe the answer lies in two uses or perspectives in the use of the word temptation. James chapter one makes the clear statement that a man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust or desires. So temptations come from our evil desires. In Acts 5:3 Satan filled their hearts to sin. Note also that, in Matthew 4:1, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

First, there can be no temptation if no desire exists in our heart. If I dislike / don’t want ice cream, I will NOT be inclined to buy or eat it, no matter how many advertisements or ice cream shops I see. If someone offers it to me or even urges and presses me to go ahead, it is no real/serious temptation because I have no desire for it.  Desire must exist to be tempted.

Second, for those who like ice cream, we know we should not eat too much of it. That would not be healthy. So I am inclined or tempted to eat but I control that desire, resisting the urge and overcoming the temptation. However, if someone takes me to Baskin Robbins and offers to buy some for me … urging and pleading, pressing and teasing me, there is a good chance I will do what I should not do (if I am diabetic). In this case, my friend has tempted me to eat. He has presented the occasion and provided incentive to do the wrong thing.  Still, that temptation is only effective because the desire is in my heart.

Satan tempts and puts evil in our hearts in various ways. But all he can do is provide the occasion for sin.  Satan encourages me to sin by his deceit, telling me it will be ok.  He will threaten and push me to sin. If my desire to do right is strong enough to overcome the desire to do wrong – temptation fails.

We can avoid temptation by not allowing Satan to put sin in our face — avoid people, places and circumstances that urge us to sin. However we cannot avoid all occasions all the time. So, we need to desire righteousness and not sin.

James is emphasizing the need to take personal responsibility for overcoming our evil desires. Other passages are reminding us that we have an enemy, so we are not unexpectedly deceived and caught off guard by occasions and circumstances that put us in a weak position.