今天我们要转为思想生命的另一个领域，那是我们很多人都渴望可以获得豁免的──强烈和严厉的试探。坦白说，大部分人都希望可以远离试探。但是试探其实有它的作用，神经常会借着它来培养我们的品格，使我们的生命更能活出基督的形象。安东尼（Mark Antony）被称为「罗马的银口演说家」，但他却有不能抵挡试探这个致命的缺点。

不过这恐怕不只是安东尼或者未信的人的缺点，也是很多信徒的问题。我们都常要面对试探，不幸的是很多人都受制于试探的力量。「试探」（希腊语是 peirasmos）这个词、词根的意思是测试。而辞典则将试探定义为「为了快乐和获益的承诺而做错事的行动」。司蕴道（Charles Swindoll）说：「试探是以给予你好东西的承诺来促使你行为出轨。」

魔鬼不就是这样吗？你现在是否在面对特别严厉的试探呢？那么要注意！你其实是拥有所需要的力量来对抗攻击的。美国前总统杜鲁门（Harry Struman）有一句名言，说：「如果你讨厌那热力，就远离厨房吧。」但我从没有发现任何人可以不留在「厨房」而仍能保持坚强的意志力。在掌握试探的领域时，我的劝告是：「如果你不能忍受那热力，就更要留在厨房里，学习以神的力量来应付它。」

We turn now to another sphere of life from which many of us might long to be exempted - the area of strong and unrelenting temptation. Most of us, if we are honest, would like to be excused from having to face temptation, but temptation has its uses: it can work in God's hands to the development of character, and help perfect the image of Christ in our lives. Mark Antony was called "the silver-throated orator of Rome", but he had the fatal flaw of not being able to resist a temptation.

That indictment, I'm afraid, applies not just to Mark Antony, or to the ranks of the unconverted, but to many in the Church also. We all face temptation, and unfortunately far too many of us fall beneath its power. The root meaning of the word "temptation" (Greek, peirasmos) is that of testing. The dictionary defines temptation as "the act of enticement to do wrong, by promise of pleasure or gain". Charles Swindoll commented: "Temptation motivates you to be bad by promising something good."

Isn't that just like the devil? Are you facing a particularly fierce temptation at the moment? Then take heart - you have all the power you need to stand up under the blast. Harry S. Truman, a former President of the United States, is famous for saying: "If you don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen." But I've not found anyone who was able to stay strong without spending time in the "kitchen". In coming to grips with the sphere of temptation, my advice is: "If you can't stand the heat, stay in the kitchen - and in God's strength, learn to handle it."