Temptation

Along with learning so much about abiding with the Lord we are also reading up on so many other things that compliment our study in Luke. Like temptation... biblical speaking there is two kinds of temptation, negative temptation and positive temptation. Let me explain what I have learned about something we all struggle with.
First lets signify that temptation is an attempt to entice into evil, but on the other hand it can indicate a testing which aims at spiritual good. so we need to keep both of these views in mind.
In the negative since or that of enticement to perpetrate evil, temptation in Biblical teaching is linked to Satan, the malignant being who stands opposed to the Divine purposes. Satan is the ultimate source of all desire and action contrary to the holy love of God. He is intelligence and devoid of anything that is moral, he is the tempter in Matthew 3:4 and referred to again in 1 Thessalonians 3:5, there are several other passages that mention the evil schemes of the devil. He finds a weakness in our flesh and camouflages it to appear harmless. In other words masquerades as good so that we fall into the frailty of our flesh be it of the eyes, or lust of the flesh or building our own prideful nature.
Ah, but if we remember our scriptures and the teaching of Paul, "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 ya 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.

Now lets look at the positive significance of temptation or that of testing with the intent of creating spiritual good, or proving or improving and occasionally reproving us. We need to remember that God who is Holy and loves us with a Holy Love can never be the source of evil in any form. James 1:13 tells us that. God tests His people yes, He tested Abraham and  Job, and we are sometimes tested severely and painfully, but only for the purposes of reproving and improving, and sometimes for approving.  We live in a moral universe where conflict rages between the Creator and His adversary, there is spiritual warfare going on around us all the time but our eyes are blinded to the spiritual world we are surrounded by. But with the Scriptures and the Holy spirit we can experience blessings and victory after and in the very mist of our struggles.
Jesus was tested , he was really tested not just in the wilderness but on the cross, he could have jumped off that tree at any time but He chose to remain there so that we could know how much He loved us. If Jesus was tested why do we think were exempt?  Are we the servants above the our Lord? The Divine intention in testing is plainly stated in Deuteronomy 8:16 "He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so the in the end it might go well with you"
Testing from the Lord is not fun but in the end we benefit because we grow stronger in our walk with the Lord, we learn lessons, we grow in a deeper intimate relationship with Jesus, we hold the hand of the one who will lead us into Heaven and we know that He is faithful to lead us in the direction that will in the end protect us from falling pray to the schemes of he evil one.