What is our hope when we face temptation?
Our hope when tempted is that the Lord will show us the way of escape. Even though we face temptations in the three areas—the flesh, the eyes, and preeminence over people—God provides a way out. We must look for it, because He does not place it directly in front of us.
Les teaches that Satan tempted Jesus by offering Him something if He would fall down and worship him, showing that Satan does the same to us. He constantly bombards us with desires of the flesh, our appetites, and with things that appeal to the eye. Les points out that television thrives on such appeals, and infomercials generate income by making people see things and want them. The third area is the temptation to reach preeminence and power over people, whether over a small number or great. These three categories of temptation face every human being, believer or non-believer. Les explains that our hope and comfort, as he returns to I Corinthians, is that even though before the day is over we will be confronted with something in these three areas, the Lord will show us the way of escape. But we have to look for it, because God will not put that way of escape right smack dab in front of us.