Seventh-day Adventist Minister Komura Thompson has challenged believers to understand that becoming a Christian is not only about going to heaven, but also about being prepared to face temptation, spiritual testing and trials.
Preaching during last Sabbath’s Divine Service at Sogavare Memorial SDA church in Port Moresby, Minister Thompson asked the congregation: “Why have you become a Seventh-day Adventist?”
The immediate answer, he said, was often, “To go to heaven.”
But he challenged the congregation to look deeper into the Christian experience by asking whether heaven was the original home God gave humanity.
He said they joined SDA movement was to be tempted by Satan like Jesus in the wilderness.
“Did God create Adam and put him in heaven?” he asked.
Minister Thompson said the Christian journey also involves being tested and tempted by Satan, with believers expected to remain faithful to God when confronted by trials.
He raised the question before announcing the main sermon topic, “Sources of Temptation and How to Overcome Them,” which was based on James 1:2-3 and 12 and Mark 1:12-13.
James 1:2-3 calls believers to count trials as joy because the testing of faith produces perseverance, while verse 12 says those who endure temptation are blessed.
Minister Thompson used Mark 1:12-13 to examine the experience of Jesus Christ immediately after His baptism, when the Holy Spirit drove Him into the wilderness and Satan tempted Him.
He said the passage highlighted three important aspects of the Christian experience: being led by the Holy Spirit, facing temptation from Satan and overcoming temptation through obedience to God.
“The Spirit drove Him into the wilderness,” he said.
Minister Thompson warned that Christians who pray for the Holy Spirit to lead them must also be prepared for spiritual testing.
He described the wilderness as a place of desolation, isolation and spiritual testing, saying believers could encounter their own “wilderness” in different circumstances of life.
He said temptation was not a one-time experience but an ongoing process, pointing to the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness as part of the biblical pattern of spiritual testing.
He also explained that Mark’s account differed from Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13, which provide greater details of the specific temptations Jesus faced.
According to Minister Thompson, Luke particularly showed how Jesus relied on Scripture to overcome Satan’s attacks, while Mark focused more strongly on the wider spiritual and cosmic struggle.
He said the presence of wild animals in Mark’s account also portrayed the wilderness as a dangerous and hostile environment, while the angels ministering to Jesus demonstrated God’s divine care and support.
Minister Thompson connected Jesus’ wilderness experience with other biblical accounts involving Adam and Eve, Israel in the wilderness, Moses, Elijah and David.
He said Satan had a role in testing people, but God remained sovereign, pointing to the account of Job where Satan was permitted to test him.
He stressed that Jesus ultimately overcame temptation by remaining obedient to God.
The minister then challenged the congregation to identify where their own “wilderness” exists today.
He identified isolation and loneliness as one form of modern wilderness, saying temptation could come when people were alone, including through the use of mobile phones.
He said people could also face temptation while surrounded by others in public places, at work or in other environments where they might believe nobody was watching.
Minister Thompson specifically warned against corruption and bribery, saying such situations could become tests of a Christian’s faith and integrity.
He also identified family and close relationships as another potential source of temptation.
He referred to biblical accounts including Eve and Adam, Cain and Abel, and Jacob and Esau to demonstrate how people close to an individual could influence decisions and actions.
“Your wilderness is home, family and church,” he said.
Minister Thompson used the encounter between Jesus and Peter in Matthew 16:22-23 as another example.
When Peter objected to Jesus’ explanation of His coming suffering, Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Get behind me, Satan.”
The minister said the incident demonstrated that temptation could sometimes come through people who were close to believers.
He also referred to Judas and other biblical examples of betrayal to warn members that the church environment could also involve spiritual testing, disappointment and conflict.
“Life in the church is stormy,” he said.
However, he urged believers not to abandon their faith because of difficulties within the church or their families.
Instead, he encouraged them to pray for the Holy Spirit, remain faithful to Scripture and depend on God when facing temptation.
Minister Thompson also warned against materialism and urged Christians to be honest with themselves about the pressures and temptations confronting them in modern society.
He said believers should not expect a Christian life without temptation.
“No temptation, no Spirit,” he said, urging members to count trials as opportunities to strengthen their faith.
He also referred to Matthew 10:34-39, where Jesus warned His followers that discipleship could bring opposition, including from members of their own households.
Minister Thompson said the Christian journey therefore required endurance, obedience and faithfulness.
He urged the congregation to understand that temptation was part of the spiritual battle and that victory depended on remaining connected to God through prayer, Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
He said those who endured temptation faithfully would receive the blessing promised in Scripture.