--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Temptations and occasions put nothing…" description: "\"Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before.\" — John Owen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1db/john-owen-1415_draws_temptations-and-occasions-put-nothing-in_1794290.png" --- # Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only… ![“Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before.” quote by John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1db/john-owen-1415_draws_temptations-and-occasions-put-nothing-in_1794290.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1db/john-owen-1415_draws_temptations-and-occasions-put-nothing-in_1794290.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1db/john-owen-1415_draws_temptations-and-occasions-put-nothing-in_1794290.png) > “Temptations and occasions put nothing into a man, but only draw out what was in him before.” [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External events do not create desire; they merely reveal pre‑existing inclinations. **In simple terms:** Temptations expose what we already have inside. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner virtue to resist external triggers. Themes spirituality temptation self‑knowledge Mood contemplative solemn Type theological moral When to use this quote - daily life - moral testing - spiritual discipline Key Concepts Puritanism psychology of desire Questions to Reflect On - What inner qualities are revealed in temptation? - Can external change alter inner desire? A Different Perspective Assuming external causes alone can change behavior is simplistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Temptations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptations/) ## Related quotes > [He couldn't tell that this was one of those occasions a man never forgets: a small cicatrice had been made on the memory, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/he-couldn-t-tell-that-this-was-one-of-those-occasions-a-man-never/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [I think there's an incredible luck or skill for a 45-year-old man to draw like a three-year-old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-reeves/i-think-there-s-an-incredible-luck-or-skill-for-a-45-year-old-man-to/) [Vic Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-reeves/) > [There are occasions in a man's life when it is undoubtedly better for him to make loss than gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/there-are-occasions-in-a-man-s-life-when-it-is-undoubtedly-better-for/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [An artist of understanding and experience can show more of his great power and art in small things roughly and rudely done, than many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/an-artist-of-understanding-and-experience-can-show-more-of-his-great/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Temptations hurt not, though they have accesse; Satan o'ercomes none but by willingnesse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/temptations-hurt-not-though-they-have-accesse-satan-o-ercomes-none/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [Temptations discover what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/temptations-discover-what-you-are/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [The answer is the same for everyone: we must, and we can, resist temptations of any kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/the-answer-is-the-same-for-everyone-we-must-and-we-can-resist/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [If any era should be aware of the temptations to rewrite history, it is our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-garber/if-any-era-should-be-aware-of-the-temptations-to-rewrite-history-it/) [Marjorie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-garber/) > [Temptations are like tramps. Treat them kindly, and they will return bringing others with them. Temptations are never so dangerous as when they come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/temptations-are-like-tramps-treat-them-kindly-and-they-will-return/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Most of the temptations that come to us to sell the soul come in connection with the getting of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/most-of-the-temptations-that-come-to-us-to-sell-the-soul-come-in/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [We are all afflicted by original sin; people succumbing to temptations to do and to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-are-all-afflicted-by-original-sin-people-succumbing-to-temptations/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Some temptations cannot be fought. One must close one's mind and fly from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-cronin/some-temptations-cannot-be-fought-one-must-close-one-s-mind-and-fly/) [A.J. Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-cronin/) > [Temptations are a file which rub off much of the rust of our self-confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/temptations-are-a-file-which-rub-off-much-of-the-rust-of-our-self/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [There are some temptations which are so strong that they must be virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/there-are-some-temptations-which-are-so-strong-that-they-must-be/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [What's the use of a great city having temptations if fellows don't yield to them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-s-the-use-of-a-great-city-having-temptations-if-fellows-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Owen > [God hath work to do in this world; and to desert it because of its difficulties and entanglements, is to cast off His authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/god-hath-work-to-do-in-this-world-and-to-desert-it-because-of-its/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: "God, preserve my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/if-we-do-not-abide-in-prayer-we-will-abide-in-temptation-let-this-be/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [The least grace is a better security for heaven than the greatest gifts or privileges whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/the-least-grace-is-a-better-security-for-heaven-than-the-greatest/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [“Our belief of the Scriptures to be the word of God, or a divine revelation, and our understanding of the mind and will of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/our-belief-of-the-scriptures-to-be-the-word-of-god-or-a-divine/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [How can we possibly believe the promises concerning Heaven, immortality, and glory, when we do not believe the promises concerning our present life? 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In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/no-one-can-come-to-me-unless-the-father-draws-him/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,” Peter explained, “but that we should go ahead and draw for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/when-i-talked-to-him-earlier-he-said-he-had-to-work-tonight-peter/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I would warn against holsters with devices for quick-draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/i-would-warn-against-holsters-with-devices-for-quick-draw-devices/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [They say that art comes from the soul. 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