Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
Dictionary.com defines temptation as the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise. I don’t know about you but, for me, daily life involves a continual battle with temptation. I worry. I envy. I lust. I try to control. I am prideful.
There was a time in my life when I was in a difficult marriage where I was tempted to be unfaithful. I never followed through on this temptation, but it could have been easy to give in. I was getting attention from someone who was being nice and thoughtful – and I definitely didn’t have that in my marriage. I thank God that I resisted this temptation, but this made me see how easy it could be to give in.
What are the sources of temptation? There are three – the world, the flesh, and Satan.
The World
The world doesn’t value what God values. The world values things
such as achievement, success, power, beauty, approval of others and sex. It’s
easy to fall into the trap of “conforming to the standards of this world”. We
tend to often focus on what is seen, rather than what is unseen, and try to
fill and satisfy ourselves with that which is of this world.
The Flesh
In Romans 7:14-24, Paul said that there was something “in the members” of his body that he called “his flesh,” which produced difficulty in his Christian life and made him a prisoner of sin. The flesh is the part of us that is rebellious and that does not want to be told what to do. There is a constant struggle between the flesh (where we seek to please ourselves) and our desire to please God. How does the flesh manifest itself in us?
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
Satan
Satan can tempt, taunt and
trouble believers by putting ideas, thoughts and doubts in our minds. He watches
to see where we struggle and uses our struggles, along with past hurts and
failures, against us. He tries to break the hold the word of God has on us by taking what
God has declared and casting doubt on it. When Satan tempted Eve to do what God
had forbidden, he put doubts in her mind. Then he appealed to her desires, tempting
her by saying that she and Adam could be like Gods.
Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness for three days. Satan sought to appeal to Jesus’ divinity and humanity and, of course, Jesus was strong and didn’t give in. I’m sorry to say but I’m pretty sure that I would have given in immediately to the bread after fasting for forty days and forty nights.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8
How Can You Overcome Temptation?
Submit yourself to God
The best recourse for temptation is to “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Avoid tempting situations and places
Temptation often comes when you find yourself in certain situations or places. When you recognize one of those situations, it is time to get as far from it as possible. If you are overcoming addiction, don’t go to places or hang out with people that might tempt you with drugs or alcohol. If you are tempted to be unfaithful to your spouse, stay away from people or situations that could result in temptation.
In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul told his young friend, Timothy, to “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart”.
Fill your mind with good things
Also remember that our thoughts are as important as our actions so try not to entertain tempting thoughts. Avoid anything that fills your mind with sinful thoughts and fill it instead with good things by studying God’s Word and praying for His guidance. There are many verses in Scripture that will help you overcome certain temptations. Committing bible verses to memory to help combat your areas of temptation can provide good protection and defense.
Confess and repent
It you succumb to temptation, confess and repent. Ask God to help you stay strong in the future!
REFLECT
In what areas of your life are you experiencing temptation?
What will you do to help you avoid these areas of temptation?
Great article. Good word. Thanks.