Resisting Temptation
In one of my recent messages at church, we covered my life verse, “But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). In that message I suggested eight aspects to “grow up” in our life and was challenged by a dear one to do a blog on each, so here is another one! To actively resist temptation, and to put myself in a position where I won’t BE tempted.
Temptation is a universal thing to the human race since Adam and Eve, our original ancestors fell into sin. The devil is the author of it, he got his start in the Garden of Eden and has stayed with it ever since. Temptation is not so simple as a little angel on one shoulder and a little evil thing on the other. Satan may be involved in it, but he has worked up a big world system that takes it and runs with it. The other thing is; our flesh and blood body likes to sin. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:16).
I want to encourage you that temptation in itself is not sinful. It doesn’t become that until we give in to it. For the follower of Jesus Christ, this is our reality. We really can, with God’s help, say no to sin. “No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). He has given us all manner of tools to help us along, I want to share some of them with you.
Don’t ever assume you are invulnerable to a temptation. The person who confidently declares “I don’t have a problem with that” is asking for trouble. The one who falls won’t be the one who has a concern about it, the one who falls will be the one who thinks it cannot happen! “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
All temptation has an element of a lie to it, so it is important to latch onto as much truth as we can, from God’s word. Read it, learn it, memorize it. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psalm 119:9-11).
You may recall that when the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil, He responded by quoting scripture. But it was not the saying of the words that made it effective, remember anything Jesus said would have been scripture. No, it was His commitment to obeying it no matter what. This commitment to obey is yet another tool against temptation. Joseph knew this when he responded to an adulteress, “How could I then do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).
Guarding the company we keep is another shield against temptation. “Do not be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). We have all had people we’ve hung out with who take us down wrong roads. Teen Challenge will move a person in rehab to a far away city to keep them from bad company.
Likewise, good company helps us stay on the path of following God. A solid, Bible believing church and committed Christian friends are indispensable to the Christian’s life. “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24,25). Helping move one another toward good is one of the reasons we go to church!
Don’t leave anything that tempts you where you can get to it. “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Romans 13:14). No provision! Every alcoholic knows there cannot be any alcohol in the house. Every dieter knows they ought not to go to a buffet restaurant. Every thief knows they ought not to volunteer to be the cashier at the fundraiser. Every compulsive gambler knows Las Vegas is not a good vacation choice. Every pornography addict knows that too much time with their phone is not a good idea. No provision!
This is why the Lord Jesus included “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” in the model prayer He taught His disciples. It is worth our life discipline to do everything we can to keep temptation from leading us into evil.
