Victory Over Temptation
Let’s talk about something that everyone faces–well if you are a human and not a robot, at least! Temptation! Yes, Temptation is a conniving mistress, a greedy coquette, a presumptuous paramour. The Bible has a wealth of knowledge regarding the blessings that come with avoiding temptation. “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). The good news is that God always provides a way of escaping temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). You just need to make sure that you are spiritually in tune to those ways (1 Corinthians 2:10-16)! How do you make sure you are spiritually sensitive? Learn the Word, fellowship with other believers, make sure you have an accountability partner, etc.
Employing practicality in conjunction with biblical knowledge can help you overcome temptation.
Below are 5 tips to obtaining victory over temptation:
1. Seek wisdom for it “will save you from the ways of wicked men” (Proverbs 2:12). The Book of Proverbs is a good place to start. The Bible says that if you ask God for wisdom, He will give it to you generously (James 1:5).
2. Cultivate your relationship with God DAILY. Spend time reading His Word, praying, and worshiping.
3. Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). Be cognizant of what you watch, listen to, and with whom you surround yourself.
4. Know your triggers! Know what emotions you have commonly experienced when you made less than desirable choices in the past. Remember that you possess all 9 fruits of the Spirit, and one of those is self-control, so employ it!
5. Humble yourself. DO NOT EVER THINK YOU ARE ABOVE TEMPTATION. Even Jesus, the perfect son of God, was tempted (Hebrews 4:15)! Study and know the Word of God; after all, it is referred to as the SWORD of truth (Ephesians 6:17)! Having ammunition when the enemy comes at you will bring you closer to making a savvy step in the right direction.
Below is an acronym I have formulated in order to help you remember the practical part of today’s post when combating temptation:
Apply
Principles of the Bible &
Prior knowledge to
Leave behind
Evildoing
See what I did there?!? How have you fought temptation and won recently?
Lauren
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S.L. Payne says
Thanks for sharing! I really appreciate your thoughts and specifically love your point that no one is above temptation! It is so easy for those of us who have been around Christian circles for a while to think that we are “fine” and insulated, but we can fall into temptation just as easily and possibly more easily since we think it isn’t as much of a problem for us.
-S.L. Payne, uncommongrace.net