Defeating Temptation: “…but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” 1Cor. 10:13 There is always a way out! You may sometimes feel that a temptation is too overpowering for you to bear, but that’s a lie from Satan. God has promised never to allow more on you than he puts within you to handle it. This week we are going to look at 4 biblical keys to defeating temptation. The first one is to refocus your attention on something else. Nowhere in the Bible are we told to “resist temptation”, but we are told to “resist the devil”. We are advised to refocus our attention, because resisting a thought doesn’t work. It only intensifies our focus on the wrong thing and strengthens its allure. You strengthen the temptation every time you think it. The battle of sin is won or lost in the mind. Whatever gets your attention will get you. “…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Cor.10:5 The second key is to reveal it to a godly friend or support group. We are called to belong to a family, we were not meant to go through temptations or hurts alone. You need people to stand with you. Hiding your hurt only intensifies it. Problems grow in the dark and become bigger and bigger, but when exposed to the light of truth, they shrink. Whatever we expose into the light loses its power over us. Satan wants you to think that your sin and temptation are unique so you must keep them a secret. The truth is, we’re all in the same boat. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Rom.3:23 The third key is to resist the devil. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 The weapon that we use to fight the enemy is the Word of God. Never try to argue with the devil. He has got much more experience that you. The only thing you use against Him is the Word of God – it makes him tremble. That is why memorizing scripture is absolutely essential to defeating temptation. You have quick access to it whenever you are tempted. “This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have great success.” Josh.1:8 And the fourth key is to realize your vulnerability. God warns us to never be cocky and overconfident; that is the recipe for disaster. The bible warns us that “Pride goes before destruction.” Prov.18:16 We should always remember that the authority we have is in Christ. It is not in our won strength that we overcome. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Rom.8:37
Posted on: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:22:48 +0000
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