We have an apparent conflict between the desires of our flesh (or sinful nature) and the spiritual (that which comes from God). When we are faced with temptation, we can find any excuse to pardon our behaviour or even rationalize to justify our behaviour. Even though we may know that it is wrong, we still go ahead and choose to do it.
This battle can be so hard at times that it can even seem as if it is impossible to resist. It seems so difficult because of the influence from a society that tells us that we don't need to fight those desires and that it is okay to give in to what you really want regardless of whether it is right or wrong. It is common to hear such comments like "Just do it! Everyone is doing it, so it must be okay!" So instead of following what God clearly commands us to do, we choose not to obey.
So how do we combat this problem? How can we learn to resist the temptation to do the wrong things (in the eyes of God)? I would like to suggest a few guidelines:
1. Read God's word and apply it
We are highly privileged to have God's word (the bible) for guidance. We can choose to either apply it in our lives (James 1:22-26) or neglect it. I know I often get caught up in the busyness of my day to day life and can so easily procrastinate reading my bible or just get lazy. But knowing the word means I can use it to fight the temptations that come my way and it also provides the wisdom required to handle these situations.
The only way I will be able to apply the word, is if I know it, believe it, and trust that it will guide me. So making the effort to meditate on the word of God is a crucial step towards resisting temptation.
2. Listen to and accept the counsel of the Holy Spirit
Not only do we need to read God's word, but we also need to be attentive to and not simply ignore what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. It can be so easy to block out the things we do not want to hear and only listen to those things that we want to. Even though we know for a fact that what we want to hear is wrong. God's word convicts us.
3. Do not put your feet in boiling water because you will burn!
We need to be careful that we don't place ourselves in situations that will cause us to fall into temptation resulting in sin. We are all quite aware of our weaknesses. For instance, if you know that you struggle with lust for another man or women, do not place yourself in a situation that will make it much easier for you to go ahead and fulfil that lustful desire.
Instead of having a coffee one on one, it may be better to invite a few other friends to come along too. Don't fool yourself into believing that you are 'strong' and would be able to handle the situation – you may be setting yourself up for disaster.
4. Flee from temptation
Run. Run as fast as you can as soon as you encounter a situation that is pulling you in the wrong direction.
5. Do not entertain sinful thoughts
How does sin begin? I believe that it begins in the mind. The mind is a very powerful tool. The more we choose to entertain these bad thoughts, the more they can come into fruition. We are tempted when by our own evil desire, we are dragged away and enticed. After the desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15).
What we feed our minds can have a very high impact on our behaviour. Omitting those things we know will poison our minds (e.g. watching pornography, gossip etc) can help us overcome our sinful desires. We have to instead fill our minds with things that edify and encourage.
We need to remember the consequences that we will have to live with if we succumb to temptation. Not only will our own lives be affected, but we may hurt our friends and family in the process. The real problem is not quite the temptation itself, but how we choose to respond to it. The devil is a liar. He can make any sinful act appear so attractive that you will even hear things like "this will be good for you. You deserve it!"
But falling into temptation will result in sin, and sin will lead you to death. We need to put on the full armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) so we can take a stand against the devil's schemes.
When I face temptation, it is my hope that with God's help I will be able to overcome it and walk away victorious.
Kandima Awendila was born in Mozambique and lives and works as an IT Service
Desk Engineer on the Gold Coast.
Kandi Awendila's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/kandima-awendila.html