• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
How to Overcome Temptation
byOmaudi Reid
Email Author «Send to Friend» Print Friendly Version
Johnny was one of the cashiers at a local restaurant in his town. He had asloppy manager who did not run the store well, and so Johnny often had tohelp him out. Johnny taught that helping would give him the opportunity tobecome a manager. Johnny ran into some financial problems, and wascoming up short with his rent money. While at work, he realized that he hadplenty of opportunities to “borrow” some money from his register; hismanager probably would never notice. Johnny took it, and was able to payhis rent. Unfortunate for Johnny, his theft was found out, and he was fired.He was one of the greatest kings in his time. But one day, at the height of hiscareer, from his balcony, he saw a beautiful woman taking a shower. Using hispower as king, he invited the married woman to his castle, and had sex withher. Then, to cover up his adultery, he used his influence to have thewoman’s husband murdered. Undoubtedly, this brought much anguish in theremainder of David’s time as the King of Israel – an awful blemish in anotherwise successful career.None of us are above falling into the above temptations. The fact isthroughout time and history, among rich and poor, of all races, humansexperience similar types of temptation. We are all tempted.
I Corinthians10:13 – There hath no temptation that taken you, but such as is common toman; But God is Faithful. Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape that yemay be able to bear it.
Christians are not immune to temptation, the scripture says:
I Corinthians10:12 -...Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Facts about Temptation
:Temptation is being lured away by the desires of our own sinful nature awayfrom God’s will. James 1:13-15. God does not tempt us with evil; temptationcomes from our own desires. All good things come from God.1. Drawn away by our own desires2. Enticed – we receive a persuading offer to fulfill the desire.3. Lust conceived – the desire and the desired meets4. Sin is committed.I Corinthians 10:13 God makes a way of escape for the temptation we face.We really can only overcome temptation through the grace and power of God. “I could not help it”, or “there is no way out” is not true for the Christian. Godhas given us the things we need to overcome temptation. Yes, we can fall.But through God’s grace we receive forgiveness to free us, and empowermentto continue our walk with God, and overcome our struggles. Let’s look atwhat the Bible tells us about overcoming temptation.
 
How to Overcome Temptation
1. Be Mission-Minded
Romans 12:21 – Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Wake up each day with God’s plan, mission, and purpose on your mind. WithGod’s mission on your mind, you have already taken out many of theopportunities to be drawn away. People often fall to temptation, because theygot distracted from their purpose. When we walk with God’s mission on ourmind, we can be people of influence thereby overcoming evil with good. Ourbasic mission is to glorify God, and to spread the gospel of Christ.2. Watch
Matthew 26:41 – Watch and pray, that ye enter not intotemptation.
Have a daily security check. Presuming that you cannot fall into temptation isa recipe for falling into temptation. Be your own eyes and ears – watch whatgets into your mind, and ponder what you are doing. In other words, wemust be alert and aware of the devil’s tricks, and of the evil that is around us.3. Pray & FastThrough prayer God provides the spiritual strength and empowerment toovercome sin. We cannot overcome the sinful nature without innerstrengthening power of the Spirit of God. Through prayer we draw near toGod, and his Spirit fills us4. Stay Away and Run AwayStay Away –
I Peter 2:11 – Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against thesoul.I Thessalonians 5:22 - Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Do not open upyourself to situations and things that expose you to temptation. Have someboundaries in your life. Many Christians attempt to see how far they can gowithout sinning. Is it not wiser to stay away from the edge of a cliff, in orderto avoid falling over?Run Away –
2 Timothy 2:22 – Flee youthful lusts.
The word ‘flee’ means torun. Sometimes you got to run from the source of the temptation. Joseph ranfrom Potiphar’s wife to prevent sleeping with her. Sometimes someone maytry to instigate a fight with you, it’s best to leave the area. There is no shamein running from the source of a temptation.5. Resist
 James 4:17 – Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee fromyou.
Sometimes it’s impossible to run from, or stay away from the situation. Inthat case, we must resist. We resist by speaking out. Rebuke the devil bysaying: Get behind Satan for the word of God says… or I bind the spirit of lying in the name of Jesus, and I walk in Truth. Sometimes when beingtempted by others, we can correct them as a form of resisting. Often we goalong with the crowd, and refrain from speaking out, and as a result wefollow the crowd in doing things we never intended to do. The best way toavoid this, is to speak out when others try to pressure you do wrong.6. Consider Your Brother/Sister
Romans 14:13...no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
Also Galatians 6:1.
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...