Temptation. Each of us faces it every day in some form or another. Temptation is a desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise. For Christ-followers, this temptation is an enticement to act contrary to God’s will with our thoughts, words, or actions.
Satan was the original tempter and is still up to his old tricks today. What tempts you? The donut in QuikTrip? Gossip? Popularity? Material things? We all have a weak spot and you better believe Satan knows what it is and he is going to use it to try to weaken us, to beat us down. But we don’t have to let him. There are three things we can do to resist the enemy of our soul.
One: You must know the strategy of Satan.
Satan uses the same strategy today that he used first with Eve and then with Jesus. Satan will lie in an attempt to cause his victim to doubt God and the truth of His Word. Satan did that to Eve. He twisted what God had told her (Genesis 3). Satan is crafty in that way; he will give his victims just enough of the truth to confuse them. Eve didn’t defend herself against Satan. She listened to his lies, doubted, and then sinned against God.
So what did Jesus do differently? He defended Himself against Satan’s lies by using God’s Word. He threw the truth right back at Satan. And Satan left. Like Jesus, you can successfully resist Satan, but to be successful you must know the strategy of Satan and arm yourself against him. You must know God’s Word so that you can recognize Satan’s venomous lies and counter with the Truth.
“Hide God’s word in your heart so that you will not sin against Him”( Psalms 119:11).
Two: Keep Your Eyes on Jesus.
You must keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t look at the temptation. When the temptation stands in front of you and wants you to look at it, do as Jesus did and tell it to get behind you. And like Jesus, recognize that the temptation is a “dangerous trap” and that the lies that are being whispered in your ear are presented from “a human point of view, not from God’s ( Matthew 16:23)”.
Don’t take your eyes off Jesus like Peter did when he was walking on water. Don’t let the whisper of the lies that you don’t need God, or that just one time won’t hurt, or that God doesn’t really love you distract you like the wind and the waves distracted Peter. Instead, “keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. (Hebrews 12:2-3 MSG)
Three: Pray.
Jesus was tempted but never sinned. To overcome this temptation, He used the Word of God, but he also spent much time in prayer (Matthew 14:23 NLT, Mark 1:35, Luke 9:18, Luke 22: 39-41). Jesus told His disciples to “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. (Matthew 26:41) When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, He told them to pray these words: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13
Paul reminds us that “no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1st Corinthians 10:13) God will provide a way out. Just ask Him. Go to Him in prayer. Follow Jesus’ example.
Pray with me:
Because of who Jesus is and what He did for me on the cross, I am approaching you Father with confidence that you will show mercy and grace and help me in my time of need (Hebrews 4:16). I know that faith is the victory that overcomes (1st John 5:4), but Lord I confess sometimes my faith seems like it cannot overcome my desire to do those things that I know I should not do. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my flesh (Galatians 5:16). Lord help me stay alert and watchful so that I can recognize Satan’s lies (1st Peter 5:8-11) and resist him. Your Word promises that you will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can stand and that You will provide a way out (1st Corinthians 10:13) Lord, I am standing on your promise right now. Show me the way out. Remind me in my time of need of your promises so that I can overcome Satan with the Word of your Truth. Thank you for standing with me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
