“A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil.” (Psalm 101:4)
Resisting temptation and avoiding sin is first and foremost work that every Christian must undertake, a work that has direct bearing on every aspect of our lives, even our prayers (“the prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much” James 5:16 and “grant her honor…that your prayers may not be hindered” 1 Peter 3:7). God neither tempts us (James 1:13-14) nor will He resist temptation for us, nor will He stop us from sinning if in our hearts we really want to sin. Resisting temptation and keeping ourselves from sin therefore should be the first priority for every Christian. While we cannot overcome temptation solely on our own strength, God wants us to expend every effort in overcoming temptation. He may allow us to go through times of temptation that may seem impossible to overcome in order to see how badly we want victory and what we are willing to do to achieve it. Overcoming difficult temptations may very well require much concentration, determination, and effort on our part. And not just once but many times we may face the battle of temptation and very strong desires to sin. In these instances we must will to win; we must never give up or lose heart. We must set our hearts and minds on victory, no matter what we have done in the past, no matter how many times we have failed. God will come to our aid, and Satan will flee eventually (James 4:7). But it very well may take everything we’ve got in terms of determination and will power. Over time, we can replace sinful habits of the flesh with godly habits of self-control, but this will take repeated successful victories. Expect that success will not come easily and don’t be discouraged by failure. Be encouraged and stay the course; in Christ there is no sin over which we cannot gain the victory.
In some cases, God miraculously removes the power of temptation from our lives; certain sins simply are no longer a temptation for us. If this is true for you in some area, then give thanks to God, and make certain that you do not go back to that sin. One individual reported an instantaneous freedom from a smoking habit immediately after coming to Christ. But this individual over time gave in to temptation and began smoking again, and now they are enslaved all over again with no special grace to overcome. This habit will now take much more effort and determination to overcome in the future. Once you have won a series of struggles with temptation, make sure you never go back there again, or you may find it all that more difficult overcome sinful habits again. Yet this too can be done, for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27). Therefore, another important step in overcoming temptation is to determine to never give up or give in to it. Set your mind on victory – give yourself no other options or excuses – and by God’s grace and power He will bring it about.
· Resolve to overcome and master temptation.
Genesis 4:7, Psalm 17:3-5, 57:7, 101:4, James 4:7-8
· Do not nurture a desire for sin. Do not look at things that tempt you or think about them. Do not be double-minded; hate the false way.
1 Kings 18:21, Psalm 78:8, 36-37, 119:104, 113, Matthew 6:22-24, James 1:5-8, 4:8
· CONCENTRATE on the things above; do not lose the battle for the mind.
Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:1-4, Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Peter 1:13
· Do not allow your heart to harden toward God or be angry or resentful toward Him, even during times of temptation, testing, and difficulty.
Job 1:22, 2:13, Psalm 95:7-11
· Keep your eye on those who have been faithful through temptation, and imitate their faith.
1 Corinthians 11:1, Hebrews 11:1-12:3, 13:7
· Resolve to resist sin, even if it brings personal loss, persecution, and bodily harm.
Job 13:15, Psalm 119:87, 95, Philippians 1:29-30, 2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 4:1, Hebrews 12:4
· Look for God’s reward, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive relief and God’s blessings for your obedience.
Matthew 4:11, Mark 10:29-31, Romans 2:4-11, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Hebrews 10:36, 12:1-2, 1 Peter 1:13
· Apply all diligence, and in you faith supply moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Resolve to be diligent to practice these things and make certain about His calling and choosing you, that you may not stumble.
2 Peter 5-11
· Ask, “What would Jesus do?” Envision Jesus in your situation; respond as He would respond. Imitate the faith and habits of those who have been victorious before you.
1 Corinthians 11:1, Hebrews 6:11-12, 13:7, 1 John 2:6