Your Defense Against Temptation

How to win the battle for your mind with the Lord’s power!

 

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

Before you are exposed to Temptation

 

WORK ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

 

Matthew 22:37, “All relationships require time and effort and your relationship with your Heavenly Father is no different. A close relationship with God will strengthen your ability to withstand temptations.”

 

AVOID SITUATIONS THAT WILL OPEN YOU TO PROBLEMS

 

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, “21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.”

 

Stay away from anything that has the possibility of evil in it. Be careful of what you watch on TV; listen to in music content, read in magazines and books or access via web sites on the Internet. Be careful of what you say with your mouth and think in your thoughts. Set your standards and stick with them.

 

NEVER LET YOUR CURIOSITY RUN YOUR LIFE

 

Romans 16:19, “19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.”

 

1 Corinthians 14:20, ^“20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.”

 

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, “10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had [a]exerted, and behold all was [b]vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”

 

Proverbs 27:20, “20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.”

 

Ephesians 5:12, “12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.”

 

There is no satisfaction in trying to fulfill your curiosity, for you will never satisfy it. There are many evil things that you are better off not knowing about or experiencing. There are other things that are fine and good, but only if done at the proper time and place.

 

SPEND TIME MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORD

 

James 1:25

“25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but [z]an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

 

Psalm 1:2-3

“2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.”

 

Psalm 119:97-104, “97 O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. 98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts. 101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. 102 I have not turned aside from your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 from Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.”

 

Deuteronomy 6:5-9, “5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

 

It is important not just to read the Bible, but also dwell on it and apply it to your life.

 

DEVELOP A DEEP PRAYER LIFE

 

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, “17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 

The closer you are to God and the Holy Spirit, the further you will be from temptation.

 

SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE

 

Once you are faced with the actual temptation.

 

INCORRECT RESPONSES

 

It is easy to rationalize sin so that you convince yourself it is okay.

 

Don’t say…………………………..

“This really isn’t so wrong.”

“God will understand. He knows how weak I am.”

“Nobody will know; I’ll just do it this once.”

“It will be so much fun; I just can’t help myself.

“Well, maybe just this once.”

 

It is easy to make sin appear sinless and think that something so pleasurable can’t be wrong. It is also easy to look at others and let their sin justify our own actions. Don’t spend time thinking about the possibility of sin, struggling with the decision. As they say with drugs, “Just say NO!”

 

CORRECT RESPONSES

Defensive maneuvers you can use to prevent yourself from sinning.

 

Ask Yourself:

“Is this a temptation?” If you can identify that you are in a temptation situation, you can do something about it. If you are unaware, you can’t.

 

Ask God for the Power to Resist:

Remember that you do not, in and of yourself, have the ability to effectively resist on your own. As you begin to depend on God, He will give you the ability to overcome any temptation.

 

Use this temptation as a Stepping Stone to Praise the Lord:

 

Praise Him, that He considers you able to bear this test of faith. Praise Him, for the fact that He has overcome sin and that through Him you will also. If every time you are tempted it causes you to grow closer to God, Satan will change his tactics.

 

THIRD LINE OF DEFENSE

If you have fallen to a temptation…

 

INCORRECT RESPONSES

It is easy to tell yourself, especially after you have fallen to the same temptation several times, that what you have done is not sin. By taking this attitude you redefine your basic standards and essentially destroy the power of God’s Word in your life.

 

1 John 1:10, “10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

 

CORRECT RESPONSES

The correct sequence you should follow if you sin.

 

1 John 1:9, “9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 

Repent of your sin. Agree with God that you have sinned. Repentance involves a realization of your sin and a willingness to change your direction.

 

Confess your sin. Tell God exactly what it was you did wrong. Own up to your sin.

 

Ask for forgiveness. This is the natural result of repentance and confession, but it is good to ask God for it. If you still don’t feel forgiven, perhaps you are still holding something against someone. (God, another person, or yourself.) You also need to forgive yourself for sinning against God. If God can forgive you, you should forgive yourself. It also takes time to heal from sinning against God. Give your heart time to heal.

 

Make restitution. Like Zaccheus, if you have defrauded anyone, restore to him or her, what you robbed if at all possible. This may be the hardest part of dealing with your sin, but it is one of the surest signs of true repentance. (Luke 19:8)

 

USING YOUR SIN

While it is very important that you admit your sin and confess it to God, it is also important that you accept His forgiveness. If God’s forgiveness is not accepted and you dwell on your sinfulness, spiritual healing cannot take place. Focus on God’s goodness, purity, mercy and forgiveness. Let your sin remind you of Him. Let it be a cause of rejoicing when you reflect upon the fact that it was for just such sins that Jesus died. Praise God that He forgives!

 

A POUND OF PREVENTION

It is highly recommended that you seek ways to prevent falling into temptation before a temptation presents itself.

 

Memorize scripture that applies directly to the particular sin you are dealing with. This will sharpen your spiritual weapons for use in spiritual battle.

 

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

 

In addition to the Bible (a requirement) read good Christian books that deal with those areas you need to work on in your spiritual life.

 

Fellowship with other Christians and share your needs and concerns. Hold each other accountable.

 

Minister to others. This takes your eyes off of your needs and focuses your attention to the needs of others. If you are busy helping others you will not have time to consider sinning. The Holy Spirit will minister to you as you minister to others.

 

Work at building a relationship with your Lord. You can only trust Him with your life to the degree that you know Him.

 

2 Peter 1:3-9

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”