Greg Chandler
12/01/13
Oscar Wilde once quipped “I can resist anything except temptation.” Most every human can relate to the truth behind the jest. Temptations come upon us every day as the devil does his work to derail our walk with the Lord. James described the process when he wrote“but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is full grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). God has plainly told us that temptations will come and we must be prepared to withstand. With this fact in mind, how do we go about withstanding the temptations we encounter?
Perhaps the best way to deal with temptation is simply to avoid it whenever possible. A dieter knows that going into a bakery “just to browse” will quickly end the diet. Sadly, we often allow ourselves to become involved in situations that are just as foolish when temptation is involved. Consider a situation where a man and woman know that fornication is a very real temptation for them. Knowing this, they still choose to be alone together in a secluded setting where improper thoughts can easily transform into improper actions. Consider another situation of a man who struggles with pornography, yet has easy access to the Internet in a private setting. Though he may tell himself that he will not visit inappropriate sites, it is likely he will allow the temptation to overwhelm him. In these two situations, as well as many others, problems can be averted by avoiding the temptation. It is a matter of exercising self-control to stay out of places and situations that can easily lead to sin.
It is not always possible to avoid temptation. There are many times in life when temptation must be dealt with in a direct, head-on fashion. In these situations, it is essential that faith in God be firmly established. Without a reason to stand firm, we most likely will not. For this reason the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians and stated: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one”(Ephesians 6:16). When we are pressed to compromise beliefs in the truth, ignore sinful situations, or involve ourselves in any way with ungodliness, our faith must be strongly intact and ready for the battle. This begins long before the temptation occurs by committing ourselves to seeking salvation from the Lord and then setting out to grow in our knowledge of His ways.
To withstand temptation, it is also important to be ready for the daily struggle. Sometimes temptations are easy to overcome when they require one strong stand. Temptations that plague us daily are often a very different matter. Consider this from the stand point of two men found in the Old Testament. The young man Joseph found himself as a slave in a house where his master’s wife longed to engage in fornication with him. Daily she pressured him to sin and daily he withstood. His strength was found in the fact that he had prepared for the test. To his master’s wife he asked “how can I sin against God?” While the short-term consequences were unpleasant, Joseph ultimately received great blessing for standing up for right. Samson provides a very different picture. Having joined to a woman he should have avoided, he found himself vexed daily to tell her what brought about his great strength. Though he withstood for many days, he finally succumbed, told her his secret, and then found that she had played him for her own gain. He was not prepared to withstand the temptation and fell as a result.
While preparing to withstand temptation, it is essential to ask the Lord for help. God understands what we are going through and offers to be our strength. The writer of Hebrews wrote “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Enduring every temptation He faced, Christ certainly knows what we need. This means we must be diligent to call on the Lord for help. Peter encouraged this when he wrote “casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7).
Are you struggling with temptation in your life? You are not alone. Satan seeks to destroy as many souls as possible. With the Lord, however, there is a great arsenal of strength. Make the decision that nothing will keep you from doing what is right and pray to the Lord for strength to fight. Also remember that the fight is worthwhile. Christ stated “to the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7b). This is certainly worth the price that anyone must pay in overcoming temptation.