7 Strategies for Overcoming Temptation
Overcoming temptation is one of the most important factors to accelerating our spiritual growth. Falling to temptation is not something any follower of Jesus wants to do. Sin tangles our day and upsets our spiritual clarity, often times interfering with our ability to pray and comprehend the truths of God’s Word. So how do we grow in our ability to overcome temptation?
Understanding temptation
Before we can consistently overcome temptation, we must understand how temptation works. Too many people fall back on ‘the devil made me do it’ argument or fall into the spiritual warfare trap for every personal failure. While there is some truth to those arguments, they are not the reason that most people fail to resist temptation.
James gives us a good understanding of the anatomy of temptation here.
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 fully grown brings forth death.
James 1:14–15 (ESV)
The root of temptation originates from our own desires! This fact will help us in developing strategies for overcoming temptation. It points us to the cause and the effect of our own attitudes and thoughts towards temptation and sin.
Foundational strategies for overcoming temptation
Based on the short discussion above, then, we must first examine how we might change our desires. If our desires are based on our worldly appetites, we will have continual trouble. However, if our desires are for the ways and will of God and his kingdom there will be far fewer opportunities to fail. Here are three foundational strategies to adopt.
Renewal of your mind
We do not have the ability to change our thoughts and desires on our own but we can participate in a very active way to that end.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:1–2 (ESV)
We begin the renewal of our minds by offering ourselves to God – an entire and comprehensive surrender of all we are to him, holding nothing back. Doing this opens the door for us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Submitting to God’s leadership means we allow him to change us. We then grow in our ability to discern the will of God and we begin to adopt his ways into our desires. When we desire God’s ways, our worldly desires become supplanted by the most excellent way.
Habits of prayer
Jesus frequently withdrew from the crowds and even his own disciples to pray. He needed that time with the Father to stay strong and in conformity to the plan and will of his Father. We need that time as well. We cannot possibly survive spiritually without it. Daily time in prayer, asking for God to help us grow spiritually, understand his will and simply to worship is vital. We build our relationship with God in prayer. It becomes a channel of communication that helps us throughout our day.
The power of the Word
The Psalmist said he hid God’s word in his heart so he would sin (Psalm 119:11). To have the word and truth of God constantly in our thoughts and lives is also vital to our spiritual health. I confess that I am not very good at memorizing scripture – as a spiritual discipline. Bible memorization is not natural for me. I only remember scripture because I spend a lot of time reading God’s word. I read it over and over again.
When we are fully engaged in reading and understanding the word of God it influences and even changes the way we think, the things we hold as important, our attitudes and our desires.
Specific strategies for overcoming temptation
When we have established foundational strategies for overcoming temptation, we can then build on them for specific strategies to use when we are confronted with temptation. A key verse in understanding these strategies is found in 1 Corinthians.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
Two key things to draw from this scripture are the reality that your temptation is not unique and that there is always a way out.
Here are four specific strategies to use.
Adopt the attitude
We cannot be victims of a bad attitude about sin. We cannot believe that no matter what we do, we’ll end up sinning. The passage we just read tells us specifically that there is never a temptation that cannot be overcome and that there is always a way out. Overcoming temptation often begins with the realization that we don’t have to sin.
Nip it in the bud
Temptation often comes at us gradually and subtly. When we recognize it, we should immediately remind ourselves of what is truly important to us. We want our relationship with God to be healthy and strong. Focusing on this helps to push those unhealthy desires out of our minds.
Intercede
One thing I frequently do when temptation starts to build is to pray for others. I will pray for family members, church friends and others, asking God to help them stay strong and grow spiritually. The key here is again our attention is diverted from that worldly desire to the desires of God’s heart.
Find the escape hatch
God promises us a way out of temptation. Furthermore, that temptation cannot overpower us. We should never battle temptation in the sense that we confront it and try to ‘duke it out.’ We must find the way out. The previous strategies would be included in the way out but there may be more depending on the temptation and circumstances you find yourself in.
Sometimes the way out is simply physically moving to a place farther away from where you are. Sometimes it is moving out of isolation into fellowship. Always ask God where the way out is so you can find it.
Your turn
Start right now by applying foundational principles to begin to strengthen you. Decide that you will live the abundant life of a Jesus follower and be totally committed to his will and way. Thank God for his provision for your spiritual welfare and expect to thrive as you grow day by day!
And, if this has helped you, share it with someone so you can help them.
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