“Temptation,” when used with a Christian connotation, describes what is, or is felt to be, an irresistible enticement to act contrary to the will of God. Such temptation comes from three sources – the seductions of the world, the corruptions of the flesh, and the instigation of the devil. It is separate from sin; it becomes sin only when it is acknowledged and acted upon. In this article, believers are given a whole Bible template for how to fight temptation – what it is, where it comes from, what God has given us to overcome, and what to do in a step-by-step plan that can be found in the Bible. It examines the basic tenets of spiritual warfare, how divine power comes to one’s aid, and the imperative of personal discipline, and offers a comprehensive strategy for remaining obedient and spiritually chaste in the midst of a whole series of allurements.
What Does It Mean to Resist Temptation Biblically?
One who has faith fights temptation biblically, that is, by consciously involving themselves with God’s power and precepts, because deliverance is of His working, not man’s. That resistance will be made up of many things, including the spiritual disciplines, getting a clear handle on why the temptation is occurring, possessing an understanding of the quiet work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify. It will take intentionality and application of biblical truth to everyday life, knowing that temptation is a shared experience with all men, even Jesus. Some of the five sources of temptation found in the Bible: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life listed by 1 John 2:16.
What is Temptation in the Bible and Evil in the Bible?
From a Biblical perspective, temptation is something that leads man to sin. It’s not simply an invitation to sin, but a litmus test of loyalty and faith; to conform to God’s order or to rebel against it. The Bible teaches 3 different sources of temptation: our own desires, worldly influences, and the devil. James 1:14-15 says for we are tempted when we are led away by our own evil desires, being lured, and sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. This internal struggle is a major part when the “flesh” (human nature without God) makes desires which are contrary to the Spirit. There are also outward influences, pressures, and values of a fallen world that bring temptations that are an affront to godly living. The devil or Satan is the tempter, tempting both Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6) and Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) in more direct terms. He deceives people into following another path, or he persuades them on some worldly benefits. Discerning these sources enables a saint to know the specific nature of the temptation and to resist it with Scriptural responses.
Primary Sources of Temptation and Its Manifestation
What are the sources of temptation?
The roots and fruits of temptation are the world, the flesh, and the devil, resisting our fellowship with God.
- The World: It is the opposing system of values, philosophies, and practices that contradict God’s rule in the world, and by that I mean, for instance, the desire for wealth or status or power, or to be loved by the world and to love the world, to have it approve of what we are doing at the expense of what is right and beautiful. It is the example of moral relativism in business, whether the lust for wealth at the expense of one’s values or the pursuit of what is transient and fleeting at the expense of the next world.
- The Flesh: “Flesh” refers to the sinful nature that was given to us by Adam, in whom a constant battle rages between Spirit and that flesh. Its essence is desire, anger, greed, hatred and pride. For example, one experiences temptation to gluttony when food is plentiful or to anger when insulted.
- The Devil: He is your personal tempter, deceiving, accusing, suggesting, tempting and drawing you towards sin. He may have ripped temptation in God’s image: the questioning of God’s goodness, the suggestion of illicit desires, the encouragement to rebel against divine authority. (A case in point is the devil’s temptation of Jesus, which played on hunger, pride, and power.)
By acknowledging these three separate origins, believers can begin to use tailored techniques for combat knowing each one calls for a unique response from the Bible.
How, Practically, Does an Understanding of God’s Rule and Provision Support Us in Resisting Temptation?
The concept of God’s sovereignty and provision for His own provides resistance to temptation also in that it brings the affirmation to individuals of God’s power and His dedication to provide for His people sufficient strength to overcome. God’s sovereignty includes that He allows temptation for certain reasons: a trial of faith, a building of perseverance, or an indication of an area of spiritual growth. According to 1 Corinthians 10:13, God will not permit us to be tempted more than we are able to bear, but He will also make a way of escape with each temptation. This pledge encourages believers that they are never without help and no temptation is too great to overcome.
God’s supply is the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, prayer, and the believers in the church.
- The Holy Spirit gives believers self-control and discernment so they do not live by sinful desires.
- God’s Word (Scripture itself) is the sword of the Spirit because truth is the means of spiritual warfare when laying claim against the deceptions and temptations of the enemy while offering the very way to live righteously before a Holy God.
- Prayer is their direct line with God, where they can find strength, wisdom and deliverance when they feel weakened.
- Being part of the Christian community means accountability, encouragement and support to continue standing against the common temptations.
When a believer is tempted to be dishonest, for instance, rather than relying on willpower alone to resist it, she calls to mind biblical commands that tell her lying is sin, and to pray for integrity as she depends on the Holy Spirit to give her the strength to speak the truth. That dependence upon an active work of God converts resistance from a painful task into a confident confrontation with the power divine.
What Are Some Bible Tips and Tactics that Will Help a Christian To Resist Temptation?
There are, however, certain biblical methods that enable followers of Christ to break the power of sin by giving them practical, guideposting guidelines vested within the wisdom and might of God. These tactics are to run for your life, resist the devil, guard your heart, control yourself, and make friends who will challenge you.
Why must we run from temptation?
It is a methodology of escape that upholds human frailty and the strength of temptation, and pleads for a literal, physical or circumstantial distance from seductions. Joseph fleeing from the wife of Potiphar (Genesis 39:12) is a good biblical illustration of this principle. The Bible also commands us to “flee immorality” (1 Cor 6:18) and “flee idolatry” (1 Cor 10:14). This strategy works when there is a ‘magnetic’ force pulling a person to sin at a specific place or setting that the individual is too weak to struggle against head on. So if one situation continually causes you to drink too much (like, say, certain social events), then getting away from that situation by not attending is the smart and necessary choice. This preventive act of avoiding keeps the attraction from being viewed, and lessens the possibility of desire developing into an offense. It’s an understanding that only a fool would purposefully expose himself to a known security risk.
What Does It Mean to Resist the Devil and How Does He Flee?
Submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee, meaning that we attack the devil by faith and submission to God. James 4:7 orders, “Submit yourselves, therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” It is not just an intellectual opposition but a practical challenge to his influence fueled by a life surrendered to God. It means standing strong in biblical truth, not buying his lies and not giving in to his temptations. For instance, when the devil tried to tempt Jesus during his forty days in the wilderness, Jesus fought back with Scripture, throwing the Word of God back at every seduction lobbed at him. This shows that resistance means to take up the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). And the devil flees, because he has no power over them that be subjected unto God, and that be armed with the divine truth. It takes discrimination not to fall into the snares of the devil, and courage to resist him.
Why Is It Important to Guard Your Heart When Resisting Temptation?
The guarding of the heart is a two-fold process of seeking the well-being of our heart and the defending of it. The Bible says in Proverbs 4:23: “Guard your heart above all else, for everything you do flows from it.” This guarding includes attentive observation on what you allow to penetrate your thoughts, and subsequently, your own sensibilities – your media, your conversations, your partners. It is to set the mind on things above, not the things that are on the earth (Colossians 3:2). For example, for someone who is susceptible to coveting, guarding the heart would mean avoiding being bombarded by materialistic advertisements and actively pursuing contentment and generosity. This forethought helps sinful desires from taking hold and growing into full-blown temptations. A heart guarded with the truth of God’s Word and the Spirit of God is that which becomes a fortress from both external and internal appealing.
In What Way Does Exercising Self-control Help Us Overcome Temptation?
A disciplined life is a ripe ground for defeating temptations, for it is on such a soil that the thoughts and lusts of the heart can be brought consciously under control to the service of God’s will. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), so it is bestowed upon us by God rather than being generated by human effort alone. It enables us to “refuse ungodliness and worldly passions” (Titus 2:12). For instance, where anger might yield immediate eruption, self-control invites a person to stop and pray and respond out of patience. So, Godly discipline is the training of the body and the mind to be in concert with the right ways of God; it is making conscious decisions that bring glory to God. It takes a lot of hand to hand combat and a daily dependence on the Spirit to get those desires in line. Without discipline, man is little more than a slave to his desires, in which case they are vulnerable to temptation.
How Does Accountability in Christian Community Help Resist Temptation?
Christian community is helpful to overcoming temptation, as we have accountability that would come from an outside source, allowing for encouragement and correction, making it much easier not to fight your battles alone. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to simply “spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” and to not neglect meeting together. This kind of fellowshipping provides a safety net where people can share their weaknesses, be prayed for and encouraged to live righteously. A believer who is sifting through a particular temptation could share his or her struggle with a trusted friend or small group leader, who will come alongside, keep him/her accountable and pray. Such transparency dismantles the hold of secrecy, which often feeds temptation, and gives feet to walk away from tough situations. Accountability partners can provide wisdom, remind people of Scripture truths, and help them see patterns of temptation. This is the journey each travels to fortify his or her self and to build an immunity into the collective to the wiles of the enemy.
Why is the Word of God and prayer important in the Fight against Temptation?
The role of God’s Word and prayer in the war against temptation is critical, being that these are the main offensive and defensive weapons in the Christian’s arsenal.
- Scripture as the Word of God serves as the truth that unveils lies, that admonishes error, and that directs righteousness. Psalms 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” When believers memorize and meditate on scripture, they can bring to mind particular commandments, promises, and warnings that contradict the falsehood and appeal of temptation. For instance, when tempted to fret over how to pay a bill, one can remind oneself of verses such as Matthew 6:25-34, which talks about God’s provision. It also gives discernment, whereby believers can discern between good and evil and can be aware of the wiles of the tempter.
- Prayer is a direct conduit between a believer and God, from which divine power and wisdom is drawn. Jesus told His disciples to “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). This emphasizes the preventative aspect of prayer – to ready the heart and head lest the time of trial overtake us. In the heat of temptation, prayer is a cry for help, an admission of inadequacy, a recognition of our dependence on the power of God. If an individual wants to “even the score” against an insult, the believer can pray for patience and the love that comes when God changes a heart. There is also the aspect of prayer by which someone prays in intercession for others who are also being tempted, forming a coalition of defense in prayer. The word of God supplies the truth; the prayer of God supplies the power; and thus is built up a strong fence against every kind of evil. Regular exposure to both makes believers spiritually sensitive and robust.
What Impact Does Focusing on Christ and Righteousness Have on Resisting Temptation?
Looking unto Christ and righteousness affects the power to resist temptation by the fact that desires and aims of the believer are directed from sinful gratification to holy exercise. “You fix your gaze on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Heb 12:2). Their perspective shifts as they focus on “the Son of God” (v.4), giving them a new outlook – the temporal pleasures of sin suddenly lose their appeal in the face of “the eternal holy and pure and the glory of the Christ.” This meditation is upon the life of Christ – His obedience, His offering, His triumph over sin and death. For instance, meditating on Jesus’s sinless response to temptation in the wilderness, encourages believers not only to walk in His dependence on the word of God, but also upon His perfect standard of righteousness.
The pursuit of righteousness is not an effort to do good, but to holiness; it does not consist in the avoiding of wickedness, but in bending in a positive and active way to God’s revealed will. Philippians 4:8 exhorts believers, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” This purposeful embrace of godly virtues supplants sinning desires. As man desires to be good more and more, he opens to temptation less and less. It is a decision to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). The more a person develops in the knowledge of Christ and in the resolve to live righteously, the greater the resistance of his or her spiritual immune system against various forms of temptation. This is not a change from something in us produced by human effort, but a change wrought in us by the power of the Holy Spirit, moving within His own and leading them towards the likeness of Christ.
How Perseverance and Trust in a Higher Power Can Contribute to Resistance over Time
Perseverance and dependence on divine strength in order to resist temptation are key, for we need help with this strategy—it is a lifelong battle, so we need to maintain our reliance upon God.
- Perseverance is holding up under temptation and trial, persevering under repeated opportunities to yield or spiritual weariness. Here we are reminded of the span of time we must be faithful even unto death by which vagary, when contrasted with a lifetime, has no meaning. Believers will face many temptations over a lifetime, necessitating constant vigilance and a long-term adherence to divine precepts. If, for example, a person has realized and conquered a particular temptation for a period, they cannot let their guard down, as that same temptation may wear a different mask or change its tactics.
- To trust in the divine strength is an acknowledgment that human strength is altogether inadequate to cope with the universal and insidious character of temptation. Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (NIV). This is relying on the Holy Spirit’s enablement to be able to choose the right in the face of desires that pull the other way. It requires yielding to God’s will, believing His promises, and calling on Him for help. This dependence is not a passive waiting, it is a living belief that God will give the grace and power to meet the hour. The idea is that men are morally responsible for their own free-will decisions, but that they can choose righteousness because of God. This continual dependence also has the result of enhancing humility, and deepening the Christian’s intimacy with God by which enables a person to endure over the long haul.
What’s the Big Picture of Spiritual Warfare in the Christian Life?
The wider context of the form in Christianity is the ongoing struggle between God’s kingdom and his or the Devil’s rule on the part of humanity for the love and loyalty of mankind, and the latter’s rejection of God or of Satan’s rule in favor of will of both or one of the other. This is not so much a material as a spiritual battle, a war to be waged for truth, for righteousness and the souls of men. It includes the battle against our adversaries, but also the defense against sin, the conquest of errors, and the progression of the Gospel. Ephesians 6:12 Believers “do not wrestle against flesh and blood,” but against “the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This setting demonstrates to us that temptation is a feature of a much bigger cosmic battle and the believer needs the “whole armor of God.”
What do Christians believe about sin?
The Christian view of sin is that of an act of offense to God. It is a willful violation of God’s known will. Sin is a violation of God’s command and a revolt against His authority resulting in alienation from Him. There are 2 basic kinds of sin: commission (sins we do), and omission (sins we don’t do).
How is repentance connected to overcoming temptation?
Repentance is something more than mere resistance by being attended with a change of mind and heart, affecting a changed course of action, that is, turning around from sin and turning towards God. Repentance is the first step in the process of returning to fellowship with God and then preparing to battle future temptations. It is a decision to leave sin-conforming habits and adopt a God-conforming way.
What is a believer’s relationship to the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit serves as a believer’s counselor and aide, interceding in prayer and cleansing the Christian soul. A believer’s response to the Spirit is described as the positive acts of praying in the depth of the human soul, being led by the Spirit to “put to death” the vices of the body and to raise to life the fruit of the Spirit. Only as one is a partaker of the Holy Spirit is there the power of God to overcome temptation and to live a godly life.
What role does faith have in the defeat of sin and temptation?
Faith helps to believe the conviction of things not seen and the certainty of things hoped for, and thus in the power of God’s words above their own weakness or sin’s attraction. Those who believe, believe that God provides a way to escape, and that His strength is made perfect in weakness.
What is the sin of yielding to temptation?
The results of giving in to temptation may be spiritual alienation from God, guilt, shame, relational disruption, and even serious earthly judgment. Sin, as the consequence of succumbing to temptation, is detrimental to the conscience and the process of spiritual growth, and must be confessed and repented from for restitution.
How do spiritual habits aid us in resisting temptation?
Spiritual practices help us withstand temptation because they build into us a foundation and practice of spiritual life and obedience. Such are things like the reading of the Bible, prayer, fasting, worship and fellowship, which form the essence of developing our relationship with God and strengthening the man on the inside and his defenses against sin. One example is regular Bible reading, which fills the mind with truth, giving it less space for deceitful thinking.
What does Christianity say about free will and divine grace against temptation?
From a Christian perspective, it is understood that a person has free will to decide, but after the cursory decision, true and lasting resistance is available only by God’s enabling grace. The believers do indeed have to decide to resist, yet it is God’s grace that allows them to make that righteous decision and to continue making it, soul by soul, by giving strength where human strength is insufficient.
