Survival Skills – Dealing With Temptation

As Christians we are going to face temptation.  Each day we are bombarded with images and words that seek to draw us into the dark world of our human nature.  You are watching a TV show and a provocative add comes on.  In a split second you must makes decision to watch the advertisement, which will cause you to have improper thoughts or to turn away or turn the TV off.  Each day as Christians we must deal with temptation and make decisions that can impact our walk with Christ.

 

Survival Skills – What is Temptation?

1 John 2:16 describes temptation as “the craving of sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he (man) says and does”.  If you think about it this is a good definition of temptation.  Whenever we are tempted it is mainly due to strong cravings or desires that want to be satisfied, mainly due to images we have seen or things we have heard.

 

The dictionary defines temptation as “the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid; "he felt the temptation and his will power weakened" or the act of influencing by exciting hope or desire; "his enticements were shameless".  As Christians we know those things we should avoid or not hope in, but as Paul was fond of “these are the things we cannot seem to avoid”. 

 

Survival Skills – How Does Temptation Affect Us?

Temptation is a stroll down the wrong path.  First comes desire, which leads to curiosity, then curiosity leads to action and before you know it temptation has lead to sin.  This is the path that Adam and Eve took in the Garden of Eden.

Read Genesis 3:1-6 and see if you can find in these verses the path from temptation to sin.

Here is a clue look for the words, Good, Delight and Desirable.

 

Those things that tempt us always appear on the surface to be good.  If they didn’t we would not delight in them or find them so desirable. As you have already seen this it the way things have worked since Adam and Eve you are tempted to do things that appear good and pleasurable on the surface but in the end lead to undesirable results.  The problem is that temptation will continue until the day you are called home or until the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

 

It is hard to get a handle on temptation because the same things tempt not everyone. One person might be tempted by improper pictures another by a sale at the local Wal-Mart. Temptation affects each of us in different ways but the end result is always the same we can either give into temptation or fight on to live another day of victory.   The point is we must know what tempts us and use the proper survival skills to help dampen and get rid of the effects of temptation.

 

Survival Skills – How To resist Temptation?

As a Christian have you ever felt like you were in a war?  Well guess what, you are.  Each day we wake up to a spiritual battle, the outcome of which can be you Christian witness and you effectiveness in spreading the Gospel.  It only takes giving into one temptation to ruin your witness.  That is why it is so important to learn to deal with temptation when it starts and before you give into it.  Here are a few tips to help you.

 

First, remember in 1 Corinthians 10:13 the Bible tells us we cannot be tempted more than we can handle.

 

Second, decide for yourself what you really need and/or want and that you are going to listen to God and not give into temptation.

 

Third, avoid as much as is reasonably possible those things that tempt you.

 

Fourth, be the person God has called you to be not the person the devil is trying to get you to believe you are.

 

Fifth, remember that when you are tempted the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:12-16 that God will provide a way out of that temptation.