Where do these temptations come from? First of all, they do not come from God, although He does allow them. James 1:13 says, “For God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” In the first chapter of Job, we see that God allowed Satan to tempt Job, but with restrictions. Satan is roaming around on the earth like a lion, seeking people to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Verse 9 tells us to resist him, knowing that other Christians are also experiencing his attacks. By these passages we can know that temptations come from Satan and he knows to attack your most vulnerable area. We see in James 1:14 that temptation originates in us as well. We are tempted when we are “carried away and enticed by our own lust” (verse 14). We allow ourselves to think certain thoughts, allow ourselves to go places we should not go, and make decisions based on our lusts that lead us into the temptation.
How then do we resist the temptations? First of all, we must return to the example of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by Satan in Matthew 4:1-11. Each of Satan’s temptations was met with the same answer: “It is written,” followed by Scripture. If the Son of God used the Word of God to effectively end the temptations—which we know works because after three failed efforts, “the Devil left him” (v. 11)—how much more do we need to use it to resist our own temptations? All our efforts to resist will be weak and ineffective unless they are powered by the Holy Spirit through the constant reading, studying, and meditating on the Word. In this way, we will be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). There is no other weapon against temptation except the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” If our minds are filled with the latest TV shows, music and all the rest the culture has to offer, we will be bombarded with messages and images that inevitably lead to sinful lusts. But if our minds are filled with the majesty and holiness of God, the love and compassion of Christ, and the brilliance of both reflected in His perfect Word, we will find that our interest in the lusts of the world diminish and disappear. But without the Word’s influence on our minds, we are open to anything Satan wants to throw at us.
Here, then, is the only means to guard our hearts and minds in order to keep the sources of temptation away from us. Remember the words of Christ to His disciples in the garden on the night of His betrayal: “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Most Christians would not openly want to jump into sin, yet we cannot resist falling into it because our flesh is not strong enough to resist. We place ourselves in situations or fill our minds with lustful passions, and that leads us into sin. We need to renew our thinking as we are told in Romans 12:1-2. We need to no longer think as the world thinks, or walk in the same way that the world walks. Proverbs 4:14-15 tells us, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by; Turn away from it and pass on.”
We need to avoid the path of the world that leads us into temptation because our flesh is weak. We are easily carried away by our own lusts. Our faith in Jesus entitles us to his power and authority because we are literally co-heirs to God’s kingdom with Christ (Romans 8:15-17). We can enact that power and authority against the enemy in a several ways. Here are some examples:
- Binding evil thoughts and their sources
- Rebuking evil spirits and the works of evil whenever we’re being tempted
- Taking our thoughts captive and making them obey Jesus / Casting evil thoughts out of our minds
- Putting on the full armor of God
- Speaking appropriate Scriptures that diffuse the lies of temptation
Our faithful walk with the Lord each day will bolster our success in using his power and authority over evil. A faithful walk involves a daily surrender to God’s will and a commitment to keeping our “vessels” (body, soul and spirit) pure as much as possible. We do this by steering clear of temptations and quickly returning to God in repentance when we stumble in sin.
If at any point we’re feeling overwhelmed by the temptations of the devil, we can readily call on Jesus for help in prayer. Jesus, fully God, yet fully man, faced as strong a temptation as any of us will face in life. He was victorious and stands ready to help us resist the temptations we face. He offers to help us whenever we are tempted, because he cares for us and knows our struggles firsthand: “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18).
May you continue to trust in God’s power and not in your own power. May you continue to focus on the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ that is above all other names. May you continue to equip yourself with the full armor and Word of God in all you do! Finding a trusted friend, adult or Pastor to talk to or to be your accountability partner would be a wise option to consider.
HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL! THANKS FOR ASKING!
[Answered by Ray Lee, Summer Intern]
