Overcome Temptations (3) | Biblestudy4Starters Chapters

3. How to Overcome Temptations

What are temptations?

Genesis 3:1-15; 2 Samuel 11:1-27; Mark 7:20-23; Luke 16:13; Galatians 5:13-21, 6:7-10; Colossians 3:1-9; James 1:2-8,12-17; 4:4-12.

Moments when you are being drawn away from God’s will and/or enticed to sin. It can be by your thoughts, by your eyes, by the self-centered craving of your flesh. You are being lured to take the next step, that is to act it out, to behave badly or take a wrong action. This can start in your mind or by things you see caused by your enemies.

The Scriptures mention three main enemies: the devil and unclean spirits, the world system, and your old heart and nature which is the sinful part of your flesh. All these try to urge you to choose your own sinful way in disobedience to God.

Temptation in itself is no sin, it is a part of our life’s journey. You only sin, if you decide to give in and do that what you are persuaded to do, while you know that it is not correct, or if you omit doing the good deed you know you should do.

How can and should we deal with temptation?

1. Short-term pleasure versus final outcome in eternity!

Psalm 23:1-6; 73:1-28; Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-21; 2 Timothy 3:1-17.

The enemy sometimes can cause certain circumstances to trigger your wrong reaction, or entices you with an immediate, short-term pleasure, but he does not show you the consequences or outcome in guilt feelings, frustration, addiction, spiritual death and ultimately, eternal separation from God’s Kingdom. Frustrations in life can then lead to addictions of all sorts, but thank God Jesus has come to set the captives free!

1 John 3:1-10; Revelation 21:6-8,22-27.

Realize that practicing sin, in other words willfully keep committing (the same) sin, in conscious disobedience to God makes us unfit for the Kingdom of heaven! This is different from occasionally making a misstep and being sorrowful about it.

But, if you cannot break away from a specific sin, ask your pastor or your spiritual leaders for guidance and ask them to pray for your deliverance.

2. Pray in advance!

Matthew 6:13; 26:36-39,40-41,42-45; Luke 21:36; 22:31-32,40-46; Hebrews 10:19-23.

Jesus teaches us to regularly pray, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” James explains that God cannot be tempted and neither will He tempt you, but He can allow these trials.

Often it is we ourselves that enter in these trials due to our thoughts, our own will and/or our fleshly lust. Before this happens, enter in God’s presence with boldness by the blood of Jesus and ask God to keep your thoughts, eyes and fleshly desires in check.

Jesus said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Up to three times Jesus went back to be in His Father’s presence to pray for an hour, and obtain strength to enable Him to go through the most terrible suffering and to carry the penalty and curse in our place.

3. Declare the Word!

Ephesians 6:16-17; Matthew 4:1-11; 12:36-37; Luke 10:19; Romans 8:1-2,3-19,35-39; 1 Timothy 6:7-19; Proverbs 18:21; 29:25; 1 John 3:9; 4:15-18.

Temptations most often start in your mind which is the real battlefield. For this reason, you must have the Word as a protective helmet for your thoughts.

Your mind is the primary battlefield and is like a huge agricultural field where all kinds of birds fly around and cross that field. Some of those birds will try to make a nest in some of the trees, but you need to make sure that that does not happen. In other words, as soon as you recognize a sinful, immoral or evil thought, you must immediately reject it and replace it with a positive thought or even better, if possible, declare out loud a relevant Scripture verse, just like our Lord Jesus did.

Each time Jesus was tempted by the devil He proclaimed, “It is written … It is written … for it is written …!”, see Matthew 4. Again, Jesus answers each satanic attack with the authority of God’s Word and arrests the enemy on the basis of the written truth of God. So, whenever you feel tempted, or maybe feel fearful or if doubt creeps in, or you feel a demonic presence, you also speak the Word boldly with authority!

Important Vitamins to Memorize:

In the previous context take time out to memorize the following Bible verses. As you are a born-again follower of Jesus Christ, you walk in the righteousness of God by His grace and the help of the Holy Spirit:

Vitamin A3: “Behold, I give you the AUTHORITY to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over ALL the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

[Luke 10:19]

Vitamin B4: “Whoever has been BORN of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been BORN of God.”

[1 John 3:9]

4. The Holy Spirit is our Helper!

Matthew 5:20-30,44-48; 7:12-14; 18:3-4,21-22,29-34; John 14:16-17,26-27; Galatians 3:13-14; 5:22-25; Colossians 3:12-17; Hebrews 12:14-15,28-29.

Another way temptation comes is in our human interaction testing our character and attitude.

If we are not careful, we could react in a disrespectful or bad manner or behave badly towards our loved ones, our family members or other persons, if things do not go as we expect, or because of certain words that the other speaks, or due to a misunderstanding.

Important to know!

We will only be able to overcome temptation and sin with the help of the Holy Ghost! Therefore, be sure to ask your heavenly Father each day to have the Holy Spirit fill you with His character and personality:

Yes, His fruit of

Divine love and compassion (also for the lost souls)
Inner joy of the Lord
Shalom (which includes peace, well-being, completeness, harmony and forgiveness)
Humbleness of mind (meekness, humility)
Gentleness (loving-kindness)
Goodness
Faithfulness (which includes faith that fail not, persevering faith)
Patience
Self-control
Holiness and sanctification (of our mind [thoughts], our eyes [what we see and visualize], our ears [what we listen to, gossip?], tongue/mouth [what we speak], spirit, soul and body [our body, emotions, will, intellect needs to be in submission to our spirit, which is led by the Holy Spirit) and a
Forgiving heart (forgiving everybody even our enemies, which can only be by His grace and ability).

Remember, forgiving the other is a crucial decision that will first of all, set you free from bondage and torment!

5. Don’t focus on the negative, but transform your mind through the positive Word!

Psalm 23:1-6; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20; Philippians 4:6-9; James 4:7-17; Proverbs 23:7a; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Hebrews 4:12-16; 10:23; Ephesians 6:16-17.

In your thinking process you will have a moment of decision which can lead to a certain action. Do not focus on your failure(s) or sin(s) you may have committed; this would make your problem greater than it should be. Know that God is much greater than any problem you might have!

One proven way to overcome a vicious circle of negative and doubtful thoughts, which can draw you downward, is for you to decide to substitute those thoughts with good ones out of God’s Word and to declare the Word boldly like Jesus did.

Do not forget: faith originates from God, but doubt is an arrow from the enemy, so reject his lies.

Moreover, know that once you are born-again your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost who lives in you! See the next Vitamin B5. Therefore, make sure to renew your thought system by studying the Word and by meditating on the Scriptures. Good input always results in good output and the best input for your mind is the Word of God.

Hence, think positive (saturate your mind with Scripture), speak positive (decree God’s promises), act positive (let the fear of the Lord and God’s love guide you) and expect positive results (visualize your answer and victory)!

As you continue to do this, you will be transformed as Proverbs 23 states: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

The more you dwell on God’s promises and His commandments, the more you will be able to brush off the enemy’s attacks from your mind, as 2 Corinthians 10 and Hebrews 4 illustrate. Ephesians 6 talks about putting on an impenetrable helmet for your mind, that is when you consistently memorize and meditate on His Word and declare His Word boldly.

The more the Word is absorbed in your heart, the easier fear or doubt is overcome and disappears. As each day passes by, you will certainly become stronger and stronger in the Lord.

Important Vitamin to Memorize:

Vitamin B5: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” [Romans 12:1-2]

6. Abide in Christ!

Proverbs 18:10; Matthew 7:21-24; John 15:1-14.

Abiding in Christ is your decision to be faithful to your undivided choice in making Lord Jesus the Center of your life. That means that you walk in obedience to His Word and His commandments. You seek what pleases Him and long to demonstrate your love to Him with all your heart, with all your will, mind and emotions, with all your strength, yes, with your spirit, soul and body.

It is an intimate relationship with Christ Jesus daily living in His Presence. Being aware that He knows all your thoughts, your emotions, your actions. Being open to His directions and guidance. You could pray, ‘Precious Jesus by Your Holy Spirit, You think, You speak and You act in and through me. Let Holy Spirit’s character and personality fill me till overflowing.’

At times you may feel as if you have been ‘contaminated’ by that which another person might have told you. If this is the case, you may want to pray something like: 'Lord, thank You for cleansing me through Your Word and by Your holy blood from every stain and filth, everything that sticks to me, in Jesus’ Almighty Name. Hallelujah, my spirit, soul and body are clean'.

If you ever had contact with the occult [1], even if you thought it was a joke, you should confess it as a sin, you have given the enemy a legal right to demonize [2] you, in other words afflict and influence you. You may also have had some dream or nightmare. If it was a sin you committed in your dream, you should confess it as it might be something you have not fully dealt with.

[1] Occult practices include witchcraft, tarot card reading and fortunetelling, consulting mediums to get answers from the dead. Read also Leviticus 19:26 and Deuteronomy 18:9-13.
[2] A born-again Christian cannot be demon-possessed, but he or she can have areas in which unclean spirit(s) can attack or influence his/her character and/or behavior.

You may want to declare, 'I renounce this sin and break with any foothold or generational legal right of my ancestors and/or any door I myself had opened, get out and never return in the Almighty Name of Jesus Christ! Praise God, I am free, thank You for filling me to overflowing with your Holy Spirit.'

If you cannot cope with the problem and/or these attacks keep coming back, and/or you feel addicted to sin in a specific area of your life, seek help from your pastor or elder [3].

[3] An elder is one of the spiritual leaders in the church.

Again, if a sinful thought just passes through your mind and you reject it, this was only a temptation. There is no reason for you to feel down and out, you have not sinned. My friend, do not be misled by your feelings. Feelings can deceive you. We walk by faith, not by how we feel.

However, if you have entertained bad or filthy thoughts ask for forgiveness for example, 'Heavenly Father do forgive me my sinful thoughts and thank You for washing me whiter than snow in the precious and holy blood of Jesus. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. May my heart always be attached to Your heart and may I be faithful to you all the days of my life.'

7. Run away from sin!

Genesis 39:1-13; Acts 5:29-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-18,19-20; 10:11-13.

In other circumstances, if your flesh is under attack, you do best to follow Joseph’s example: avoid the places, things and persons that will tempt you, especially, when you are alone or weak.

Also, after a great victory or moment of success in life be cautious not to fall into sin.

Joseph ran away when Potiphar’s wife lured him to have sex with her, and so must we. Remember, “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”, writes Paul to the Corinthians.

You are not weak if you shun sin, on the contrary, you are bold in the eyes of God for sin is a deadly poison.

Moreover, never think you are strong enough in your own strength; you need and will have to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is He who gives you grace and strength to overcome.

8. Be not deceived!

Matthew 24:4-5,24-31; John 10:7-11; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Hebrews 9:27; 12:2-14; 1 John 4:1-4; 5:12; 2 John 7-11.

Watch out for false prophets who will try to bring you another gospel and/or to fool you that there are many ways to God. Jesus is very clear in stating, “I am the Door … I am the Good Shepherd ...”

And in another occasion, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Christ Jesus once came as a humble little baby, but this time He will return as the King of kings and the Lord of lords! Jesus is the Son of the living God. In fact, where Jesus is, is heaven. Simply stated: Real and abundant life starts and ends with Jesus. Without Him, everything is and would be in vain.

Nowadays we even hear so-called ministers calling sinful and filthy acts good and acceptable, and calling the good as bad. Each and every one will one day have to give an account of his/her words and deeds before the throne of God.

Important Vitamins to Memorize:

Step by step you are becoming stronger and stronger in the Lord knowing that Jesus loves you dearly and desires the very best for you!

Vitamin A4: “Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

[John 14:6]

Vitamin A5: “… it is APPOINTED for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”

[Hebrews 9:27]

9. Persevere with your eyes on Jesus!

2 Timothy 2:1-4,10-15; Matthew 10:22,28,32,38-39; 22:36-40; Mark 13:13; Luke 12:4-5; Acts 7:54-60; Romans 10:8-10; Philippians 1:20-21; 2 Corinthians 11:22-31; Hebrews 12:2; Revelation 12:11.

Temptation can also come to try to get you to deny Jesus. Persevere in your faith and walk with God, stand strong in your confession of Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and know that we walk at the edge of eternity. Jesus emphasized it several times to persevere to the end.

We are “good soldiers of Jesus Christ”. As a soldier in the army of your country, you know that you could lose your life in battle. In like manner, as believers and followers of Jesus this could also happen to us. In many countries born-again Christians are martyred and killed for being a follower of Jesus. We see this happening more and more, as Jesus predicted.

Do not fear them that can only kill your body, but fear Almighty God who has the authority after death and who can send a soul to hell.

Also, rest assured that God is certainly able just like He did with Stephen to give you grace and strength by the power of the Holy Spirit to persevere in those final minutes or seconds. Let us therefore walk in holiness trusting our faithful Author and Finisher of our faith.

Jesus loves you so much that He gave His life for you personally, even if you were the only one on earth. He died a cruel death at the Cross to give you everlasting life. The question now is, ‘What will you do for Him?’ We love Jesus, and our enemies, because He first loved us. [Matthew 7:12; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 6:27-31,32-36]

10. Join a Bible-faithful church!

Matthew 6:24,33; 18:19-20; John 13:12-17; Hebrews 10:25.

Do not be double minded, but have God as your top priority in your life. Decide to be a true follower of Christ Jesus and declare that you are an overcomer in the Name of Jesus, knowing that God is on your side and His Holy Spirit is in you!

Finally, do not forget to seek a faithful born-again, Bible trusting, follower of Jesus Christ to mentor you and to join a Bible-based, Christ Jesus centered, Holy Spirit led, love in action church in which you can grow strong in the Lord.

Important Vitamin to Memorize:

The following is Jesus’ Golden Love Rule in conformity with God’s character and nature:

Vitamin D1: “And just as you want men to DO to you, you also DO to them likewise.”

[Luke 6:31]

QUESTIONS On Chapter 3: How to Overcome Temptations

If you don’t know the answer, return to the text of that specific question and reread/restudy the relevant Bible verses until you grasp it.

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

[1 John 3:8b]

Answer these questions in your own words.

1. What are temptations?

2. How can and should we deal with temptation?

Explain in your own words:

3. Short-term pleasure versus final outcome in eternity:

4. Pray in advance:

5. Declare the Word:

6. Vitamin A3: Luke 10:19:

7. Vitamin B4: 1 John 3:9:

8. The Holy Spirit is our Helper:

9. Don’t focus on the negative, but transform your mind through the positive Word:

10. Vitamin B5: Romans 12:1-2:

11. Abide in Christ:

12. Run away from sin:

13. Be not deceived:

14. Vitamin A4: John 14:6:

15. Vitamin A5: Hebrews 9:27:

16. Persevere with your eyes on Jesus:

17. Join a Bible-faithful church:

18. Vitamin D1: Luke 6:31:

by Dennis V. Dare

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