Day 27 – Defeating Temptation
Temptation comes with audacity to intimidate, threaten and shift the mind of a man but can’t in itself prevail, only if allowance are given to it by the mind. Hence, the need to learn ways to defeat temptations. The truth is, there is always a way out of that temptations coming to you, if only you could just find those ways.
The battle for sin is won and lost in the mind, whatever gets your attention will get you. Whenever faced with temptation, the first thing you need to do is to refocus your attention on something else. Because if a man will be tempted, the thoughts would firstly be introduced to his/her heart and trying to fight the thoughts will only make it grows. Instead refocus your thoughts on something better.
And possibly if you are already in an addictive temptation, revealing your struggle to a godly friend will help you out. Hiding your struggles only makes it grows and be intensified but exposing it to light makes it shrink. The second thing to do when faced with temptation is to resist the devil with the truth of God. Jesus modeled this while he was tempted in the wilderness. In resisting the devil, you have to put on your whole armour as in
Ephesians 6:11 ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.’
Finally, do keep in mind your vulnerability to temptation and have a sense of being watchful and be sober before God to help you. It is easier to stay out of temptation than to get out of it.
Point to Ponder: There is always a way out.
Question to Consider: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
