Temptation is Normal!
Are you feeling tempted? Here are the best ways to handle temptation, but before we begin, let’s get one thing straight. Temptation is normal, and everyone deals with it, even your favorite minister! Even Jesus was tempted! So, if you are tempted to sin, it doesn’t make you a bad person! We must understand that the temptation isn’t bad; it’s giving into the temptation, which is sin! Also, temptation comes from our desires.
James 1:14 says, “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” So, resisting temptation may be difficult because it is something your flesh wants. However, we must fight the temptation to please God and not jeopardize our ticket into heaven! Temptation leads to sin, and sin leads to spiritual death and, ultimately, hell, so it is pivotal we learn how to overcome temptation!
What is Temptation?
Temptation is when someone’s fleshly desires or satan entices them to do something that is against the Word of God. As stated previously, it leads them to sin. However, it doesn’t lead to sin every time, depending on how they respond to the temptation. It comes to everyone, and I mean everyone: you, me, your mom, your pastor; temptation is not a stranger to anyone. But what sets people apart is how they deal with it. So, you may think someone is the perfect Christian who never deals with temptation, but the truth is, they do! How they deal with the temptation is what makes all the difference! Wait, can you resist temptation? Yes! So, here are the best ways to handle temptation!
Ways God Helps When You’re Tempted
When trying to navigate how to avoid temptation and the best ways to deal with being tempted, an excellent place to start is 1 Corinthians 10:13. It says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Isn’t that good news? We can resist temptation every time it comes our way. God always offers a way to avoid falling into sin through temptation. Also, there is no tempting situation that you cannot resist!
You’re Not Special
Of course, you’re special to God, but not sin and temptation! There is no uncommon temptation. This means that you don’t have a particular case for sin. Someone has dealt with the same temptations and sins you have. So, if you are struggling, you are not alone! And in this verse, Paul is letting us know that there is a way out every time. So, when Christians complain about how hard it is not to sin or give an excuse as to why they are constantly sinning, they are disregarding this verse and are living a life contrary to the Bible.
God always makes way for you to withstand sin; not sometimes, not most times, but ALWAYS. God is faithful, so there will never be a situation where there is no way out. He knows you can handle it, and because the temptation came to you in the first place, it means you are strong enough to overcome it! Can you resist temptations? Absolutely! So, here are the best ways to handle temptation!
Submit to God!
How can we resist temptation and best handle temptation? James 4:7 says, “Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The devil cannot withstand the power of God. Also, our flesh cannot withstand the power of God. A massive thing about temptation is that it’s not just the devil; it’s our flesh, too! So, we must deny our flesh daily. The devil loves to work in partnership with our flesh and make those desires even more robust, but again, neither can withstand God’s power!
Unfortunately, some Christians don’t believe that they can overcome sin, and when the temptation comes, they have to give in. Avoiding temptation can be difficult when you don’t think you have power over it. However, I want you to know that’s a lie STRAIGHT from hell. The Bible mentions many times that we do not have to be slaves to sin, but what people struggle with is the how. How do I not give in to sin every time a temptation comes?
Well, your answer is in James 4:7! Which reads, “Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” As you submit to God, you are telling sin that it is not your master, but God is! By submitting to God, we are bringing His presence into our situation, which makes the devil uncomfortable and forces him to leave with all his temptations. Also, submitting to God quiets our flesh and its desires.
What does submitting to God look like? To me, submitting to God is inviting His presence into your situation and seeking His face. For example, you can submit to God through prayer, reading your Bible, praise, worship, and listening to sermons or teachings.
Prayer Throughout the Day Helps With Resisting Temptation
Prayer is an excellent way to submit to God and how to fight temptation because you are communicating directly with Him. One of the best ways to handle temptation is prayer. Especially if you are someone who can pray in the Spirit, I would recommend that when tempted! I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing,” and one of those reasons is so that we can effectively fight against temptation! Praying invites God’s presence into your situation. Psalm 6:8-9 says,” For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer. “If temptation and sin are something you’ve been battling, just know when you cry out to God with a sincere heart, He hears you! And when you know that He hears you, you will have what you prayed for!
Prayers to Pray When Tempted
“God, I rebuke this temptation, and I take on the mind and behavior of Christ. I demand that my mind aligns with the Word of God. I am the righteousness of Christ, and I have power over sin, so God, aid me in fighting this temptation so I can live holy as you intended me to! In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
“God help my mind align with Your Word. Also, reveal to me anything in my life that triggers this temptation and fuels the ungodly desires of my flesh. Give me the strength to get rid of everything you reveal to me so that the temptation isn’t so easily triggered; thank You, God, for giving me spiritual discernment about my life, in Jesus’ name, Amen!”
“God, give me spiritual discernment about people in my life that aren’t good for my spiritual health and holiness. Get rid of anyone who would draw me away from You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
“God, guide me to all righteousness and holiness at this moment; tell me how to get rid of this temptation and take these thoughts captive. Thank You for guiding me at this moment and empowering me with Your Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name, Amen!”
God is quick to answer prayers that align with His Word, and it is His will that we live righteously. So, this is a great place to start when submitting to God!
Flee Youthful Lusts
2 Timothy 2:22 NLT says, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” Praying helps you flee those lusts of the flesh and guides you towards righteousness! Also, praying with other Christians will help you sustain righteousness!
Read Your Bible When Tempted
The Word of God is cleansing to our minds and spirits. And the Word is one of the best ways to handle temptation! Ephesians 5:26 says, “to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.” The verse in context is about marriage, but it still stands true. God’s Word makes us holy and clean and cleanses us! So, when you are dealing with temptation, open up that Bible!
A fantastic way to read your Bible when dealing with temptation is to get a verse against the sin you are tempted with. I have used this example before, but to illustrate, if you are tempted to get drunk, read 1 Peter 5:8. Which reads, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks around about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Identify with His Word
In this verse, you are reminded that God called us to be sober and keep watch so that we don’t leave any doors open for the enemy to come through. When you’re drunk, your awareness falls drastically, you’re clumsy and tired, and you invite other temptations to come. For example, rage and sexual immorality are common when one is under the influence. If that is a temptation for you, continually speak it and say, “I am sober and vigilant.” Identify with the Word of God.
Stop identifying as someone who drinks, smokes, curses, has sex a lot, or overall sins. If you are born-again, do not identify as a sinner! You are the righteousness of Christ and have power over sin. Once you start identifying as that, the temptation will come less! So, if the Bible doesn’t say it, it shouldn’t come out of your mouth. Only speak the Word of God. Identifying with God’s Word is a wonderful way how to stop temptation!
Cleansed by the Word
By reading the Word, you are reminded of God’s instructions to us and feel less comfortable sinning. The best way to handle temptation is to allow yourself to be cleansed by the Word. Regarding how to deal with temptation, I recommend saying the scriptures out loud; it gives them more power and life. I know for a fact that by doing that, the temptation will flee. The Word cleanses us by the “washing of water by the Word” (Ephesians 5:26). This means that when we read the Bible, the purity of God’s Word cleanses our spirits. It is impossible to study God’s Word and not feel better, lighter, and just closer to God overall. John 1:1 mentions how the Word was God, so when you read the Bible, you bring God into your situation again. And when God is present, the devil can’t be, and your flesh cannot stand it!
Praise and Worship When Being Tempted
This is a beautiful method for submitting to God and how to resist temptations because, once again, it brings in His presence. If you’re feeling tempted to sin, I suggest you start thanking God that you’re pure, righteous, and holy. Thank God that He helped you overcome the temptation and that it’s gone. Psalm 22:3 says that God “inhabitest the praises of Isreal,” meaning He inhabits the praises of His people, and we are His people! So, when you lift praise to God, you are bringing Him into your situation, and if there’s one thing the devil hates the most, it is praising God! So he has no choice but to hit the road!
Praise also brings your flesh into submission and is a method of controlling temptation. When tempted, praising God is the last thing you want to do, but that’s good! When it comes to this flesh, practice doing the opposite of what it “feels like.” Romans 8:7 ESV says, “The mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.”
Your flesh will never be in submission to God on its own or resist the temptation. It takes the Holy Spirit; that is why we must deny our flesh and do exactly what it doesn’t want to! For example, I got five hours of sleep today, and my flesh wants to sleep. However, I am doing this blog post because it is what God told me. That is an example of making your flesh obey God! Praise God continually, and do the opposite of what your flesh wants. When you pair those together, temptation will stop getting the best of you! Praise is one of the best ways to handle temptation, so lift up your hands and start thanking God!
Listen to Sermons and Teachings When Tempted
Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing of the word of God.” Listening to sermons and teachings is beyond helpful in building your faith that you can overcome sin. It is one of the best ways to handle temptation because it offers you further revelation you probably couldn’t get on your own. When I’m tempted, I often go on YouTube and pull up a sermon or teaching about sin in general or the specific temptation I’m dealing with.
Through this, it reminds me of the consequences of sin and why it is a reward to live righteous. Also, it opens my eyes to see things how God does through the words of the ministers I listen to. Additionally, the fire of God they carry can be imparted to you. Spiritual impartation is when someone else’s spirit becomes a part of yours, so now what they carry, you carry. That’s why it is essential to listen to anointed ministers; God can give you what He gave them. Now, you have more fire and anointing through listening to them!
Returning to Romans 10:17, it doesn’t only mean faith for miracles. But it also means faith to overcome your temptations. This is the main reason people give into sin in the first place: they don’t have the faith to overcome it. It helps to hear someone preach on righteousness and holiness so that it gets into your spirit that you can be righteous and holy. So, turn on your favorite minister and hear God’s voice through them to eliminate that temptation, and this is one the best ways to handle temptation!
Take Control When Being Tempted
One final point about how to resist temptation is 2 Corinthians 10:5. It says we are to “cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” So when the thought comes to sin, it is your job to redirect that thought into the obedience of Christ. This is submitting to God in the ways I explained (prayer, praise, reading the Bible, listening to sermons and teachings).
If you want to know how to overcome temptations, every thought that is against the will of God and living righteously must be put in its place. God can’t put those thoughts in place for you; you must do it! Don’t worry; however, He has given you everything you need to do so in His Word. If God gives us a commandment, He has also equipped us to do it! So, what I want you to take away from this post is that you don’t have to submit to sin. God has made a way for you to be victorious against sin and has provided a way out every time! The choice is yours, so choose God’s way, and the devil will flee!
Call to Salvation
Maybe you don’t know Jesus personally, and you’ve been struggling with something for a long time: sex addiction, drugs, alcohol, stealing, lying, extreme anger, to list a few. However, if you’re tired of living that way, I want to offer you a chance to have a relationship with the One who can deliver you from all that! His name is Jesus, and He loves you, no matter what you have done. Also, He is more powerful than any hold that the enemy has on your life! Those bad things did not come from God; they came from the devil, who enjoys chastising God’s creation. God wants you to live a life of freedom from all bondage, and today, this is your chance to be set free!
You don’t have to struggle anymore; Jesus can set the record straight and prosper you! He can turn your entire life around and give you guidance on how to overcome temptation! More importantly, power over temptation! So, if you’re ready for that, say this prayer, “Dear Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and turn my back to them. I give Jesus my whole life, heart, mind, and soul by faith; I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for my sins, and I accept Him into my heart now. I believe Jesus is Lord, and I give my life to Jesus! Amen!” If you said this prayer, go to the I Just Got Saved page for church recommendations, a Bible, and a journal!
God Loves You
God loves you so much! Romans 8:38-39 NLT says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” No matter what you’ve done, God loves you! Know that you don’t have to struggle with sin any longer; I hope this helped, and God bless, and may you enjoy overcoming temptation every time! I hope this helped you understand the best ways to handle temptation and utilize it in your everyday life! Until the next post :).
Helpful Resources
Living a Successful Life Against Sin
8 Essential Ingredients To Live a Sin-Free Life
10 Facts About Sin Our Generation Does Not Know – Part 1 | Ev. Jonathan Shuttlesworth
The only sin God WON’T forgive & 21 other things you didn’t know about sin
Helpful Books in the Bible
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