Today’s Devotion
Topic: How To Overcome Temptations
Text: Matthew 26: 41
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Amen
Temptations are a daily battle for every believer, yet we must overcome them to have a deeper walk with God.
There are two important words to look out for in the text provided above: Fall and Temptation.
To FALL is to move from a higher to a lower level, rapidly and without control. To be TEMPTED is to have a strong feeling of wanting to do something, especially that which is wrong.
God is Holy and He cannot sin! The only thing that can constantly enrich our fellowship with Him, is that we move away from sin. However, this act of foregoing sin is not as easy as may sound, without the help of the Holy Spirit.
The spirit of man is always willing to do what is right before the Lord but the body is weak to carry out such good intents. It has desires and cravings for everything, carnal. Put us directly at a place contrary to the nature and will of God, for ourselves.
Do you now understand why you keep repeating “OH, WHAT HAVE I DONE AGAIN!”, every time you give in to the desires of the flesh and not rather yeild to the influence of the Holy Spirit; both as the One who guides and strengthens us in this Christian race.
Before we touch on how to overcome Temptations, let us discuss its characteristics. First of all, temptations are different from tests, and this is how: A test is a necessary challenge we are made to go through for our learning, betterment and toughness. While temptations aim only at a fall.
Secondly, God does not tempt us nor can Himself be tempted. We are tempted when we allow the enticement, lies and traps of the devil, influence in us desires that seek to gratify self and not THE WORD OF GOD. These desires lead to sin, and then when sin matures, it leads to death (i.e. being cut away from God- James 1: 13- 15). The desires we are talking about here all classify under 3 broad themes: lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, pride of life. These, come not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2: 16)
Today we share with you 5, out of the several other ways, you can resist temptations and overcome.
1. THROUGH PRAYER: The Lord Jesus says, “When you pray, say: ” ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into TEMPTATION. ‘ ” (Luke 11:1-4). When we build a consistent and fervent prayer life, that relationship with God supplies us with so much grace to take after the nature of God, and daily strength to overcome the flesh.
2. FLEEING OR RUNNING AWAY: Dearly Beloved, develop the godly attitude of fleeing from any situation that puts you contrary to the word and will of God for your life. Do this politely but without apology to avoid a compromise. Just run. And this is how:
a) Always do the right thing. Be faithful, loving, and easy to get along with.
b) Yet firm and rooted in the word of God, while living it out there, freely but faithfully.
c) Worship with people whose hearts are for purity.
d) Stay away from senseless arguments and debates that make you want to prove a point . These only lead to trouble (2 Tim. 2: 22- 23).
3. KNOW, UNDERSTAND BY REVELATION, BELIEVE AND APPLY THE WORD: Each of the three times the devil attempted to tempt Jesus, he (satan) quoted scripture. Jesus also answered back “IT IS WRITTEN”.
The difference however is, whereas satan’s reference to scripture was only to deceive man to disregard God, Jesus’ reference to scripture was backed by revelations from the Holy Spirit about the true meaning of the Word (don’t forget it was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness to fast in the first place), which produced the faith in God and the willingness to honor God by obeying the word for His (God’s) glory, but not for self glorification.
NOW THAT’S WHAT PRODUCE THE POWER TO OVERCOME THE TEMPTER, AND NOT JUST A MERE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WRITTEN WORD.
Beloved, we definitely need to imbibe the word of God “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2: 11).
4. RESISTING THE PRESSURE FROM FRIENDS TO BOW TO TEMPTATION: Proverbs 1:10 says “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.”
5. AVOIDING THE COMPANY OF THOSE WHOSE WAYS ARE A BREEDING GROUND FOR TEMPTATION: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers” (Psalm 1: 1).
6. SEEK HELP: Talk to your Parents, Pastors or Some other trusted Godly Teachers, Mentors or Counselors about EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS AND THE SINS THAT EASILY ENTANGLE. SO THAT YOU CAN RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR YOU (Hebrew 12: 1b, c). According to Proverbs 11: 14, “where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”
Meditate on the above and begin to pray. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been TEMPTED in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb 4: 15- 16).
SO NOW! LET THE WEAK SAY I’M STRONG! IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME. See you at church.
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