How Do You Handle Temptation?

How can I overcome temptation? The Scriptures tell us that we all face temptations. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says, "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man."

Perhaps this provides a little encouragement since there are so many types of temptations to which we are subjected. You cannot watch television or read a magazine, both which are telling you what to eat, what to wear, how to be sexy, what kind of car to buy, etc. It is most overwhelming! You ever tried to watch your favorite TV show only to be interrupted with 5 or 6 commercials? How can anyone ever be satisifed with themselves or their lives!

The Lord tells us, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Mark 14:38

Our flesh is control by our emotions and our eyes. What we see is usually what we think we want.

Watching means being aware of the possibilities of temptation, sensitive to the subtleties, and spiritually equipped to fight it. Because temptation strikes when we are most vulnerable, we can't resist it alone.

Prayer is essential because God's strength can shoreup our defenses and defeat Satan's power.

First Corinthians 10:13 also says that "God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand."

Temptation is the voice that tells us to fulfill a right desire in a wrong way, for a wrong reason, or at the wrong time. Of course, I had to check the dictionary to see how temptation is defined and it says that temptation is:

1) a desire or craving for something, especially something considered wrong;
2) incitement of desire;
3) cause for desire: somebody or something that tempts.

In times of great stress, we are vulnerable to temptation, even if we have a willing spirit.

Jesus gave us some examples of what to do to resist temptation: 1) pray to God; 2) seek support from friends and family; 3) focus on the purpose God has given us. God's purpose is serve Him and others.

We know from James 1:13 that God does not tempt us to sin. If He did, He would be acting contrary to His holy nature and against all other commandments in Scripture that tells us to avoid sin and flee temptation. In the Lord's prayer, Jesus included asking the Lord not to lead us into temptation as one of the things we are to pray for regularly.

Temptations are often trials, and God will not test us beyond our ability to bear and will always provide a way out for us. But sometimes He exposes us to Satans assaults for His own purposes, as in the case with Job and Peter. (Luke 22:31-32) Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert and there Satan tried to tempt him, but Jeus immediately made it clear to Satan, "that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:1-4)

We need to renew our thinking as we are told in Romans 12:1-2. We need to no longeer think as the world thinks, or walk in the same way that the world walks. The flesh is never satisifed. So 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.

Matthew 5:29 gives some good advice: "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of the body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. That sounds pretty severe! Sin is severe! Jesus is not saying that we literally need to remove body parts, but He is telling us that drastic measures should be taken to avoid sin.

Thought for Today: God promises that He won't allow us to be burdened with more temptations than we can bear. He is there is help us.