To be tempted is to be enticed to do wrong based on a promise of pleasure or gain. It’s important to understand that “God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else” (James 1:13). Temptation, according to James, “Comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions” (Verse 14-15). To prepare means to get ready for a future event, and for the purpose of this topic, preparation will be developing habits that keep us ready at all times to be victorious when we are tempted.
When we are
tempted, we are enticed to do something we know or feel is wrong. The devil’s
goal for tempting us is to cause us to disobey God, by dangling enticing things
or behaviors in front of us. He used that trick with Eve in the Garden of Eden;
he promised her the ability to become like God. He said to her, “Your eyes will
be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good
and evil” (Genesis 3:5). So, desiring to be wise, and also finding the
forbidden fruit desirable, Eve gave in to the temptation, ate the fruit and
gave some to her husband, Adam. Needless to say, the outcome was disastrous!
We, their descendants, are still dealing with the consequences.
How does the
devil tempt us these days? He promises us pleasures for indulging in sin, with
the assurance that it’s okay, and besides, we won’t get caught. Some of these
sins include “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry,
sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition,
dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like
these” (Galatians 5:19-21). At the end of verse 21, we are warned, “Anyone
living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Knowing
therefore that we are the devil’s target, just as Eve was, we need to be ready
all the time to resist him, taking necessary precautions. He is bent on
devouring us any way he can; let’s not be the agents of wickedness he so
desires us to be.
We need to
start by putting on the whole armor of God (see Ephesians 6:13-18). If we keep
every piece of the armor on all the time, we will always be ready, and won’t
need to go and get ready, when we are tempted. If we enter a tempting situation
with our full armor on, we will be victorious, and remain standing at the end
of the encounter.
The Word of God
Included in
the armor of God is the Word of God. We need to know the Bible! We need to know what God hates by
studying it, and allowing the Spirit to grant us understanding. When we do
that, we are agreeing with the psalmist, “I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). Quoting Scripture is one of
the ways to encourage ourselves in the Lord and to rebuke the devil, just like
Jesus did when He was tempted (see Luke 4:4, 8, 12).
Influence and Example
Don’t follow
the advice of unbelievers or hang around with them; they might rub off on you
the wrong way because their feet run to evil (see Psalm 1:1); they might
mislead you. Be at the right place at the right time. Would you go somewhere If
you knew ahead of time that you would likely be exposed to sinful situations?
The answer is ‘No!’ The best way to avoid wrong influence is to avoid notorious
places and people who go there.
Plan Ahead
Like Daniel,
the young Israeli, plan ahead of time what you will or won’t do in certain
situations. While in captivity in Babylon, Daniel made up his mind not to
defile himself with the king’s food and wine (see Daniel 1:8). And so, when he
was offered the king’s food, he had his response ready; he didn’t have to think
about it. He just said ‘No!’
Watch and Pray
Finally, we
need to stay prayerful throughout the day and in all situations, and listen to
the Spirit’s voice for encouragement and direction (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
It is imperative that we watch and pray as Jesus taught His disciples; if we
are not vigilant, we could be taken off guard. Jesus took some of His disciples
to the Mount of Olives to watch with Him; they fell asleep while He was away praying.
When He returned, He said to them, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not
give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak”
(Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:36). Good intentions not backed by prayers don’t always
materialize; the disciples meant to support Jesus, but they fell asleep. Prayer has a way of building up our strength
and courage, so let’s make it a top priority.
It is good
to prepare for all kinds of situations, especially if you expect to be
successful. Students, for example, do well on their exams when they study the
material, consult with their professors for help as needed, get enough rest,
and eat a decent meal prior to taking the exam.
Dear
brothers and sisters, let’s follow these steps and trust God to help us not to
succumb to temptation!
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