A Plan for Fighting Temptation

Heart Prep

Ask God to help you know more about Him and what
He wants to say to you through this devotion.   

James 1:13-14 “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation
will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

In the Bible, the word “temptation” primarily means a test or a trial in which we have a free choice of being faithful or unfaithful to God. We are all tempted in some way; it it will be different for each of us. Maybe you are tempted to gossip or cheat on a test. You might even be tempted to take substances that are harmful to your body. How can you defend yourself against the many temptations that come your way, and remain faithful to God?

You must have a plan to guard your heart. You can’t always stop thoughts from coming to mind, but you must stop them from going any further. Give them to God immediately. It is helpful to remember this powerful verse in James 4:7, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”. There is power in God’s Word.

You must have a plan to stay away from people, places and situations that might make it easy to fall into temptation. For example, are your friends influencing you to take the wrong path? Proverbs 13:20 clearly warns us, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm”.

You must remind yourself that damage of some kind is sure to happen when you are disobedient. There will be a cost at some point, and you can count on that. Satan doesn’t want you to believe that. The Bible says he is like “a roaring lion. . . seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Temptation is unavoidable, but you don’t have to fall for it. Make a plan today for how you will respond the next time you are tempted. Ask God to help you.  

Life Application

What is God saying to me?

Something I want to remember from this is....

How does this change my life and what are my next steps?