Do you ever feel guilty when you are tempted? I do too. But the sin lies not in being tempted, but in acting on the temptation. As we saw in Barry’s sermon last week, Jesus was tempted in the desert after He had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.
Three times Satan came at Jesus. And three times Jesus bested him.
Jesus’ example gives us hope — and a blueprint to follow. But first, let’s consider the alternative:
What happens if we bow to temptation?
As Barry said, “We bow to spiritual forces and temptations of this world and give them power in the process.” Continuing to bow to temptations can lead to strongholds in our lives.
For example, after my daughter Larissa died, I had a choice to make. I could choose to believe that God was still in control and trust Him to see me and my family through our grief. Or I could choose to believe He wasn’t in control, and I wasn’t going to make it through this intact. For a while, I bowed to the fear and battled through what became a stronghold of anxiety and panic attacks.
How do we combat temptations?
Ultimately, Jesus passed His temptation tests because His heart was fully surrendered to God. Barry challenged us with three questions to help us apply Jesus’ blueprint to our own lives:
1. Who or what do you worship?
2. How well do you know the Word of God?
3. What fuels your life?
I’d like to focus on the Word of God.
God’s Word & Our Words
Words are powerful, and God’s Words are the most powerful. Think about it:
- By God’s Word, He created the world and everything in it, including us (Genesis 1:3).
- By God’s Word, Jesus faced down Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:4; 4:7; and 4:10).
- And by reminding us of God’s Word, the Holy Spirit teaches us and encourages us in our spiritual walk (John 14:26).
If the Trinity lives by God’s Word, how much more should we?
So, where do we start?
- First of all, we have to take the time to learn God’s Word. I love the VerseLocker app. It’s a creative Bible memorization tool. I assign each month a theme and memorize one verse a month related to the theme. For example, my themes this year so far have been vision, creativity, rest, new creation, and reawakening. If you’re facing a particular temptation, pray and ask God for a scripture to meet that situation. Practice it each day. Research the verse using the Bible Hub or Blue Letter Bible apps and write down what you learn. When Satan comes at you, wield the powerful Word as the weapon it is. Ephesians 6:17 calls it the sWORD of the Spirit.
- Watch your own words. The thoughts we think about ourselves and others, and the words we say aloud, are more powerful than we realize. How often do you say things like:
- “I never do anything right.”
- “My child will never learn to behave.”
- “I don’t have the strength to make it through this stress. I’ve always been weak.”
- “He will never amount to anything.”
We need to erase this type of thinking and talking from our behavior.
I am a fan of Dr. Caroline Leaf and her book Switch on Your Brain (link). Dr. Leaf, a believer and cognitive neuroscientist, teaches that what we think and what we say determine our behavior. (And remember, temptations often start in our minds.) Basically, on pages 33–35, she details how our thinking activates our genes; our brains are then shaped by our reactions; and our thinking then changes our DNA, which manifests in our bodies.
Dr. Leaf believes we need to bring all our thoughts into captivity to Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 10:5). So instead of setting ourselves up to bow to temptation with our words, we can choose to think the way God wants us to by renewing our minds with the truth of scripture. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” You may not have arrived at where you want to be yet, but start by switching up your words and your prayers. Instead of saying, “This child will never behave,” say: “Lord, Your Word says in Ephesians 6:4 ‘to not provoke your children to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.’ I am praying and trusting You to do a good work in my child’s life as I discipline and instruct and love my child. Thank you that You are already at work.”
- Finally, flee from temptation (1 Corinthians 6:18). Some situations simply demand that we “get out of there.” Don’t end your daily walk at the ice cream shop, and don’t pursue a flirtation if you’re married.
What released me from my stronghold of anxiety was joining a Bible Study Fellowship group where I was intensely studying God’s Word and character. God’s love and grace became so evident over those months. Each morning, I began choosing faith over fear, thinking faith, and praying faith, even if I didn’t feel it. It became a habit, and as I overcame the temptation to fear, God restored my broken self to a whole, stronger woman.
Invite God into your struggles and temptations and wield the weapon of His Word. He will deliver you too.