Gospel

Overcoming Temptation

by Roland Crim
07/09/19
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At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. Mark 1:12-13 NIV

Why was Jesus tempted? Satan wants to ruin God’s plan. What a better way to do so than to have the Son of God yield to temptation. It didn’t work. Christ focused on the Father and His will, and not His immediate needs.

How can we overcome temptation? Here are a few points.

1.Pray that you will not be led into temptation. This was important enough for Christ to include it as part of the Lord’s Prayer. As a follow up to not being led into temptation, ask for deliverance from evil. You will not be subjected to temptation without a means of escape.

2.Keep your focus on God and eternal goals, not self and earthly desires.

3.Do not place yourself deliberately in a position that might cause you to compromise the desires of God for earthly desires.

4.Read the word of God daily. The world will bombard you with its deceit and desires. How can you expect to overcome it if you are not attuned to the desires of God?

5.Ask others to pray for you. You can let them know you are facing times of trial and temptation. Specifics need not be mentioned. There is much power in prayer, so let the power of prayer for you by others assist you.

Of course, there will be times when we will fail, giving into temptation. So, what then? If one is a Christian, the indwelling Spirit will convict one of evil done. Remorse and mourning shall fill the heart. This is the time to repent, to go to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. Know that Christ died for your sins. He waits, wanting to heal and forgive the one whose heart is repentant. Don’t count the times you have had to do this. Does Christ keep track of how many times He has forgiven you? No! Be sure though to also be forgiving to those who have sinned against you. Be sure to pray for them. Know that you have been cleansed through the shedding of innocent blood on Calvary.