How Do I Tackle Temptation?

-          Tunde Mabinuori

 Everyday of our lives is a battle with the flesh. Despite all these battles we should be confident because we should be confident because we have put our faith in God, we can overcome because the Bible says in John 16:33 “…but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world”.

“The general human feeling is to want what is right and important, but at the same time not to commit the kind of life that will produce the action we know to be right and the condition we want to enjoy. This is the feature of human character that explains why the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We intend what is right, but we avoid the life that would make it a reality” (Dallas Willard).

Once we understand the purposes of temptation and the mechanism behind it, the challenge and obligation we have is to reject temptation in whatever form it may appear.

Our mindset must be one as a son of God. Regardless of our earthly gender, we are spiritual sons of God in Christ and are no longer slaves to sin. Paul wrote, “so you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:7 NIV). Jesus was the “firstborn” Son of God (Colosians !:14-16) and we are the adopted sons who share in his inheritance (Romans 8:14-17).

Part of our inheritance in Christ is dominion over sin. Temptation is an opportunity to forfeit this dominion and re-enslave ourselves to evil desires. Just as God told Cain to resist sin, so we too have the opportunity to resist sin: ‘If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it” 9Genesis 4:7 NIV). If we let it, sin will rule over us and enslave us to our own evil desires. (Psalm 19:3, Romans 6: 12-14). 

How do I tackle temptation? 

1.       Acknowledge the weakness: Recognize you have a problem. Don’t try to rationalize it. John 8:32 “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”. Once you have accepted the truth that you are weak, then you are on the way to deliverance.

2.       Pray for help: Our prayers will open the door for God’s power to strengthen us. Jesus told his disciples, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Our bodies are weak because of the sin nature we inherited from Adam, but we have Jesus as a willing source of help for overcoming temptation. Hebrews 2:18 states, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Jesus was tempted in every way, yet did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He knows how to rescue us and help us overcome temptation (2 Peter 2:9). God wants you to ask him for help. He is always there. He says, “Call on me in times of trouble, I will rescue you and you will honour me” (Psalm 50:15). Jesus “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptation we do, yet he did not sin”. God’s love is everlasting and His patience endures forever. Even if you have to cry out for help a thousand times a day, remember He is listening and wants to give you mercy and grace.

Pray, and ask Him for the strength to and power to do the right thing, and then expect Him to answer you. Our prayer for help need not be elaborate. It can be simple and to the point. For example, we can pray, “Jesus help me”, or just “Help!”.   

... to be continued 

Pastor Tunde Mabinuori is the Minister-in-Charge, Rhema Chapel International Churches, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan.

e-mail: tundemabinuori@gmail.com