One of the pointers to your walk with God is the amount/degree/volume of temptation you get subjected to on daily basis. It may seemingly feel like the devil was asked to write a 16-unit project course and he decided to use your life as a case study. It can often get overwhelming making the pathway you walk with God deceitful slippery, which is not.
The constant challenge to choose between right or wrong, fidelity or infidelity, faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God will never go away. As Christians, we are faced with events woven in different fashion and designs that test our faith. Interestingly, these challenges are not a respecter of your spiritual ranking and they will never go away as the devil will keep devising new means to cause a fall. I mean, even Jesus Christ got tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).
Sources of Temptation
Temptation often emanates from these three causes.
- The Flesh: The flesh is our natural human element with the propensity to sin. Our corrupt predisposition is one of the ways Christians are lured into temptation. The flesh stands as an animosity with God and only thirsts after sinful desire. As Christians, we are encouraged to walk in the spirit and not in flesh (Gal. 5:16). Living after the flesh is an open gateway to a flood of temptation. The desires of the flesh will always thrive to trump the spirit and the only way to take command is to always stay focused on the things of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Romans 8: 6-8 highlights that to be carnally minded is death and the life of flesh cannot please God.
- The World: “…No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life…” – 2 Tim 2:4. Nowadays, most Christians are carried away with the distractions that now plague our current reality. It has even grown increasingly worrisome with the advent of social media. However, we are encouraged not to ensnare ourselves with the things of this temporary world. People no longer thirst after the kingdom of God but yearn after worldly desires – 2 Tim 3: 2-4. They are majorly vices that easily lead Christians into temptation before you can even call the blood of Jesus. And they are all around us. The kind of songs we listen to or expose ourselves to, the company we keep, and the lifestyle that we emulate are the things that have been specially packaged as cool but they slowly deposit worldly desires in us and lead us away from the love for God.
- The Devil: Described as the one who “…labours in relentless malice to twist us away from salvation.” The devil seeks daily to hold us in captivity. Satan has an unrelenting drive to defeat those who have turned to the Lord. The Bible describes him as a deceiver, an accuser, and a tempter whose purpose is to misdirect, steal and destroy the joy of Christians. The devil employs the use of the first two sources to subtly and craftily attack Christians via various means. He uses the moment of weakness to launch attacks. The devil is smart. He creates opportunities and moments that will make us feel discouraged and downcast so he can win the battle over our hearts. He likes to push us to moments that will make us elevate the worries and troubles of this world over conversations with God in prayers.
What You Should Do to Stay Atop Temptation
- Recognize You are in Control:
It is pertinent to know as Christians that we are capable of overcoming temptation and the devices of the devil. The Bible recognized 1 Corinthians 10:13 that temptations are a common thing that will be experienced by men. It also assured us that we have a Father who would not let us be subjected to situations beyond our control and He will readily create ways for us to overcome. This is a confidence-boosting verse that gives us an advantage over the devil. Having this mindset when you are subjected to any trials will help you stay afloat with God. The devil only thrives when he sniffs fear. You shut him out completely when you stay confident that God has seen you through.
- Anchor on the Word of God:
There are so many things to learn from Jesus Christ’s encounter in Matthew Chapter 4 but one thing stood out, His mastery of the word of God as the counter-missile to the arrows of deceit fired by the devil. Arming yourself with the word of God and confidently reciting them in moments of temptation will see not only resist the devil and watch him flee but also boost your confidence in God.
- Guard Your Heart Jealously
Roman 12: 2 says, “Be not conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” As Christians, our thoughts and actions should not be synonymous with what is obtainable in the world. The devil battles for the mind. Hence, it is paramount that we do not expose it to the tools that the devil can easily use to attack us. When are loose with the affairs of our heart and forget or disconnect from communication with God (through the Bible or prayer), we damage our relationship with God and the devil uses this window to sneak in and try to fill up the vacuum for attacks. Let your thoughts be pure and noble and give God full access to the operational requirements of your life. As Phill. 4:8 records, we should think and dwell richly on things that are pure, lovely, and admirable.
- Love Not the World:
Those who love the world do not love God – 1 John 2:15. Those who lust after the flesh and the things of the world are easy prey for the devil. They are quick to fall into tempting times as the devil capitalizes on the legal grounds (worldly elements) that are now evident in their lives.
- Be Joyous:
The Bible encourages us to be joyous when tempted. It emphasizes that temptation will gear us towards perfection with God with every overcoming step we take – James 1: 2-4.
Temptation is an everyday phase every Christian will experience throughout their sojourn on earth because the devil will not stop striving to capture new souls. The more you grow spiritually, the more the devil crafts new means to entice you. Be strong in the Lord and focus on the ultimate target – heaven. Remember, temptation is not a bad thing but it is the decision that follows that is a key influence on our continuous walk with God.
