5 steps to avoid temptation
1. Recognize the tendency towards sin (James 1:14 “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”)
2. Recognize the way (I Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”)
3. Resist with the word of truth (Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
II Cor 10: 4-5 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”)
4. Refocus with praise (Psalm 147 “How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”)
5. Run away and Repent quickly when you fall (1 Cor 6:18 – 20 “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
1 Cor 10:14 “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”
I Tim 6:11 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness”
II Tim 2:22 “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”)
Jesus was tempted as we are tempted now: Heb 4:15 “we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
Action plan:
1. Analyze you temptation / sin patterns
a. With whom are you tempted to sin (Psalm 141:4 “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers;”)
b. Where are you tempted (Proverbs 22:5 “In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.”)
c. When are you tempted to sin
d. Why are you tempted to sin (I Thes 4:8) “Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”
e. What are the first steps you might take on the path to sin (the thought process – forethought, action etc)
2. Choose scripture verses to read and to mediate (Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”, Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” – eg. Jesus Matt 4:1 -11
3. Spirit is willing – work with the Spirit (Matt 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”)
4. Remember 1 John 2:16, 17 “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
1. Recognize the tendency towards sin (James 1:14 “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”)
2. Recognize the way (I Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”)
3. Resist with the word of truth (Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
II Cor 10: 4-5 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”)
4. Refocus with praise (Psalm 147 “How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”)
5. Run away and Repent quickly when you fall (1 Cor 6:18 – 20 “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
1 Cor 10:14 “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”
I Tim 6:11 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness”
II Tim 2:22 “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”)
Jesus was tempted as we are tempted now: Heb 4:15 “we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
Action plan:
1. Analyze you temptation / sin patterns
a. With whom are you tempted to sin (Psalm 141:4 “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers;”)
b. Where are you tempted (Proverbs 22:5 “In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.”)
c. When are you tempted to sin
d. Why are you tempted to sin (I Thes 4:8) “Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”
e. What are the first steps you might take on the path to sin (the thought process – forethought, action etc)
2. Choose scripture verses to read and to mediate (Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”, Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” – eg. Jesus Matt 4:1 -11
3. Spirit is willing – work with the Spirit (Matt 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”)
4. Remember 1 John 2:16, 17 “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
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