Living By Faith Blog

Facing Temptation

There it is.  Right before you.  Maybe it’s greed.  Or discouragement.  Or lust.

But it’s powerful.  It’s tempting.  It’s pulling you so strongly that you feel there is nothing you can do.

Just like Indiana Jones could have felt as his opponent stood before him, brandishing his huge sword, tossing it from hand to hand, swirling it skillfully before attacking.

So what can you do?

Too often we give up, and surrender to the temptation.

Or we try to resist by gritting our teeth, or letting go and letting God, or using psychological techniques.

But there’s a better way.

What Should You Do?

God has given you a blood-bought tool that will conquer every temptation.

What is it?  Faith.  Faith in Jesus Christ.  Really.

Consider these verses —

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. (1 John 5:4)

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one … (Ephesians 6:16)

By God’s grace, when we turn to Jesus Christ and trust him, God’s supernatural power will be released in our hearts.  And by his power our faith will overcome the sinful pull of the world — and extinguish every flaming dart of the evil one.

Genuine Faith

But this will only happen if we have genuine, biblical faith.  Which means trusting all that God promises to be to you in Christ Jesus.

This means turning your heart away from the sin, and looking to Jesus Christ.  Not just going through the motions, but REALLY TURNING your heart away from sin, and REALLY LOOKING to Jesus Christ.

Then, since God will strengthen our faith when we ask him, plead with him to help you believe (Mark 9:24).  Really.  PLEAD with him.

And, since faith comes from hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17), have a Bible open in front of you, or a memorized verse in your mind.  Don’t neglect this.  USE GOD’S WORD.

So look to Jesus with faith, trusting him —

• to welcome you (maybe using Hebrews 4:15-16),
• to forgive you (maybe praying Luke 18:13-14),
• that his death has broken the power of this sin (maybe reading Romans 6:11),
• to change your heart (maybe pondering Luke 18:27),
• to satisfy you so fully that sin has no pull on you (maybe meditating on Philippians 3:8; Jeremiah 2:12-13; Psalm 73:25-26).

Then set your heart on promises or passages describing Jesus Christ, and pray over them until you see and feel that Jesus Christ is more satisfying than the sin that’s tempting you (like Galatians 2:20; Matthew 27:54; Hebrews 1:1-4; Hebrews 12:1-2).

This might take some time.  But press in.  Keep praying for the Spirit’s help.  Keep looking to Jesus as he is revealed in God’s Word.  Keep looking to him with faith.

He promises — you will feel God’s power coming upon you and changing your heart.

And when it does — BOOM.  Faith just overcame the world.  PFFFT.  Faith just extinguished the fiery dart.

Don’t Be Intimidated

So learn from Indiana Jones.

Don’t be intimidated by a sword-slinging Satan.

God has given you the gun of faith.

Use it.

Watch this to see what will happen when you do —

Comments?  Feedback?