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6 Ways to Endure Temptation

There is no escaping the presence of sin or temptation in this world, but that does not mean we have to sin.

Yes, we are sinners, and there have been times when we have all given into temptation and sinned. But biblically speaking, on the authority of God's Word, we do not have to sin. There is always a way for us to honor the Lord.

But how? How do we keep from giving in to temptation?

A wise place to begin is in taking Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 to heart: “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Notice that none of us are above falling. Anytime we become overconfident in our own goodness or our ability to be good apart from the Lord, we set ourselves up for a fall. We must take heed lest we fall. One of the ways we can do this is by establishing practical methods for resisting temptation.

Here are six ways we can endure:

1 - Know you.

Be honest about where you are. Do not compare yourself with the worst person you know and think you are okay. Know who you are and where you struggle. Your struggle might be pride. It could be anger, impatience, or lust. Whatever your area of temptation is, you must be honest with yourself.

Make it personal: Are there any areas of sin in your life you have been making light of? Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and shine a light on areas you need to be aware of and take seriously.

2 - Demand accountability for yourself.

We are quick to demand accountability from others. If someone gets our order wrong, we want to speak to the manager. If the product we purchase does not meet our expectations, we return it. We must not fail to demand accountability in our own lives. There needs to be a believer of the same gender as you who will ask the hard questions about how you are doing. If you are married, you should be able to hand your phone to your spouse and say, “My life is an open book to you. Look at anything you want.”

Make it personal: In what areas of your life do you need accountability? Ask other believers to help you follow through in obedience. Demand accountability for yourself.

3 - Rules, rest, and rhythm are essential.

We are not designed to live without parameters, nor are we to live with the goal of escaping reality. We need structure in our daily lives. We are to take care of ourselves and resist the pull to have idle hands. The people I know who excel in personal holiness are those who have parameters.

Make it personal: Are there any areas of your life that feel out of balance or even out of control? How can you create rules and healthy rhythms of work and rest in your life right now?

4 - Understand the grace of exclusion.

Loving your neighbor does not mean your life has to be open to every person, especially if you are drawn into sin as a result of a relationship. This could be in your friendships, a dating relationship, or with coworkers. We can love someone and limit their access to our life. And while we are called to minister to others, we are not ministering to them if we end up wallowing in the same sins they are. We may need to end the relationship for a season, if not forever. Sometimes the grace of exclusion helps the other person ask hard questions about their life.

Make it personal: Where do you need to set healthy relational boundaries? Are there any relationships that are doing you more harm than good?

5 - Put on the armor of God daily.

You will never win a battle you are not prepared for. We cannot wait until we are in the throes of temptation to remember to have our quiet time. Spending daily time in prayer and meditating on His Word are key to standing against temptation. The men and women of God I know who fight sin well put on the armor of God every single morning. In my own life, I have found there is a direct relationship between my time with the Lord and my sin. When one is up, the other is down. The same is true for all of us.

Make it personal: Spend some time reading Ephesians 6:10-20. Are there any pieces of armor you know you haven't been prayerfully putting on?

6 - Fill your life with the things of God.

Involve yourself in His work. We have less time to sin when we are serving, praying, and worshiping the Lord.

Make it personal: Take inventory of how you are spending your time. Do you need to add in more times of serving, praying, or worshiping? How can you do that this week?

We will all continue to face temptation throughout our lives, but we don't have to be caught off guard or feel unprepared when it comes. Let's take heed, lest we fall. With Christ's help, we will be able to endure.