Every believer will have moments when the temptation is so strong that it seems like there's no way to overcome. The heart loses the will to fight and gives in to the temptation.
That's why we have the Scriptures to go to to find strength in the time of weakness.
James 1:2-4 (NKJV) "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
The sinning isn't the temptation. Yielding to sin is the sin.
Now the Holy Spirit is always with us when we're tempted by satan.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."
What this means is that there's no temptation that will overcome you to force you to yield. You have to willingly surrender to God to avoid fulfilling the pleasures of the mind and flesh.
The intensity of the temptation is always below your ability to resist. That's why the Lord will not allow satan to tempt you beyond your strength to resist.
But the key is learning how to hear from the Holy Spirit to do whatever He commands you to do to escape that moment of temptation.
You can't pray and sin at the same time. You can't read your Bible and sin at the same time. What are we saying here? Get up from that place of being tempted and either pray or read the Word of God. Do something to distract you from the moment of temptation.
The pattern of temptation is clear.
James 1:14-15 (NKJV) "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."
Notice what took place here.
We're tempted when we're drawn away by our own desires and enticed.
The desire to sin a specific favorite sin is there in the flesh and mind, but we don't have to give place to it.
Ephesians 4:27 (NKJV)
"...nor give place to the devil."
In other words, don't yield to the devil. Yield to God in obeying the Word of God.
The devil will entice or try to "catch you by bait."
Like with immoral women but it's not always the immoral woman, though she may be used by satan. If the desire is within your mind and flesh, you could care less what she may be wearing.
Matthew 5:28 (NKJV) "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
So it's always in the heart of man to look for the bait. When they're enticed, desire has conceived or copulated with the enticement and it "gives birth to sin and sin, when it is finished brings forth death."
It took me a while to understand where satan would set up traps of enticements. But remember. It begins with the desires.
So what could we do?
Submit to God THEN resist the devil (see James 4:7).
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)
"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."
The word "keep" means to guard. How do we guard our hearts?
Ephesians 6:10-17 (NKJV) "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
1. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
2. having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
3. and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
4. above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
5. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."
So let's review.
To guard your heart, you must get strength from God. How do we get strength? We pray and ask the Lord for strength. Before soldiers or Marines go to war, they build up in strength through exercise. Because those that's been to combat knows that if you're not strong in mind and body, you will not be able to handle the rigors of warfare.
It's the same with believers. We need strength training to handle spiritual conflict when we're tempted of the devil in our minds and body.
How do we get strength?
Pray the Scriptures like Isaiah 40:28-31 (NKJV)
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."
Like when Paul prayed for the Ephesians, form that into a personal prayer.
Ephesians 3:14-21 (NKJV) "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Pray as the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)
"Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Then you put on the whole armor of God.
Waist girt with truth (the Word). Read and study the Word of God in the moment of temptation. Remember. The devil is a crafty liar.
Put on the breastplate of righteousness. In other words, don't depend on your righteousness because you have none. We put on His righteousness by reading the Word and applying the Word by obeying the Word.
When the Lord tells us to "Avoid the appearance of all evil." We don't watch shows that are designed to tempt us. We don't watch women or men. His righteousness is what's there to protect our heart.
Just like a vest to shield us from bullets to protect the vital organs.
We put our gospel of peace shoes on. Because no soldier goes to battle without his boots. We're comforted with peace, knowing that our feet is protected from sharp instruments laid as traps by the enemy.
We have the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Faith in God that He will honor His Word to keep us from the wicked one.
We have the sword of the Spirit which is the offensive weapon called the Word of God.
Notice that the armor started with the Word because the belt of truth is the Word of truth and it ends with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
So after praying for strength from the Lord, we go to the Word of God.
Remember. You can't resist the devil until you FIRST submit to God in prayer and obedience to God's Word.
Repeat this process every day of submitting to God in prayer, reading and applying the Word of God in obedience to His Word, and THEN resist the devil and he will flee from you.
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