Overcoming Temptation

All people experience temptation, but I’m not writing about being tempted to eat a donut occasionally or being tempted to get out of your comfort zone to speak to someone you find attractive or being tempted by a friend to engage in a potentially dangerous recreation activity. I am writing about our very own thoughts and desires that can lead to sin, engaging in something that is morally wrong, whether it’s committing wrong or omitting right in the eyes of God. I am writing also about influences that can lure us into sinning with our thoughts, desires, attitudes, and behavior.

James 1:13-15 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Temptation to sin is not sin but such a temptation can lead to sin when we give into the wrongful desire and thought. Example; I forgot to attend a meeting and I’m asked why I did not attend and I’m tempted to lie about my reason but instead of choosing to lie I choose to tell the truth. Just because I had a fleeting thought about possibly lying is not sin. That was a temptation to sin. Another example; I’m sun-bathing at the beach and notice some slender young female in a bikini walk by and I look and then I have the tempting thought to lust after her body but instead I just acknowledge mentally that she is attractive and move on to other thoughts. This is an example of temptation without sinning. Now, if I had lied or fantasized about having sexual activity with the beach girl then I would have sinned according to God’s Word (i.e. Mt. 19:18, 5:28).

All people have experience with temptation and with sinning (Rom. 3:23, 1 John 1:8). When you do sin, God has given His people a proper process to go through to get right with Him and move forward in His grace. Check out my blog entries about this at

http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-best-forgiveness-of-all.html

http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2013/09/living-in-grace-not-guilt.html

Praise God that He is forgiving but let’s not presume upon His grace and mercy by thinking we have some sort of license to sin and everything will be okay in the end. No, instead, let’s be holy as God has called us to be holy.

What I’m really focused on for this blog entry is consistently overcoming the temptation to sin and this is possible in Christ when we trust Him and apply relevant biblical principles to overcoming temptation. This is the short version and if you want to read all the extra Bible verses you can read the longer version at http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2014/10/overcoming-temptation-longer-version.html

Check out this early occurrence of the word ‘sin’ in God’s Word.

Genesis 4:7 NLT You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Here are three principles to heed from this verse:

A. Acknowledge and learn more about the temptation to sin conflict

Watch out! There is a real spiritual conflict related to sin in this world and in our lives! God’s Word proclaims that we exist in a spiritual war. There are real spiritual enemies of God including the devil, demons, sinful ways of the world, and our own sinful flesh/nature.

- Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Cain did not realize just how vulnerable to sin he was. Let’s ask God to help us have a greater awareness and understanding of God’s will and of temptation and sin and the schemes of the spiritual enemies of God and just how weak and vulnerable to sin we really are. See also Mark 14:38, 2 Cor. 10:3-5.

B. Discern between right and wrong

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Our greatest resource and standard for such discernment is God’s Word. For example, from God’s Word we learn about holiness and righteousness and unholiness and unrighteousness. We learn that selfishness is wrong but humbly serving others is good and that lying is wrong but telling the truth is good and that sexual relations outside of marriage is wrong but sexual relations inside a marriage between one man and one woman is good.

The Holy Bible gives us a moral compass to live by. There are commandments and principles of morality for God’s people today. Our road to more consistent victory over temptation must include our growing discernment between right and wrong in the eyes of God. This requires regular quality Bible learning/application, prayer, and discipleship learning from mature Christ-followers. Ask God to show you from Scripture what is right and what is wrong. Ask Him to give you discernment to help with decision making, thoughts, desires, attitudes, and actions. See also 1 John 4:1.

C. Master your temptations to sin

The master of all masters, the master over all, is Jesus Christ (Mt. 28:18, 1 Tim. 6:15). The key to our mastering temptation is based on the person and work of Jesus Christ, trusting Him as Savior and Lord, and living for the glory of God based on God’s Holy Word.

Here are ten biblical principles (and several verses) to help you become a master over temptation to sin:

1) Trust God; He’s Powerful and He’s faithful to His people.

a. Jesus, the God-man, was tempted but did not sin (Heb. 4:15).

b. John 16:33b.. take heart! I (Jesus) have overcome the world.

c. 1 Cor. 10:13 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.

- God will not allow His people to be tempted to sin beyond their ability to resist. We aren’t tempted to sin in ways that no one else has ever been tempted with and God is faithful (to His redeemed) in that He won’t let His people be tempted beyond their ability to resist. God provides His people a way of enduring and escaping the temptation to the point of not sinning. Praise God! Expect this. Believe this. Ask God to help you live this.

- Jesus, as well as the Holy Spirit, is greater than he (the devil or any enemies of God) that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

- God is all-powerful (Rev. 19:6); God has given Christ-followers the Holy Spirit to help us. Also Eph. 3:20-21

- Victory comes through Christ (1 Cor. 15:57)! Over what? temptation, sin, and death

- Jesus is our great Deliverer from the bondage of sin (Gal. 1:3-5).

- See also 2 Thes. 3:3, Col. 2:13-15, Heb. 2:14, 18

- Christ’s atoning work on the cross for our sins struck a death blow to the devil and demons. Jesus is greater than them and we have victory over them in Christ and it’s just a matter of time before they are all imprisoned in the eternal Lake of Fire (Rev. 19-20). God has all the power we need to overcome this temptation to sin issue.

2) Pray for victory over your temptation.

God teaches us through His Word of the importance of praying to Him, that we need the Holy Spirit’s help in praying, that we are to ask in the name of Christ, that we are to pray with genuine faith and according to God’s  will, that such prayer makes a difference. Our real victory is in Christ, so pray for victory and thank Him for it.

James 5:16b NLT The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

See also Eph. 6:18, Rom. 8:26, John 14:13-14, James 1:6, 5:15; 1 John 5:14, Matt. 6:13, 1 Cor. 15:57.

Here is an example relevant prayer to starting the day out (i.e. The Holy Foundation Stage): Holy Father God in the name of Jesus Christ by way of the Holy Spirit, I pray that You protect me spiritually and practically from the enemies of God and the weakness of my flesh. May I be dead to worldly influences and fleshly passions that are wrong in Your eyes. When I am tempted to sin help me find a way out of it, acknowledging that You, Jesus, have overcome the world and that the Spirit of God within me is greater than he who is in the world. Help me not give the devil or anyone else a sinful foothold in my life. Help me learn from past experiences and consequences of sinning. Help me experience consistent victory in Christ over temptation. Thank You, Jesus.

Here is an example prayer when you are being tempted to sin (i.e. The Holy Fighting Stage): Holy Father God in the name of Jesus Christ by way of the Holy Spirit, I rebuke the enemies of God and the weakness of my flesh right now. Frustrate their plans. Jesus, reign in my life right now, in my thoughts, my emotions, and my body and spiritual life. I want You to be on the throne of my life right now. Help me identify any unconfessed sin right now. I confess those.  Help me repent of my sin. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Help me find a way out from this temptation to sin. Help me submit to You and resist the devil and he will flee from me. Deliver me from any footholds of sin and any bondage to sin in my life. Help me experience victory over these temptations and the enemies of God; a victory that comes by my belief, faith, and trust in You Jesus, Your name, Your blood that was spilt on the cross to atone for my sins, and Your resurrection. Thank You, Jesus.

And you can include other various relevant Bible verses (like those found in this blog) in such prayers.

3) Keep God's Word close to your heart. 

Ps. 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. ¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you

Jesus used Scripture when tempted by the Devil (See Mt. 4). The Word of God is foundational to our life of holiness and foundational in experiencing victory over temptation and sin.

Think of this spiritual war in terms of your offense and defense. The offense includes preparing for battle, preparing for the attacks of the enemies of God, building on the foundation of Christ day to day with increased faith in Him, learning and living out biblical principles individually and in Christian community, and honoring the Lord. I call this The Holy Foundation Stage. This is how we are to live daily according to God’s Word. Then there is the defense that includes responding to specific temptations by crying out to Christ and praying some ‘go to’ prayers and Bible verses, and reaching out to mature Christ followers for help. I call this The Holy Fighting Stage. Consistently overcoming temptation must include both of these stages.

To illustrate, imagine that Saturday night is usually when you are most tempted to lust and give into sinful pleasures of the flesh. Your holy living throughout the week matters in this moment. It’s foundational in your spiritual maturing sanctification. The more you invest in this stage the more you will be prepared and discerning about the temptation and how to avoid sinning. Then comes Saturday night when you experience the furnace of temptation moment but, remember, you have been laying a holy foundation daily and now you know that you must cry out to Jesus in faith, and pray some key Bible passages, reach out to an accountability partner and flee the situation. You have been training and preparing for this moment and now you trust God to help you through the temptation and avoid sinning. Don’t try to experience victory over temptation by doing only one of these stages or neither.

Of the two example prayers above, #2, the prayer to start the day is part of The Holy Foundation Stage and the prayer for when you are being tempted to sin is part of The Holy Fighting Stage.

4) Christ followers are to stand strong in the Lord and put on the full armor of God.

Eph. 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ 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 firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

- God’s Word teaches that strength comes from the Lord and we are also exhorted by God to be strong. We partner with God in this process. We know that He is the true source of our strength and yet we have a responsibility to be and do what He calls us to be and do. Let’s be courageous and strong, standing firm in Christ as we consistently use the full armor of God. I recommend you study and unpack the meaning of the pieces of armor and the principles in this passage.

5) Holistically submit yourself to godliness.

We are holistic beings. We have a mind (thoughts). We have emotions and feelings and attitudes. We have a physical body. And we have a spirit.

a. Rom. 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

- We are to present our bodies daily to the glory and honor of God.

- Our mind is a battle ground, a mission field because our mind and our thoughts are tempted to think and act in sinful ways. What we see, read, hear, and think about matters. We need God-honoring influences and God-honoring thinking to take place.

b. Eph. 4:19-24 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰But that is not the way you learned Christ!—²¹assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²²to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

- See also Rom. 8:6, 1 Pet. 1:14-15, 1 Pet. 4:2, Gal. 5:24, 2 Cor. 10:5, Gal. 5:16-17

- Don’t give in to the weakness of the flesh, sin nature. View your body as dead to the sin nature and live to righteousness in Christ. Our attitudes and desires are to honor God. Also, we must be careful not to be feelings and emotions driven. We need to believe God and believe His Word for His people today. Our feelings can deceive us. We need to trust God and His revelation to us.

6) Abstain, resist, and flee.

a. Eph. 4:27 and give no opportunity (NIV foothold; leverage against yourself) to the devil

b. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

c. 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

d. 1 Cor. 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

- Joseph is a good example of fleeing from sexual immorality. He ran away from Potipher’s wife after her sexual advances.

e. 1 Thes. 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,⁵ not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

- See also 2 Tim. 2:22, Col. 3:5, Rom. 13:14, 1 Pet. 2:11, Tit. 2:12

- Abstain from things that might lead to compromising situations, to sinning. Don’t just say “no” to temptation to sin, say “yes” to holiness and godliness in Christ.

7) Be an overcomer by faith in Christ.

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

- Christ-followers are ultimately overcomers by the fact of their salvation in Christ. But there is also a need to emphasize and mature in our daily living faith in Christ. Ask Christ for increased faith (Luke 17:5). Pray that your faith will not fail when tempted (like Jesus did for His disciples; Luke 22:32). Saving and Living faith upon Christ as your Savior and the Lord of your life is essential in having victory over temptation (i.e. 1 Pet. 5:9, Eph. 6:16).

8) Be an overcomer with good.

Rom. 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

See also 1 Pet. 2:8-11

- You won’t overcome evil by wallowing in sin. The good in these verses is the kind of good that pleases God not some form of selfish good or ulterior motive good or fleshly good. God is truly good and true goodness is part of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of Christ-followers who are also created in Christ to do good works for God’s glory. Seek to be good in Christ and to do good in the name of Christ.

9) Walk the way of the wise and understand the Lord’s will.

Eph. 5:15-17 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

- Don’t be foolish or lazy. Redeem your time and ask God for wisdom for living. Prioritize your time around God’s will for your life (James 1:5-6, 4:13-15).

- There is much about God’s will that is understandable (with God’s gracious help) or this Bible statement by Paul would not be true. Much of God’s will for us is already revealed through Scripture; sometimes in specifics and at other times with principles to live by.

10) Do all to the glory of God.

1 Cor. 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

This is an over-arching purpose verse for us. Whatever the thought, desire, or decision to make, ask yourself, ‘If I move forward with this, will I be glorifying and pleasing the Lord according to His Word and character and will?’ We have a choice to please God or not with our thoughts, desires, attitudes, actions, and spiritual lives. Let’s choose holiness according to God’s standard. Let’s choose to honor God and glorify God with our lives. Let’s trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and live for Him.

As you can see, God provides and promises His people all kinds of help in the battle with temptation and sin.  

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Pet. 1:3-4

In Christ, we can consistently overcome temptation to sin by trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord and living for the glory of God based on God’s Holy Word.

What are your thoughts about what I’ve posted here regarding overcoming temptation?

Mike

Note: All Bible verses are ESV unless otherwise noted. 

Overcoming Temptation (longer version)

All people experience temptation, but I’m not writing about being tempted to eat a donut occasionally or being tempted to get out of your comfort zone to speak to someone you find attractive or being tempted by a friend to engage in a potentially dangerous recreation activity. I am writing about our very own thoughts and desires that can lead to sin, engaging in something that is morally wrong, whether it’s committing wrong or omitting right in the eyes of God. I am writing also about influences that can lure us into sinning with our thoughts, desires, attitudes, and behavior.

James 1:13-15 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Temptation to sin is not sin but such a temptation can lead to sin when we give into the wrongful desire and thought. Example; I forgot to attend a meeting and I’m asked why I did not attend and I’m tempted to lie about my reason but instead of choosing to lie I choose to tell the truth. Just because I had a fleeting thought about possibly lying is not sin. That was a temptation to sin. Another example; I’m sun-bathing at the beach and notice some slender young female in a bikini walk by and I look and then I have the tempting thought to lust after her body but instead I just acknowledge mentally that she is attractive and move on to other thoughts. This is an example of temptation without sinning. Now, if I had lied or fantasized about having sexual activity with the beach girl then I would have sinned according to God’s Word (i.e. Mt. 19:18, 5:28).

All people have experience with temptation and with sinning (Rom. 3:23, 1 John 1:8). When you do sin, God has given His people a proper process to go through to get right with Him and move forward in His grace. Check out my blog entries about this at

http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-best-forgiveness-of-all.html

http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2013/09/living-in-grace-not-guilt.html

Praise God that He is forgiving but let’s not presume upon His grace and mercy by thinking we have some sort of license to sin and everything will be okay in the end. No, instead, let’s be holy as God has called us to be holy.

What I’m really focused on for this blog entry is consistently overcoming the temptation to sin and this is possible in Christ when we trust Him and apply relevant biblical principles to overcoming temptation. This is the short version and if you want to read all the extra Bible verses you can read the longer version at LINK????.  

Check out this early occurrence of the word ‘sin’ in God’s Word.

Genesis 4:7 NLT You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Here are three principles to heed from this verse:

A. Acknowledge and learn more about the temptation to sin conflict

Watch out! There is a real spiritual conflict related to sin in this world and in our lives! God’s Word proclaims that we exist in a spiritual war. There are real spiritual enemies of God including the devil, demons, sinful ways of the world, and our own sinful flesh/nature.

- Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Cain did not realize just how vulnerable to sin he was. Let’s ask God to help us have a greater awareness and understanding of God’s will and of temptation and sin and the schemes of the spiritual enemies of God and just how weak and vulnerable to sin we really are. See also Mark 14:38, 2 Cor. 10:3-5.

B. Discern between right and wrong

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Our greatest resource and standard for such discernment is God’s Word. For example, from God’s Word we learn about holiness and righteousness and unholiness and unrighteousness. We learn that selfishness is wrong but humbly serving others is good and that lying is wrong but telling the truth is good and that sexual relations outside of marriage is wrong but sexual relations inside a marriage between one man and one woman is good.

The Holy Bible gives us a moral compass to live by. There are commandments and principles of morality for God’s people today. Our road to more consistent victory over temptation must include our growing discernment between right and wrong in the eyes of God. This requires regular quality Bible learning/application, prayer, and discipleship learning from mature Christ-followers. Ask God to show you from Scripture what is right and what is wrong. Ask Him to give you discernment to help with decision making, thoughts, desires, attitudes, and actions. See also 1 John 4:1.

C. Master your temptations to sin

The master of all masters, the master over all, is Jesus Christ (Mt. 28:18, 1 Tim. 6:15). The key to our mastering temptation is based on the person and work of Jesus Christ, trusting Him as Savior and Lord, and living for the glory of God based on God’s Holy Word.

Here are ten biblical principles (and several verses) to help you become a master over temptation to sin:

1) Trust God; He’s Powerful and He’s faithful to His people.

a. Jesus, the God-man, was tempted but did not sin (Heb. 4:15).

b. John 16:33b.. take heart! I (Jesus) have overcome the world.

c. 1 Cor. 10:13 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.

- God will not allow His people to be tempted to sin beyond their ability to resist. We aren’t tempted to sin in ways that no one else has ever been tempted with and God is faithful (to His redeemed) in that He won’t let His people be tempted beyond their ability to resist. God provides His people a way of enduring and escaping the temptation to the point of not sinning. Praise God! Expect this. Believe this. Ask God to help you live this.

- Jesus, as well as the Holy Spirit, is greater than he (the devil or any enemies of God) that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

- God is all-powerful (Rev. 19:6); God has given Christ-followers the Holy Spirit to help us. Also Eph. 3:20-21

- Victory comes through Christ (1 Cor. 15:57)! Over what? temptation, sin, and death

- Jesus is our great Deliverer from the bondage of sin (Gal. 1:3-5).

- See also 2 Thes. 3:3, Col. 2:13-15, Heb. 2:14, 18

- Christ’s atoning work on the cross for our sins struck a death blow to the devil and demons. Jesus is greater than them and we have victory over them in Christ and it’s just a matter of time before they are all imprisoned in the eternal Lake of Fire (Rev. 19-20). God has all the power we need to overcome this temptation to sin issue.

2) Pray for victory over your temptation.

God teaches us through His Word of the importance of praying to Him, that we need the Holy Spirit’s help in praying, that we are to ask in the name of Christ, that we are to pray with genuine faith and according to God’s  will, that such prayer makes a difference. Our real victory is in Christ, so pray for victory and thank Him for it.

James 5:16b NLT The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

See also Eph. 6:18, Rom. 8:26, John 14:13-14, James 1:6, 5:15; 1 John 5:14, Matt. 6:13, 1 Cor. 15:57.

Here is an example relevant prayer to starting the day out (i.e. The Holy Foundation Stage): Holy Father God in the name of Jesus Christ by way of the Holy Spirit, I pray that You protect me spiritually and practically from the enemies of God and the weakness of my flesh. May I be dead to worldly influences and fleshly passions that are wrong in Your eyes. When I am tempted to sin help me find a way out of it, acknowledging that You, Jesus, have overcome the world and that the Spirit of God within me is greater than he who is in the world. Help me not give the devil or anyone else a sinful foothold in my life. Help me learn from past experiences and consequences of sinning. Help me experience consistent victory in Christ over temptation. Thank You, Jesus.

Here is an example prayer when you are being tempted to sin (i.e. The Holy Fighting Stage): Holy Father God in the name of Jesus Christ by way of the Holy Spirit, I rebuke the enemies of God and the weakness of my flesh right now. Frustrate their plans. Jesus, reign in my life right now, in my thoughts, my emotions, and my body and spiritual life. I want You to be on the throne of my life right now. Help me identify any unconfessed sin right now. I confess those.  Help me repent of my sin. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Help me find a way out from this temptation to sin. Help me submit to You and resist the devil and he will flee from me. Deliver me from any footholds of sin and any bondage to sin in my life. Help me experience victory over these temptations and the enemies of God; a victory that comes by my belief, faith, and trust in You Jesus, Your name, Your blood that was spilt on the cross to atone for my sins, and Your resurrection. Thank You, Jesus.

And you can include other various relevant Bible verses (like those found in this blog) in such prayers.

3) Keep God's Word close to your heart. 

Ps. 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. ¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you

Jesus used Scripture when tempted by the Devil (See Mt. 4). The Word of God is foundational to our life of holiness and foundational in experiencing victory over temptation and sin.

Think of this spiritual war in terms of your offense and defense. The offense includes preparing for battle, preparing for the attacks of the enemies of God, building on the foundation of Christ day to day with increased faith in Him, learning and living out biblical principles individually and in Christian community, and honoring the Lord. I call this The Holy Foundation Stage. This is how we are to live daily according to God’s Word. Then there is the defense that includes responding to specific temptations by crying out to Christ and praying some ‘go to’ prayers and Bible verses, and reaching out to mature Christ followers for help. I call this The Holy Fighting Stage. Consistently overcoming temptation must include both of these stages.

To illustrate, imagine that Saturday night is usually when you are most tempted to lust and give into sinful pleasures of the flesh. Your holy living throughout the week matters in this moment. It’s foundational in your spiritual maturing sanctification. The more you invest in this stage the more you will be prepared and discerning about the temptation and how to avoid sinning. Then comes Saturday night when you experience the furnace of temptation moment but, remember, you have been laying a holy foundation daily and now you know that you must cry out to Jesus in faith, and pray some key Bible passages, reach out to an accountability partner and flee the situation. You have been training and preparing for this moment and now you trust God to help you through the temptation and avoid sinning. Don’t try to experience victory over temptation by doing only one of these stages or neither.

Of the two example prayers above, #2, the prayer to start the day is part of The Holy Foundation Stage and the prayer for when you are being tempted to sin is part of The Holy Fighting Stage.

4) Christ followers are to stand strong in the Lord and put on the full armor of God.

Eph. 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ 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 firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

- God’s Word teaches that strength comes from the Lord and we are also exhorted by God to be strong. We partner with God in this process. We know that He is the true source of our strength and yet we have a responsibility to be and do what He calls us to be and do. Let’s be courageous and strong, standing firm in Christ as we consistently use the full armor of God. I recommend you study and unpack the meaning of the pieces of armor and the principles in this passage.

5) Holistically submit yourself to godliness.

We are holistic beings. We have a mind (thoughts). We have emotions and feelings and attitudes. We have a physical body. And we have a spirit.

a. Rom. 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

- We are to present our bodies daily to the glory and honor of God.

- Our mind is a battle ground, a mission field because our mind and our thoughts are tempted to think and act in sinful ways. What we see, read, hear, and think about matters. We need God-honoring influences and God-honoring thinking to take place.

b. Eph. 4:19-24 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰But that is not the way you learned Christ!—²¹assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²²to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

- See also Rom. 8:6, 1 Pet. 1:14-15, 1 Pet. 4:2, Gal. 5:24, 2 Cor. 10:5, Gal. 5:16-17

- Don’t give in to the weakness of the flesh, sin nature. View your body as dead to the sin nature and live to righteousness in Christ. Our attitudes and desires are to honor God. Also, we must be careful not to be feelings and emotions driven. We need to believe God and believe His Word for His people today. Our feelings can deceive us. We need to trust God and His revelation to us.

6) Abstain, resist, and flee.

a. Eph. 4:27 and give no opportunity (NIV foothold; leverage against yourself) to the devil

b. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

c. 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

d. 1 Cor. 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

- Joseph is a good example of fleeing from sexual immorality. He ran away from Potipher’s wife after her sexual advances.

e. 1 Thes. 4:3-5 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,⁵ not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

- See also 2 Tim. 2:22, Col. 3:5, Rom. 13:14, 1 Pet. 2:11, Tit. 2:12

- Abstain from things that might lead to compromising situations, to sinning. Don’t just say “no” to temptation to sin, say “yes” to holiness and godliness in Christ.

7) Be an overcomer by faith in Christ.

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

- Christ-followers are ultimately overcomers by the fact of their salvation in Christ. But there is also a need to emphasize and mature in our daily living faith in Christ. Ask Christ for increased faith (Luke 17:5). Pray that your faith will not fail when tempted (like Jesus did for His disciples; Luke 22:32). Saving and Living faith upon Christ as your Savior and the Lord of your life is essential in having victory over temptation (i.e. 1 Pet. 5:9, Eph. 6:16).

8) Be an overcomer with good.

Rom. 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

See also 1 Pet. 2:8-11

- You won’t overcome evil by wallowing in sin. The good in these verses is the kind of good that pleases God not some form of selfish good or ulterior motive good or fleshly good. God is truly good and true goodness is part of the Fruit of the Spirit in the life of Christ-followers who are also created in Christ to do good works for God’s glory. Seek to be good in Christ and to do good in the name of Christ.

9) Walk the way of the wise and understand the Lord’s will.

Eph. 5:15-17 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

- Don’t be foolish or lazy. Redeem your time and ask God for wisdom for living. Prioritize your time around God’s will for your life (James 1:5-6, 4:13-15).

- There is much about God’s will that is understandable (with God’s gracious help) or this Bible statement by Paul would not be true. Much of God’s will for us is already revealed through Scripture; sometimes in specifics and at others times with principles to live by.

10) Do all to the glory of God.

1 Cor. 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

This is an over-arching purpose verse for us. Whatever the thought, desire, or decision to make, ask yourself, ‘If I move forward with this, will I be glorifying and pleasing the Lord according to His Word and character and will?’ We have a choice to please God or not with our thoughts, desires, attitudes, actions, and spiritual lives. Let’s choose holiness according to God’s standard. Let’s choose to honor God and glorify God with our lives. Let’s trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and live for Him.

As you can see, God provides and promises His people all kinds of help in the battle with temptation and sin.  

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 2 Pet. 1:3-4

In Christ, we can consistently overcome temptation to sin by trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord and living for the glory of God based on God’s Holy Word.

What are your thoughts about what I’ve posted here regarding overcoming temptation?

Mike

Note: All Bible verses are ESV unless otherwise noted. 

Six Baptisms; #2 Baptism by Holy Spirit (& into Christ)

This blog entry is the continuation in a series called ‘Six Baptisms.’ The first entry ‘#1 Baptism by Fire,’ which includes an introduction to this series, can be read at http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2014/03/six-baptisms-1-baptism-by-fire.html

As I wrote previously, the Greek word “baptizo” in the New Testament of God’s Word means to immerse, submerge, and/or cleanse.

It is by God’s special grace through faith in Christ through which a person receives Christ as Savior, receives the Holy Spirit, receives imputed righteousness from Christ, and receives the fruit of the Spirit among other divine blessings. We, unholy sinners, can enter into a current and eternal relationship with God by His grace through faith in Christ. This is amazing and this spiritual process of salvation in Christ involves a spiritual baptism sometimes referred to in Scripture as ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit, ‘baptism into Christ,’ or ‘baptism into one Body.’

I believe these biblical phrases refer to the same spiritual act of God in the life of a Christian today. This spiritual immersion and cleansing involves a spiritual union with and identification with the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ and His universal Body of believers.

Let’s consider some Bible verses that refer to this spiritual baptism.

Matthew 3:11 ESV “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John 1:33 ESV I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

John the Baptist taught here that Jesus Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit which is different than the baptism John the Baptist was providing people before the public ministry of Jesus Christ. I’ll write more about water baptism and what John was doing in a later entry.

Galatians 3:26-27 ESV for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

This phrase ‘baptized into Christ’ refers to a spiritual immersion into Christ.

Romans 6:1-11 ESV ¹ What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷ For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

To be baptized into Christ, to be a born-again saved Christ-follower, means to die to your sins (vs3) and to live a new life through the resurrection of Christ (1 Pet. 3:21).

What does this look like for a Christian? Consider Paul’s testimony: Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 6:17 ESV But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Christians are spiritually placed into Christ, in union with Him, and they have the Holy Spirit within them, and so we should live accordingly.

In 1 Cor. 12, Paul was dealing with a situation where the Corinthian church was splitting into factions over the issue of spiritual gifts. Overemphasis on certain spectacular gifts had led to the attitude that some people had the most desirable gifts, while others were deficient. In response, Paul wrote, "We're all one (in Christ)! Don't divide up into cliques!" And to prove his point, he wrote this to the Corinthian Christians, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 ESV For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

What’s his main point here? All true Christ-followers share the reality of being baptized into Christ by way of the Holy Spirit. The phrase ‘into one body’ here refers to the Body of Christ, not meaning His physical body, but referring instead to His spiritual body which includes the universal Church of true Christ-followers in which He is the head.

Titus 3:4-7 ESV ⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

I believe this passage refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit through Christ.

When does this spiritual baptism occur? In modern day Christianity, I believe that the ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’ and ‘baptism into Christ’ (& into one Body) occur simultaneously at the salvation conversion moment in a Christ-follower’s life. There is a spiritual justification conversion moment in God’s plan of salvation for people today. This is the moment when the person called by God begins trusting Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. It is God who declares the person is saved, and that they now have a position in His heaven, and he or she is reconciled with Him. I believe it is at this salvation moment that the person is sealed by and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and baptized into Christ and into one Body. Consider, in addition to the above verses:

Ephesians 1:13 ESV ¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Romans 8:9 ESV ⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

So, for personal example, when I was nine years old I received Christ into my life as my Savior and Lord. In that spiritual salvation conversion moment I was baptized by the Holy Spirit and baptized into Christ (& into one Body).

There are moments in early Christianity when some individuals received the baptism of the Holy Spirit after a salvation conversion moment; such as at Pentecost to the original Apostles (Acts 2) and to some Samaritan believers in Acts 8:14-17. I believe this was just part of the transition period from the incarnated days of Jesus Christ, to the beginning of the Christian church, and to the spread of Christianity to Jews, to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. By the time we get to Acts 10, I think we have the model for today; personal impact of the Gospel, trusting belief, and receive the Holy Spirit.

These days, I believe the ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’/’baptism into Christ’ is a one-time spiritual act by God at the salvation conversion moment that spiritually identifies a person with God. There doesn’t have to be miraculous signs and wonders or dramatic recoveries from addictions or other major things occur at that moment, although salvation itself is miraculous and a big life-transforming deal! Praise God! If you are a true Christ-follower already you don’t need to seek a baptism of the Holy Spirit. It already took place.

Each genuine Christ-follower has the Holy Spirit in their life as God’s gracious gift; however, they are exhorted to be filled with the Holy Spirit (aka ‘led by’, ‘walk by’ or ‘walk in’, and ‘live by the Holy Spirit’). This means the individual Christ follower must decide regularly to ask God to fill him or her with the Holy Spirit, to choose to regularly yield to/submit to the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Galatians 5:16-26 ESV But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

The above passage gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to be a Holy Spirit-filled Christ-follower in contrast with being characterized by the immoral works of the flesh. Which do you align more with?

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is part of ‘progressive sanctification’ in a Christ-follower’s life. This maturing spiritual sanctification in Christ varies for each believer in their lifetime. There can be many fillings of the Holy Spirit, all the while the Christ-follower continues to be indwelt by and sealed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit-filled life is characteristic of the Christ-follower who acknowledges their ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’/‘baptism into Christ’ and they live accordingly for the glory of God.

I hope and pray that you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit and into Christ and are living accordingly. What do you think about this subject in Scripture and what I’ve written about here?

The next entry in this series will be about ‘baptism by water.’ 

Mike