We can only take it moment by moment. It is so true that “every moment of resistance to temptation is a victory”, even if it is only a few seconds at a time. Everyone is vulnerable to temptation, even adults. After all, temptation can take many forms.
Know your weaknesses. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. What areas do you need to protect yourself from? Anticipate the temptation. Think of situations in which you are likely to face temptation. Mentally rehearse how you will resist if such a temptation occurs.
Strengthen your convictions. Avoid circumstances that make it difficult to resist temptation. Pray for help. Pray continually that you do not fall into temptation. The Bible says, “It will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation it will also open the way for you to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Many believe that it is a sin to be tempted. This is not true. The Bible declares, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our infirmities, but was tempted in all things according to our likeness, but without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Rather, it is a sin to give in to temptation. Shakespeare wrote: “It is one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall”. Don’t forget the glory that God has in store for you. “Things that the eye did not see, nor the ear heard, nor have come up into the heart of man, are those that God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2: 9).
One act of weak commitment could ruin a lifetime of witnesses. Behind the cash register in a Cincinnati candle shop is a large sign that says, “There is a very good reason this sign is here and you are standing in front of it reading it. It is here to keep you busy. Realize it. Annoying that it can be standing around doing nothing, trying to find someone to help you You’ve heard the expression, “Idleness is the devil’s workshop.”
Strength to resist evil is best obtained through aggressive service. But it is better to be prepared in advance. A wise man examines the road for potential trouble. At the very least, plan a way to escape. Millions nibble their way into sin because they don’t think ahead. This brings me very well to the next point. Temptation is not sin. Our disoriented emotions begin to respond to this desire with a feeling of hope, the hope that perhaps this time, even if we have been disappointed many times before, the oasis will quench our desire. Temptations threaten us to lose happiness or less misery.
We must ask ourselves what the mirage really promises. Sometimes just saying it out loud breaks her spell. Hope the mirage is tempting. Don’t let your passions be your dictators (Romans 6:12). Remember, emotions are indicators, not guides. They are indicative, not imperative. They must be directed, not directors. Being tempted is not a sin. Giving in to temptation is sin. Temptations are never as strong as they feel.