Our Guest Writer is a dear friend of mine-Brian Clark
How do you beat temptation? Matthew 4.1-11 is the story of Jesus being tempted for 40 days in the desert. Satan tempts him with taking the easy road to glory and taking short cuts to get there. We all have our own temptations. One of my biggest struggles is competition. I’m a nice guy...until I get on the court; then, I can be a real jerk.
The power in every temptation is this lie, “You will be happier if you do ____.” If you believe the lie you will sin, every time. If you don’t believe the lie you will not sin. It’s as simple as that. Every sin is a battle of the mind. God told Cain, “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
Jesus understood this battle of the mind. He knew the Word of God. He used it to defeat Satan.
Don’t believe the lie. The truth is: you will get caught, sooner or later. That emotional affair will not end well for you. Not talking to your spouse to make a point will not actually help the situation. Not forgiving him/her because they don’t believe they were wrong will actually allow it to continue to have power over you. You will regret it later if you cheat your workday hours.
You will not get rid of a single habitual sin without transforming your mind first. The same reason we don’t diet well is the same reason we have a problem with sin. We try to fix our actions before we change our beliefs. Once you truly believe something, actions will ALWAYS follow. Transform your mind to Jesus’ way of thinking and your actions will undoubtedly change.
Here’s one last thought about dealing with temptation: 1. Evaluate who you’re around. If those people bring you closer to God you’ve got a great chance. 2. Think about what the situation is that you struggle with. Many guys struggle with internet addictions on Friday night when they aren’t working the next day. 3. Ask God for help. If we resist the Devil he flees away from us. The best way I know how to do that is to ask God the first second you are tempted. It works!
Don’t buy the lie. The power of God in you is greater than the evil that is crouching at your door.
Monday, August 15, 2011
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