Defeating Temptation: Being an Overcomer

"Lead us not into temptation"
Jesus

Praying According To God's Will:

Let me set the stage: Here we have the Son of God, and He is continuing to teach us how we should pray. In other words, we are learning about how to pray according to God's will. It's God's will to pray to our Father, and be clear we don't put our earthly father's human frailties on Him. For our Father is a Heavenly being, and He has no flaws. It it God's will we pray for our Father to be revered, feared, held in awe, wonder and mystery. We are to pray for the Kingdom to come. We are to pray that God's will would be done on planet earth precisely like it is done in Heaven. We are to live one day at a time, and we are to pray that God will supply our needs on "This Day." We are to pray for forgiveness, and be fully aware of how we are asking for being forgiven. Then we come today.

Temptation Explained In A Simplified Way. 

Many misread this passage because of the way it is laid out in the English language. James would explain temptation, and it's source, this way: When tempted, no one should say "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away from their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceive, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." (James 1: 13-16)

The Source: See Jesus Wilderness Experience in Matthew 4

The source of temptation to sin does not begin with God. A perfect example would be when Jesus was led into the wilderness, by the Holy Spirit,  and it was there that He was tempted by the Devil. He defeated Satan by using the Word of God, and by not being focused on the temptations. God may have indeed placed Jesus, as He may do us,  in places where we can be tempted, but, as James says, God is not the one tempting us. Temptation starts with Satan taking normally healthy desires, and pulling, us via those normally healthy/holy desires, to a place of not being healthy nor holy. When we allow ourselves to be dragged by our desires, rather than exercising self control (via the Holy Spirit) the temptation to sin becomes enticing. Eventually, the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, if we don't overcome it. And a life of sin leads to death.

Walking Godly and Defeating Temptation: Step One

Therefore, we can be an overcomer when we begin focusing on God, as well as God's Word. And we do so by asking God, to keep us from this place of temptation, which even Jesus experienced. We can defeat temptation, just as Jesus defeated it. How might we be an overcomer? Step one: We do so by praying, "God! Please don't let this happen! God! Please don't let us be led into temptation.  And we should be praying this Lord's prayer, and this particular prayer request, as a spiritual practice, each day, at the beginning of the day, while we use the powerful Word of God to help us.  We do this to have ourselves, on the ready, to defeat temptation.

Walking Godly and Defeating Temptation: Step Two

"There is no temptation that has seized you that is isolated to you. Every temptation is common to every single human being. But God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted above your ability to overcome. But what God will do, is give you a way to escape."
1 Corinthians 10:13 Paraphrased.

Step Two

Step #2 involves a VERY IMPORTANT truth: God isn't putting the temptation on you.  Many misquote this passage, and they say "The Bible says that God will not put any more on you than you can bear." This is simply not true. It's NOT in the Bible! Yes, we are tempted. We even feel like life is seizing us! Yes, we are drawn into difficult situations, sometimes, but God does NOT cause the situation. What God does do is be faithful, and God provides an escape route that will help us overcome. This would absolutely be a good time to pray, "God get me out of this! God help me! God give me the stuff to be enough to escape! God! Help me overcome this temptation." Then we need to be looking for God's escape hatch rather than focusing on the trial or temptation. Keep focusing on the temptation, and not God's way out, and you are setting yourself up for a whole bunch of other issues.

Common Occurrences

Additionally, though we feel like we are the only one going through this, we are not. Step #2 makes this abundantly clear:  According to this ancient wisdom of 1 Cor. 10:13, these trials and temptations are common for all humanity. Ever since sin entered the universe, it has corrupted everything. It has brought a deluge of spiritual, emotional, relational, financial and physical trials and temptation to planet earth. And these temptations are not isolated. They are problematic for many human beings on planet earth. Count on it. You are not alone. Count on it. You are not the only one. Others have gone through what you are going through. God, and His people can help you, if you don't isolate yourself, and if you let God and His people help you.

Bottom Line:

The bottom line is God wants you to be an overcomer. He has a plan for helping you overcome. This web log doesn't cover it all, but it does highlight God's will for overcoming, and it starts with your prayer life.  It starts with asking God to help you, as you pray for this help. It involves being a part of a community of Christ Followers who have been where you are, and who can help you. It involves understanding the real source of the temptation. It involves allowing God to help you overcome and escape any trial,  tribulation or difficulty you are facing.

May God Almighty help you be an overcomer today, and may He help you be an overcomer, everyday He gives you, as a gift, to walk on planet earth.

Be Blessed Today Especially During This Gift of Today.

SoJourner