How to fall into temptation…NOT
8 MINUTE READ
Stephanie Chizoba Odili
June 21, 2024
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"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
1 Corinthians 10:13
Temptation, like other things, happen in stages. Perhaps this is why we agree that being tempted is not a sin. We only sin when we give in fully to the process.
How not to fall into temptation will be easier when we notice and measure the patterns of our temptation, and the patterns of the temptations itself. To properly explain this, I will be drawing from the very first time in the bible we see a temptation occur, at the garden of Eden in Genesis 3.
Patterns of how TO fall into temptation
- Listen: Gen 3:1-5 explains how the serpent who was known to be crafty than any other animal spoke to the woman and she spoke back. We begin the process of temptation (which can lead to sin- missing the mark) by relating and socialising around the people and things we know are crafty and not good for us. We speak and engage with people and things we have no business engaging with. We listen to noise, chaos and things which do nothing other than feed our minds.
- Believe: (spiritual and emotional) And once we have fed our ears, we then feed our minds. We believe the things and people we ought not to believe. Belief in lies shows forth emotionally and spiritually. We convince ourselves that this thing that tempts us does not sound so bad after all, we make excuses to match our belief. And by the time we get caught, the only reason we can muster is something utterly emotional, unreasonable and shameful. Evidenced in Gen 3:10-13. Most of the time, what we listen to becomes the lies that lay ground for an undesired labyrinth.
- See: It is easier to step away from temptation when we listen to lies. It is even still easier when we believe them. But when we begin to see them, we can do nothing else but see ourselves there, doing that very thing. It is at this point that Eve sees the fruit differently (Gen 3:6-7). Our once laid out reasons and excuses become very rational, we are willing to share this with others or even be bold in how we talk about it. Seeing the sin in action in your mind or your eyes is where we really lose it.
- Do: Once we have convinced ourselves that this is gainful for us, or for our minds or bodies, we cannot wait to dive into the act. Sometimes, the seeing and doing are happening simultaneously, and before we know it, we are down bad. We have watched and nursed a temptation to commit adultery, murder, lie etc. We have gone from listening to believing to seeing to doing.
Good news! Temptation can be conquered.
Sin is already defeated and we can daily be partakers of this. We are not slaves to curses or poor will-power. But how? Before we get into the how to, here are notes to remember:
- Recognise the patterns of your own temptations. What have you noticed you are constantly falling for? What triggers it? What causes it to move from listening to doing? What are the actions or inactions that drive it to that point?
- Remember that atmospheres are magnets so be careful where your body and spirit is dwelling. Cling hard to atmospheres that show you and allow you to show others the true nature of God. Choose what clings to you and what doesn’t. Choose your atmosphere- spirit and flesh. A difficult thing is not an impossible one.
- Be on guard by the help of the Spirit who is faithful to provide a way. I cannot count the number of times I would scream “out! in the name of Jesus” when confronted with temptations. I know that if I don’t keep rebuking the devil and recognising the patterns and positions of my temptation, then I will fall. There are some “vices” I wish I did not have to stop doing, but a disciple knows that to please God, you must die to flesh, and to die to flesh, you must keep rising above the daily temptations. All and ONLY by the help of God.
Patterns on how NOT to fall into temptation
1. Disengage: Unless you are armed with the Word of God (and even at that) just do not engage with the enemy or the temptation. Do not feed it, its just a "growling lion with no teeth" - Titilope Sonuga.
2. Disbelieve - Do not believe the lies about God, about sin and about yourself.
3. Disregard - Ignore, and I dare say, kill every physical and mental image that looks fruity and delicious to you (though painted by the devil). The bible says (metaphorically) in Matthew 5:28-29 that it is easier to be in heaven blind or with one eye than not be in heaven at all.
4. Don’t- You will want to open that pornography website, text that woman/man, cheat on your spouse, lie to your boss or loved ones, steal, punish others, gossip, offend, hate someone, be boastful etc. But because you have disengaged listening to the devil, disbelieved his lies and promises and disregarded to stare at the things that promote the temptation, you will not sin. By God’s grace, you will NOT sin.
I believe in the words of the Apostle Paul— No temptation can overtake us except what is common to us and our minds. And because our God is faithful; He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. And when we are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that we can endure it.
Amen.
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See you next week!