“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 stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13 NIV).
How do you handle temptation? Let’s face it life is full of temptation and how you handle it reflects on your faith in God. Jesus quoted scripture when he was tempted. After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. To me it is comforting to know that Jesus was tempted, so that when I pray during a temptation He will understand exactly what I need for my situation. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in every way that we are. “But we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV). He knows how hard it is to be tempted and has compassion for us. The most important thing you must do is say no when temptation rears its ugly head. I think it is also very good to have some Bible verses memorized for such a situation. Jesus used scripture to thwart Satan, so it is a valuable tool in your fight against giving in to temptation. I will give you a few verses that I use when tempted.
• “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble”
(Psalm 46:1 NIV).
• “Be strong and courageous, and do the work, for the Lord God, my God, is with you” (1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV).
• “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NIV).
The Lord will give you strength when you need it when you pray for him to help you. Temptation is a way of life, but as the verse above states God will provide a way out. You must plan what you will do and be prepared. Pray, read the Bible, and trust the Lord. He will never fail you.
Dear Lord,
We know that temptation will befall us, but we also know that you are with us. Help us to be prepared by learning scripture to help us. Help us to say no to Satan. Thank you for always being with us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
