LEARNING TO AVOID TEMPTATION AS A CHILD OF GOD
By Pastor Peter Kayongo
Dear friends in Christ, by the way before I start sharing with you this message let us start by asking ourselves these questions. By the time i come to a conclusion we will have gotten all the answers.
Who is the one who tempts us in the first place? Satan! The scriptures tells us that “He is roaming on the earth like a lion, seeking people to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). However, I would say he is not entirely to blame as James 1:14 tells us temptation also originates in us: “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”
What I would like to assure you brethren is that,Three particularly common sources of temptation are money, sex and power. Are you only interested in making more and more money? Do you watch sexually explicit movies, read unwholesome books, watch porn for example? Will you do anything to have power over others even if it means doing things that are underhand including engaging the occult?
Do you see how temptation works? You are surely consumed by what you focus your heart and your mind on. In order to be victorious over temptation my dear friend reading this message, we have to put our focus on the person of Jesus Christ. Get your eyes off of temptation, and get them on Jesus. We do that because in Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are –yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus himself has been there and can show us the way out for we read in Hebrews 2:18, that because Jesus “Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted“. However far you have fallen, you are not to give up because “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).
How can we fix your eyes on Jesus as believers?
Brethren,How then do we fix our eyes on Jesus? It is by practicing the conscience presence of Jesus Christ. It’s never taking your eyes off Him. We are told to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to set our minds “on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2). Jesus and Satan don’t occupy the same heart at the same time I tell you. If your heart and mind are filled with the presence of Jesus Christ, there’s no room for Satan there. The Christian life boils down to that: keeping your eyes on Him, focusing on Him, thinking about Him. You are in communion with Him every moment of every day in all your activities and in all your interactions. Keep your eyes on the Master. And you can say with Him, “Away from me, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10).
Get to know this from me brethren,Every one of us here is tempted to do wrong. Does the devil play a role in this? Of course, he does. The Bible calls him “the tempter” (Matthew 4:3). He is our enemy, who like a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he might devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan tempts all men through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). He is powerful, but we know that first century saints were able to overcome him: “. . . you have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:13). With God’s help we, too, can overcome him. Just what can you and I do to overcome his temptation? Here are some more “must” items I would wish to share with you as I conclude:
1. First, we must have a strong desire to overcome him.
In some sporting events, there can be tie scores I would say. But with Satan, there will be no ties. We will either defeat him, or else he will defeat us. If we are going to overcome him, then we must first possess the desire to do that. Ask yourself, “How strongly do I really desire to overcome Satan?” The Bible says, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). Diligence to overcome comes from desire.
2. We must resist Satan.
Overcoming the devil does not happen by accident! “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Some Christians fail to overcome temptation because they never really try to resist the tempter. How can we resist him? “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9). What else helps in our resistance? “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
3. We must fill our hearts with God’s word.
If our heart (mind) is filled with the word of God, then we will know what is right and wrong in the sight of God and this will help us be prepared in advance when the devil tempts us. The Psalmist wrote, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). We Christians we are instructed, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). If we will follow this instruction brethren, then we will be better prepared to overcome the evil one.
4. We must always imitate the example of Jesus.
What did Jesus do when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness? Each time He was tempted, He said to Satan, “It is written,” then quoted the word of God. Like Jesus, we should use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) when we do battle with the tempter.
5. We must flee from iniquity and spiritual danger.
“Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on” (Proverbs 4:14,15). The New Testament says, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity . . . Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:19,22).
6. When tempted, we must look for a way of escape.
“. . . but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Where is the way of escape from temptation? We must seek for it.
7. We must watch and pray.
Jesus told His weary apostles, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
8. We must always define the line of right and wrong in our lives.
In the world today right and wrong are becoming gray areas; even in Christianity. This is going to sound harsh, but if you are truly going to live for Jesus, you need to take the word of God for what it says, not pick out the parts you like. The bible is not like a box of assorted chocolates; you cannot just take small bites of everything, then only eat what you like. Following Jesus is all or nothing. If we do not know what the bible considers to be sin and we just plan to figure it out when we are presented with the temptation, we are going to fail every time. By having clear definition of right from wrong, we will be able to overcome temptation.
9.Avoid triggers points of temptation
Now on this one,Stop reading for a moment and think about that thing that always seems to be a temptation in your life… Now, take it a step further, what brings you to the point where you begin to be tempted? Example: Let’s say that I struggle with alcohol abuse. Instead of just going to bars and trying to fight the temptation of over drinking, what if I avoid the trigger point for the temptation altogether by not stepping into that bar in the first place? By doing this, I have already increased my chances of overcoming temptation drastically! If we know the triggers that lead us into places that we will be tempted and decide to avoid them; we will be far more successful in overcoming temptation. (This is a very practical point! We can all apply this in our lives.)
10. Intentionally have others hold you accountable
Accountability is one of the most important keys in any form of growth fellow believers. The bible made it very clear that it is not good for people to be alone. Make sure that you open up to a couple of people that are closest to you who know your struggles. Make sure these are people that you can be completely open and honest with that will encourage you, not put you down when you tell them what you are tempted with. By having people in your life that you can be open and honest with in regards to your temptations and struggles; you will find that you are more successful in overcoming temptation just by remembering that they are there.
11. Understand what it means to fear God
God is our friend and our father; but He is also our King and Judge. While we are being tempted to sin, if we can refocus and think about how big God is and what He has done in our lives, we can always show self-discipline and avoid sin.
Proverbs 16:6 says, “Through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.”
Take time throughout your day to just think about God and how big He is. Pray continuously, no matter where you are. Remember how big He is. By growing in relationship with God, we become more and more like Him. As we become more like God, we will overcome temptation in our lives in a greater way.
My prayer today is that everyone who is reading this message will apply these points and become a more disciplined follower of Christ. My prayer for each of us is that we overcome the temptation and struggles in our lives in a more successful way than ever before! Remember, when faced with temptation a decision must be made and an action displayed. and the action that follows temptation can only be one of two things; sin or discipline.
In conclusion,The devil does not want any of us to go to heaven. He uses every means at his disposal to get us off course. If we are serious about overcoming him, then each of the eleven things that we have noted above is essential in our fight against him my dear sisters and brothers.
Be blessed!
+256772425596 or +256702206492.
By Pastor Peter Kayongo
Dear friends in Christ, by the way before I start sharing with you this message let us start by asking ourselves these questions. By the time i come to a conclusion we will have gotten all the answers.
Who is the one who tempts us in the first place? Satan! The scriptures tells us that “He is roaming on the earth like a lion, seeking people to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). However, I would say he is not entirely to blame as James 1:14 tells us temptation also originates in us: “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”
What I would like to assure you brethren is that,Three particularly common sources of temptation are money, sex and power. Are you only interested in making more and more money? Do you watch sexually explicit movies, read unwholesome books, watch porn for example? Will you do anything to have power over others even if it means doing things that are underhand including engaging the occult?
Do you see how temptation works? You are surely consumed by what you focus your heart and your mind on. In order to be victorious over temptation my dear friend reading this message, we have to put our focus on the person of Jesus Christ. Get your eyes off of temptation, and get them on Jesus. We do that because in Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are –yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus himself has been there and can show us the way out for we read in Hebrews 2:18, that because Jesus “Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted“. However far you have fallen, you are not to give up because “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).
How can we fix your eyes on Jesus as believers?
Brethren,How then do we fix our eyes on Jesus? It is by practicing the conscience presence of Jesus Christ. It’s never taking your eyes off Him. We are told to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to set our minds “on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2). Jesus and Satan don’t occupy the same heart at the same time I tell you. If your heart and mind are filled with the presence of Jesus Christ, there’s no room for Satan there. The Christian life boils down to that: keeping your eyes on Him, focusing on Him, thinking about Him. You are in communion with Him every moment of every day in all your activities and in all your interactions. Keep your eyes on the Master. And you can say with Him, “Away from me, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10).
Get to know this from me brethren,Every one of us here is tempted to do wrong. Does the devil play a role in this? Of course, he does. The Bible calls him “the tempter” (Matthew 4:3). He is our enemy, who like a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he might devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan tempts all men through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). He is powerful, but we know that first century saints were able to overcome him: “. . . you have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:13). With God’s help we, too, can overcome him. Just what can you and I do to overcome his temptation? Here are some more “must” items I would wish to share with you as I conclude:
1. First, we must have a strong desire to overcome him.
In some sporting events, there can be tie scores I would say. But with Satan, there will be no ties. We will either defeat him, or else he will defeat us. If we are going to overcome him, then we must first possess the desire to do that. Ask yourself, “How strongly do I really desire to overcome Satan?” The Bible says, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). Diligence to overcome comes from desire.
2. We must resist Satan.
Overcoming the devil does not happen by accident! “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Some Christians fail to overcome temptation because they never really try to resist the tempter. How can we resist him? “Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9). What else helps in our resistance? “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
3. We must fill our hearts with God’s word.
If our heart (mind) is filled with the word of God, then we will know what is right and wrong in the sight of God and this will help us be prepared in advance when the devil tempts us. The Psalmist wrote, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). We Christians we are instructed, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). If we will follow this instruction brethren, then we will be better prepared to overcome the evil one.
4. We must always imitate the example of Jesus.
What did Jesus do when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness? Each time He was tempted, He said to Satan, “It is written,” then quoted the word of God. Like Jesus, we should use “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) when we do battle with the tempter.
5. We must flee from iniquity and spiritual danger.
“Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on” (Proverbs 4:14,15). The New Testament says, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity . . . Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:19,22).
6. When tempted, we must look for a way of escape.
“. . . but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Where is the way of escape from temptation? We must seek for it.
7. We must watch and pray.
Jesus told His weary apostles, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
8. We must always define the line of right and wrong in our lives.
In the world today right and wrong are becoming gray areas; even in Christianity. This is going to sound harsh, but if you are truly going to live for Jesus, you need to take the word of God for what it says, not pick out the parts you like. The bible is not like a box of assorted chocolates; you cannot just take small bites of everything, then only eat what you like. Following Jesus is all or nothing. If we do not know what the bible considers to be sin and we just plan to figure it out when we are presented with the temptation, we are going to fail every time. By having clear definition of right from wrong, we will be able to overcome temptation.
9.Avoid triggers points of temptation
Now on this one,Stop reading for a moment and think about that thing that always seems to be a temptation in your life… Now, take it a step further, what brings you to the point where you begin to be tempted? Example: Let’s say that I struggle with alcohol abuse. Instead of just going to bars and trying to fight the temptation of over drinking, what if I avoid the trigger point for the temptation altogether by not stepping into that bar in the first place? By doing this, I have already increased my chances of overcoming temptation drastically! If we know the triggers that lead us into places that we will be tempted and decide to avoid them; we will be far more successful in overcoming temptation. (This is a very practical point! We can all apply this in our lives.)
10. Intentionally have others hold you accountable
Accountability is one of the most important keys in any form of growth fellow believers. The bible made it very clear that it is not good for people to be alone. Make sure that you open up to a couple of people that are closest to you who know your struggles. Make sure these are people that you can be completely open and honest with that will encourage you, not put you down when you tell them what you are tempted with. By having people in your life that you can be open and honest with in regards to your temptations and struggles; you will find that you are more successful in overcoming temptation just by remembering that they are there.
11. Understand what it means to fear God
God is our friend and our father; but He is also our King and Judge. While we are being tempted to sin, if we can refocus and think about how big God is and what He has done in our lives, we can always show self-discipline and avoid sin.
Proverbs 16:6 says, “Through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.”
Take time throughout your day to just think about God and how big He is. Pray continuously, no matter where you are. Remember how big He is. By growing in relationship with God, we become more and more like Him. As we become more like God, we will overcome temptation in our lives in a greater way.
My prayer today is that everyone who is reading this message will apply these points and become a more disciplined follower of Christ. My prayer for each of us is that we overcome the temptation and struggles in our lives in a more successful way than ever before! Remember, when faced with temptation a decision must be made and an action displayed. and the action that follows temptation can only be one of two things; sin or discipline.
In conclusion,The devil does not want any of us to go to heaven. He uses every means at his disposal to get us off course. If we are serious about overcoming him, then each of the eleven things that we have noted above is essential in our fight against him my dear sisters and brothers.
Be blessed!
+256772425596 or +256702206492.