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Facing sin and temptation is part of the fallen world.
The great biblical examples of Abraham, Moses, Jacob and David faced temptations. Like us, they often fell into sin, which usually started with sinful temptations.
God constantly tests His faithful Christians. Temptations are a harsh reality, focused on the constant cosmic war of good vs. evil or God vs. Satan.
The Scriptures explain that we should wear our full body of armor to face such darkness (Ephesians 6:13-17).
However, our reliance on faith, and specifically the heavenly direction of the Holy Spirit, will always determine whether we succeed in the fight against sin.
The Apostle Paul constantly urged Christians to resist darkness and to hold dear to the light:
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9).
Puritan John Flavel echoed these teachings:
When want oppresses and the heart begins to sink, then improve, and bless God for these helps to keep it… Pray earnestly and perseveringly that your fancy may be chastened and sanctified, and when this is accomplished, your thoughts will be regular and fixed.[i]
Temptations may come and go, but succumbing to them and embracing sin can have a lasting negative impact on our Christian journey.
Biblical figures such as David are prime examples of how faith and repentance go hand in hand. We will sin, but we must repent.
Christians should seek wisdom and direction from God at all times and live a life of stability and discernment. Faith must be the foundation of your life and the anchor that delivers you from temptation and evil.
While we know we are blessed to be forgiven for our past and future trespasses, we also know we are called to be different from the rest of the world, and focus solely on Jesus Christ.
Defeating temptation is not easy, but rest assured it can be done through Jesus Christ and the reliance on the Spirit, who dwells inside us.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
[i] John Flavel, Keeping the Heart: How to maintain your love for God, (Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications, 1999), 74.
