“Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him.” James 1:12 (LB)
Life is full of temptations, there are always chances to choose the right or wrong thing to do. We are given freedom to do what we like by God, but only by making the right choice do we grow in God. We all stumble, because we are not perfect, but perfection is not a requirement, it is a goal.
The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the characteristics that we need to show to be like Jesus. The opportunities to test these different characteristics will come in situations where we have the choice to do the opposite, patience is developed through situations where we perhaps usually become impatient.
It’s comforting to know that Satan uses the same old tricks, especially when we see that we all keep falling into the same traps, not so surprising then.
God has the answer for overcoming temptation and using it to grow, rather than letting it make us stumble.
- Refuse to be intimidated – Satan will always tempt you, your reaction and response needs to be in accordance with God’s word and purposes.
- Recognise your temptation – Plan to avoid tempting situations, don’t give Satan the chance to tempt you.
- Request God’s help – His help is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, just call on him to help you when you need it, he knows you need it.
Temptation can be disheartening, but is a sign that Satan feels you are a threat. Keep your eyes on God, know that temptation is normal, but you choose how to respond.