Temptation tugs hard at our hearts at times. It’s like pulling a rope tied to an elephant. In this tug-of-war with our hearts, we need a mindset that goes beyond a defensive strategy and takes an active approach to sin and temptation.
Here are 4 basic strategies to help you battle the tug of temptation and sin on your heart.
It’s easy to cast this aside. Or to tell ourselves, I’ll spend time with God after I do this quick other thing. Many things seem more urgent—and they are. But none are more important.
Spending time with God is the single-most important priority you’ll do each day. That’s why you will find 87 good reasons (including ministry) not to make your relationship with God a priority.
Your time in the Scriptures and prayer should have as its goal a growing love for God.
Here are several great truths to meditate on each day:
Keep short accounts with God and with others. Don’t allow unconfessed sin to weigh down your life. Grace is there for that very reason (1 John 1:9). Grace allows you to move on.
God’s forgiveness and grace give us the security to learn to obey.
Learning to obey God takes a lifetime. God’s grace says that’s okay. Wayne Stiles
It helps tremendously to know you’re not the only one who struggles, to have encouragement and prayer from others, and to hear how others have learned to walk with God. (Feel free to download the list my group uses for accountability.)
Resolved: Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruption, however unsuccessful I may be.—Jonathan Edwards
Along our struggle against temptation and sin we have the joy of knowing that one day, God will bring us into His presence without temptation and sin.
Learn the top 6 Lessons from Visiting the Holy Land more than 20 times in 21 years with Dr. Wayne Stiles, a longtime devotional scholar who is passionate about sharing the practical application of bringing God's Word to life.
Tell me what you think: What strategy helps you the most to fight temptation and sin? I would love to know. To leave a comment, just click here.