Obedience vs Temptation

[MercyChild]

I just have a question and hope to find some answers.

Q: How do an obedient Christians still face daily struggles with temptation?

Q: How can we practice obedience and gain victory over sin?

[tt1106]

Ephesians 6. The Sword of the Spirit. The full armor of God.
Only with scripture can you be properly defend yourself against Satan. Jesus used it to defeat Satan in the wilderness.

Scripture and accountability.
I have two brothers in Christ that I have been meeting with for a year. They
hold me accountable for my actions and we discuss our walk with Christ.

I am involved in Bible studies. To be obedient to God, you must know God and he must know you. You have to talk to him and read his word.

[tango]

I just have a question and hope to find some answers.

Q: How do an obedient Christians still face daily struggles with temptation?

Q: How can we practice obedience and gain victory over sin?

We should expect to be tempted. Jesus was tempted, and if the devil tempted Jesus we can be sure he's going to tempt us as well.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Jas 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

James didn't write "if you fall into trial", he said "when you fall into trial". The fact we'll be tempted is a given, the question is what we do about it.

There are many ways to deal with temptation. We can use the spiritual armour described in Ephesians 6, and make sure our sword is sharp and ready for use. The sword refers to God's word, and in order to keep our sword ready for use we need to know God's word. Just as a soldier trains for battle even when not in active battle, so we need to train for the spiritual battle. Otherwise when the battle comes to us we can find our armour is worn and our sword is dull.

Jas 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

If we resist the devil he will flee. He cannot stand against God's word, and in the name of Jesus we have authority over him (Luk 10:19). We can also be confident that God will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability to resist:

1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; 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.

God will make a way to escape the temptation available. What matters is whether we take the escape route, or yield to the temptation. It's also important to remember that being tempted is not a sin, what matters is how we respond to the temptation. Only when we yield to the temptation do we fall into the sin.

[MercyChild]

Thank you for the good advice. The scriptures sure is very very usefull. Think I should print it out, and keep them handy.

[Dani H]

Temptation can be good for us, actually. If we didn't get tempted, we wouldn't realize where our weaknesses are and where we must yet surrender to the Lord.

The enemy is always presenting shortcuts because he understands that surrender and choosing God's way for us spells his certain doom. "Oh no Jesus, don't go to the cross, how about I give you lordship of the world now? Just a little catch ... worship me. Okay?"

There is always a catch. Especially when things look "too good to be true." Temptation helps us identify our "hooks" and where we yet are attached to the world and where our souls are yet in control. That is where the struggle comes from. The Bible states that it is possible even for believers to be yanked around by the enemy "at his whim" and to be tossed about by our own double-mindedness.

Our greatest weapon against temptation is surrender to the Father and conforming to Jesus' death and resurrection.

There is also a difference between testing and temptation. But if we approach both with surrender and pressing into the Lord even more, then He will be able to keep us and mature us and work all these things together according to His good will and purpose for us.

[karenoka27]

The important thing to remember is that temptation does not come from God.

James 1:13-"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."

Romans 7:14-"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

[doubledcattle]

Satan is sneaky and plants weeds amongst good wheat seeds at night. (Matthew:13)

We will all be tempted by satan and all the evil in the world. The best way to beat this temptation is by staying in God's word daily and meditating on it day and night.

We will all slip up every now and then but when you do you will recognize it immediately and eventually wean yourself away from falling into temptaion.

Proverbs 14:9 says this: Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.

So if we slip God will confict us and we will feel that and want to immediately seek reconciliation with him.