How to Fight

[Jakarta] has asked how to use Scripture to fight temptation. This is going to be a bit long (is it ever short?) but I think this one needs to be. If you want the short version, then I say, trust in Christ and pray His Word, walk away and let the situation pass. If that doesn't help (which it should) then, read on.

Temptation comes to all of us, no one gets a free pass. But we have a King that faced it just the same as we and defeated it. Christ Jesus was tempted in every way but did not sin and He has given us more than just a few things in this. One, hope. Two, strength in the middle of it. Three, weapons with which to fight. Four, a companion to walk with through the dark valley, and lastly, Five, a way out.

Proverbs says the way a young man may guard his paths against evil shall be to know the Word of God. John says that Jesus is the Word. Knowing Jesus is the only way to defeat temptation - because He already has! So we have hope. He experienced the same things you and I do everyday, even to the point of death, but in not sinning, in submitting totally to His Father, God, Christ received His Father's glory and then He gave it to us. To us! We have hope indeed!

Christ also bestowed on us strength. Let me use an analogy. I'm a fairly strong guy (smelling, you say? funny you). But you don't know how strong I am until you pit yourself against me. You don't know how strong you are either. Until we arm-wrestle and give it a serious go, you have no idea how strong I am. And you certainly don't know how strong I am if you just give in each time because you assume I am stronger. Its all theory until it goes into practice. So in arm-wrestling temptation, and being the only one never to give in, Jesus is really the only person to ever know how strong temptation really is. He knows better than anyone else what you are going through, precisely because He never sinned.

So it's true, in knowing God, and relying on His knowledge and strength, Christians know more about Good and Evil than those who have never tried to put up a fight, nor care anything about God. People prone to evil acts, or giving into temptation, have no real idea of what evil is, because they have never fought against it. On the other hand, resistance builds muscles, even spiritual ones. Resistance also brings knowledge. Perhaps this is good reason God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, because God knew full well that relying on His knowledge is far greater wisdom than that of Man's. As Jack Lewis once pointed out, a thoroughly bad man thinks he is okay, a moderately good man knows how bad he really is. And it is in knowing how bad you are that you appreciate how much God has done for you in His Son. Strength through Grace. Amen.

Third, how was it that Christ defeated the devil? Perhaps a more pressing question might be, how did the devil tempt even Christ, Himself? By quoting the Word. Satan always tempts us with just enough truth to water down the bile he attempts to feed us so we won't spit it up. He quoted Scripture to Jesus then he arrogantly questions what God said, playing on our own sense of knowledge, wisdom, and strength, wholly apart from God's. He catches us when we think ours is sufficient. Satan says to Christ, 'If you are God's Son, do this, for it is written...' 'Did God really say...?' Now, how do you know what Scripture Satan is quoting or what from what context it was given if you don't know the Word, yourself? Christ answers Satan every time by quoting more of God's Word back to Him because He knows the Word well enough to respond accordingly. So must we. You need to know God's Word, memorize it, keep it in your heart ready to pull out at a moment's notice.

God's Word out of context is a weapon against us, but in context, with a Spiritual understanding, God's Word is a weapon against temptation. We must rely on the One who embodies and fulfills the Word, the One who knows the Word fully, Christ. And He knows the Word, because He IS the Word. God's Word is our weapon. Jesus is the Sword and the Sword Wielder.

We are given a companion to walk with as well, for the same reason that He is our Strength, the Weapon and the Wielder. He experienced it, fought it, defeated it. He knows well the paths you must travel and is there to help you along the way.

And for the very reason that He made it through this world by the Strength of God, has shared that Glory and Strength with us now, and walks with us and loves us with (truly) an undying Love, He is our way out. He really is all we need. So get to know Him well and let Him know you fully too, trusting Him with all your troubles.

If you need Scriptures to help with certain temptations, get your Bible, perhaps a good concordance, and memorize those helpful to you. I will give a short list, but as Satan attacks each of us differently, we must really be prepared to fight him according to how we are usually tempted. For instance, if it is sexually, you may want to remember

1 Corinthians 6:18-20, "Flee sexual immorality! 'Every sin that a man does is outside the body,' but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

Remember this and recite it over and over each time you are brought to temptation, then flee, as it says. If you are tempted by the magazine racks, avoid them. If you are tempted by someone in your office, pray and physically turn away (or purposely act like a moron - he/she will think you're an idiot, but your spouse will think you're a hero!)

Perhaps you are tempted by material items?

Psalms 119:72, "The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces."

Recite that, pray fervently and then walk right out of the situation. Trust in God to handle your temptation for you and He will. It will pass, I promise and the dawn will break. The Son will Rise again.