Strategy for Overcoming Satan’s Attacks
1 John 4:4 states that we can overcome temptation because “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Satan is the master deceiver, but God tells us in His word that we can win the victory over temptation. The Bible lays out a strategy to help us overcome temptation.
Strategy for Victory over Temptation
Understand the location of the battle- the battle is won or lost in the mind.
- Romans 12:1-2. How do we offer our bodies as living sacrifices? This is a decision we make of how we show God’s glory through us, and draw people to Jesus who is within us, or draw people to ourselves by our attitude, actions, or apparel. The sacrificial part is we have to put our will on the altar of our life and seek God’s will and plan for our life; each day, living in fellowship and communion with Him.
- Ephesians 4:17-24. According to verses 17-19, what do you see is the problem with worldly people? Verse 19 shows us the result of their futile thinking.
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. How do you take every thought captive for Christ? This is the daily process of renewing our minds with God’s Word, instead of our Words, our ways, or the worlds.
Understand the process of temptation- James 1:13-15. James lays out the process Satan uses to tempt us.
- Desire- Although we are created in the image of God, our fallen nature is highly susceptible to sin. Our “flesh” seeks its own fulfillment, which leads us to desire things that are contrary to God and his best for us. James calls this propensity to sin “our own evil desires.” Desire is a word rooted in our emotions. Desire originates in the flesh and uses our emotions against us. Emotions are not bad, but they are particularly vulnerable to temptation. We are required by God to keep them in check. Here is the difference between a person operating in the flesh vs. someone operating in the spirit:
- Person operating in the flesh: Emotion -> thought -> action
- Person operating in the spirit: Thought -> action -> emotion
- Deception- Satan’s tool for temptation is deception, and he is a master at the allure of sin. James calls it “enticed.” Enticed is a word that is best explained by the word picture of a fisherman with bait on a hook. He waves the bait in front of the fish until he entices the fish to go after the bait. That is what Satan does to us. He knows our particular evil desires, and he goes fishing to hook us into sin.
- Disobedience- When we are enticed and grab the bait, we get hooked into sin. This is called disobedience. Satan entices us, but we must take responsibility for the sin process. We choose to disobey. Temptation is not the sin, acting on it is the sin.
- Death- When sin is alive in us, it brings death. One sin can easily become a habit. With each choice to sin, we are on a slow fade to habitual sin. Habitual sin kills relationships, intimacy with God, and peace with us. Sin brings death!
Understand that you have options- 1 Corinthians 10:13.
- You are not alone in your temptation. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. Satan tries to isolate us so that he can devour us. It is amazing how Satan convinces us that no one else could ever understand our situation. Isolation invites temptation.
- You can withstand the temptation. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. God promises to put a hedge of protection around us so the enemy can never make us sin. We can stand up to any temptation (1 John 4:4). Think about some of the tools God has given us to withstand temptation, and how they protect us. Our part is to use them.
- You will always have a way to escape. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Envision the consequences of the sin if you give in to temptation. Here is the key: the longer we play with the temptation, the fewer our options to get out. If it ever gets to the flesh we lose every time. We must win the battle in our minds. We need to win it early before fantasy sets in. Run from temptation early in the process! Talk through the process of winning the battle in your mind. How will you use the Word, prayer, and community to win the battle over temptation?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I make the decision to leave temptation in the past from this moment. I choose to exalt the Lord’s work within me, and thereby I’m minimizing each attack the enemy uses to lure and appeal to my flesh through temptation in any form. I recognize I am not powerless or without hope, or strength as I stand in the power of God’s Word. My hope which is the anchor of my soul, I find in the Word of God, and the strength of Holy Spirit within me. Because I am born of God, I have been made an overcomer in this life. I choose to run from these silly temptations and the emotions that surround them! Holy Spirit in me is bigger than any temptation that tries to come against me, and I believe He guides me in the steps of righteousness so that I may remove myself from the things that would try and pull me down.
I believe this in Jesus’ Name, Amen
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Peter Henneberry, EMIC Groups Pastor |
