How to Overcome Temptation
We are all tempted at times to do certain things that we know are wrong and that are not God’s best for us.
We are tempted to lie, steal, cheat, or gossip.
Sometimes we face the temptation to manipulate others, control them, or even get revenge on them if they have wronged us.
We can be tempted to escape pain or depression in our lives through drugs or alcohol.
Others of us are tempted to look at pornography, to have sex before marriage, or to cheat on a spouse.
We all feel temptation, and sometimes it can be so strong. The urge to step into and act on the temptation can seem so overwhelming like there is no way out.
But there is a way out. There is always a way out.
So, how do we fight? How do we overcome temptation in our lives?
BE STRONG IN THE LORD
One of the places we see the apostle Paul talking about our spiritual battles like this is in Ephesians 6. In this chapter, he references how we fight temptation. Look at what he says in Ephesians 6:10.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Notice whose power it is. It’s God’s power. We are not supposed to fight temptation through our own strength.
This is not the time for you to say, “I can do anything I put my mind to.” You don’t have the power to defeat the enemy you are up against.
To fight and win the battle of temptation, you must be strong in the Lord and his mighty power.
ARMOR OF GOD
Paul goes on in Ephesians 6:11-13 and says,
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Paul says that to stand against the devil’s temptations you and I need to put on the full armor of God.
BELT OF TRUTH
The first piece of armor Paul references is the belt of truth in Ephesians 6:14.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist
Paul is beginning to draw on the imagery of a Roman soldier during the first century and the armor that each soldier wore. And the belt is a central piece because it is what most of the other pieces of armor were fastened to.
But Paul references this belt as a belt of truth. I don’t think it’s any coincidence Paul starts with this because the spiritual war we are in is primarily a battle of truth and lies. Therefore, to have a belt of truth is for us to have a fixed standard by which reality is measured.
We are not going to fall for the lies no matter how strong the urge or feeling is to believe them because we are going to measure whether they are right or wrong based on God’s truth, not our feelings or what the world says is true.
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Paul goes on in verse 14 and says to stand firm…
14 …with the breastplate of righteousness in place
The breastplate would have covered the chest of a soldier which of course is where your vital organs are. And notice what covers your core self, a breastplate of righteousness.
And here’s the truth about you: In Christ, you are righteous. Did you know that is what is true about you? It makes all the difference when being tempted.
If we don’t know the truth about being righteous then we can fall for the lie that we are just poor old sinners, saved by grace. Well, what is the most natural thing for someone who is a sinner to do? Sin!
But this is not who you are. You are a saint in Christ. You are righteous and holy. You have a new nature and new desires.
So, if I am trusting in the breastplate of righteousness, I am reminded that there is nothing in me at the core of my being that really wants to do what I am tempted to do in that moment of temptation.
SHOES OF PEACE
Paul continues with his description of the armor of God in Ephesians 6:15 by saying to stand firm…
15 with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
When we have shoes on we can really sink our feet into the ground to be able to stand against someone or something, right?
So, when Satan is tempting us to do something wrong there is this unrest or lack of peace that we feel at that moment. We are thinking that we are not satisfied with our current situation and need to do what Satan is tempting us with in order to experience peace and get relief.
But with these shoes on we can dig in and stand firm, resting on the truth that we already have peace in Christ and therefore do not need to do what Satan is tempting us to do.
SHIELD OF FAITH
Next, Paul writes this in Ephesians 6:16…
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
The shield Paul is referring to here is a full-body shield that covered the entire person. And Paul says it is a shield of FAITH. Faith means trust.
When we trust what Jesus says about us is true and when we trust that His ways are now part of who we are and what is best for us, then we are protected from all the arrows of temptation that Satan tries to throw at us.
HELMET OF SALVATION
Paul continues with the next piece of armor in Ephesians 6:17…
17 Take the helmet of salvation…
When we receive Jesus into our lives for salvation, we are not just receiving a ticket to heaven. Through salvation, we are made new and given new Life in Christ.
And a helmet obviously covers the mind. So, first, we recognize Satan’s attacks on our minds to make us doubt our salvation, our new identity, and the new life we have in Him.
Second, we renew our minds to the truth of our assurance of salvation, our new identity, and the new life that we have in Jesus.
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
The final piece of armor that Paul mentions is in Ephesians 6:17b…
17 …and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Now the way Paul references the “word of God” here in the original Greek refers to utterances or speaking the word. In other words, we are to fight temptation by uttering gospel truths against Satan’s attacks.
This of course is what Jesus did in his temptation in the desert. Satan came at him with lies and deception, and Jesus fought off the temptation with God’s truth, by quoting Scripture.
When you and I are up against temptation, we don’t just recognize the lie, we replace the lie with God’s truth.
DON’T ATTACK SATAN, STAND AGAINST HIM
You may have noticed that throughout this passage of scripture, Paul says repeatedly to stand firm against Satan. But why? Why wouldn’t Paul say to attack Satan?
Here’s why…
As a new creation in Christ, you are not fighting for victory but from a place of victory!
Jesus is our Victor, and all of these pieces of armor reflect back to Jesus!
BELT OF TRUTH
In John 14:6, Jesus says I AM TRUTH!
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us that Jesus is our righteousness!
SHOES OF PEACE
In Ephesians 2:14, we are told that Jesus is our peace!
THE SHIELD OF FAITH
Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus Christ is the author and perfecter of faith!
THE HELMET OF SALVATION
Hebrews 2:10 tells us that he is the captain of our salvation!
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD)
John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God!
CONCLUSION
So, how do we overcome temptation in our lives? Jesus. Jesus is our Victor.
We are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from a place of victory!
Be aware of Satan’s lies and deception when being tempted, and then stand firm in Jesus and His mighty power to overcome.