Avoiding Sin and Temptation

The Bible tells us that it is important to guard our minds from sinful thoughts, words and actions, from wrong thinking comes wrong actions (Prov. 4:23, 2 Cor. 10:5). We must control our mind so that we can obey Christ.

Satan and his demons stalk the path of every believer, offering all manner of enticements to lure the Christian away from an obedient and faithful walk with Christ. No one is exempt from Satanic attacks, and no one is completely successful in countering them (I John 1:8, 10), but some Christians succumb to temptation so often that they see no hope for victory. They give up and give in without a struggle. This is an unfortunate condition, born out of despair, for it will blind the believer to the marvelous provision God has made for overcoming temptation

The first thing the Christian must learn is that God does not lead him to sin (James 1:13-15). God may test His children, a process designed to purify and strengthen them, but He does not lead them into sin. Without exception, sin results when temptation strikes a sympathetic chord in the human heart, and man has no one to blame but himself.

No one is uniquely tempted; Christians can help and learn from one another. Merely knowing that another Christian has overcome greed, for instance, may be just the assurance that someone needs to make another attempt to overcome it in his own life. The Christian who has grown in one facet of his spiritual life is responsible for helping other Christians who have not yet grown in that area. In this manner, Christians can edify (or, “build up”) one another in their faith(Eph. 4:15-16).

The following can help us avoid sin and temptation.

•          Identify your temptations and the personal flaws that create them. (Hebrews 4:15)

•          Fill Your Mind With God’s Word (Phil. 4:8 )

•          Keep Your Mind Clean (Ps. 101:3, Job 31:1)

•          Establish Accountability with Someone (Heb. 10:24, 25)

•          Avoid Temptation (Rom 13:14)

•          Remember to trust God even when being tempted.

We pray to be able to avoid sin and temptations by the help of GOD. Amen.