How Can I Guard My Heart When Faced With Temptation?
Guarding ourselves from temptation starts with understanding temptation.
How I define Temptation, Facing something you want or desire that isn’t based on the right thing to do. The American College Dictionary defined Temptation as the act of tempting or being tempted. That same dictionary defined Tempt as to try to get someone to do wrong, especially by a promise or reward.
And there, “by a promise or reward” is what I missed in my definition. Temptation disguises itself as bringing a reward.
Hold that thought and look at James 1:14.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
James 1:14
Did You See What Makes A Temptation So Tempting?
Temptation seeks out our own desires. We are all uniquely created and designed. That uniqueness even manifests in our desires, and our desires want to be rewarded.
Some people have sexual temptations. Some have propensities to substance abuse. Some are tempted by money and greed. Gossip and slandering others are another’s forte, and lying, another’s. The list could go on, but you get the point.
The original Greek language of the word “own” as used in the phrase “his own desires” from James 1:14 is transliterated, idios, which means pertaining to or belonging to one’s self. When I saw the transliteration idios, I immediately thought of the term, idiosyncrasies which means a behavior or thought peculiar to an individual.
Let’s Not Miss The Point That Temptations Are Personalized.
When I came to the Lord the hardest thing for me to lay down was alcohol. Someone else may come to the Lord and never have a drinking problem. However, they may have a major problem with gossip. Personally, I’ve never been tempted to steal, but someone else might struggle with that sin more than anything else.
Don’t miss the fact that we all struggle with different temptations based on our own unique desires, personality, background, environment, worldview, experiences, etc. Identifying our own personal weaknesses helps guard ourselves from being persuaded to sin.
Personal Desires Seek To Be Rewarded
Remember those words I missed in my definition of temptation, “by a promise or reward.” Temptation lies and tells us that doing wrong will reward. However, doing wrong will never equate to rewarding us. In fact, doing wrong will ultimately cost us a high price.
“I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will halt the arrogance of the proud, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
Isaiah 13:11
That is the high price of following the temptations of our flesh.
How To Handle Temptation
If there is anyone’s story in Scripture that gives us an example of how to handle temptation, Joseph’s story paints a clear picture.
Joseph’s temptation:
“And though she spoke to Joseph day after day,
he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.”
Genesis 39:10 (NIV)
Joseph had a woman throwing herself at him. But he chose the extreme position of not even being in the same proximity as her. Joseph knew his own human weaknesses and chose not to take chances with temptation. In fact, he saw succumbing to his human desires as “sin against God”
Joseph said:
“There is no one greater in this house than I,
nor has he kept back anything from me but you,
because you are his wife. How then can I do
this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
Genesis 39:9
Let’s follow Joseph’s determination to live according to God’s will and guard ourselves against things that tempt us.
I have had many conversations with people struggling with different areas of temptation. One common thread among those struggling the most with temptation is that they had not taken the extreme precaution of separating themselves from the temptation.
The result. They felt like they were in a constant inner battle. James 4:1 says our desires for pleasure war with our members. Paul also reminds us of his own inner battle between the flesh and the Spirit by his words in Romans 7:14-24. That’s his infamous, “I do what I don’t want to do and don’t do what I do want to do” passage. Again, he wrote:
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Galatians 5:17
With the same emphasis, the apostle Peter wrote,
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
1 Peter 2:11
No wonder we struggle!
King David, another Old Testament man of faith alludes to Joseph’s standard regarding temptation.
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
Psalm 101:3
Sometimes we must guard ourselves as David and Joseph and get temptation out of our face and out of our presence and proximity!
Jesus’ Instructions About Temptation
Jesus taught His disciples to pray,
“And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil”
Matthew 6:13
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41
Why was prayer so important?
Because God is faithful and guards us from temptation. (2 Thessalonians 3:3) He gives us the power to guard ourselves from temptation. And, He makes a way of escape when the temptation comes. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
And…
For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted,
He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2:18
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15
The final, and possibly, the most important thing to remember about God and temptation is that Jesus understands!
Let me summarize 4 Key Points To Guard Ourselves From Temptation:
1. Identify your desires, struggle, or area of temptation
2. Separate yourself from even the presence and proximity of temptation.
3. Pray for God to keep you from temptation and the methods of the devil
4. Know that God understands!
