THE BEST SPIRITUAL WAY TO FIGHT TEMPTATION

[Gordon 7]

A couple of days ago I was tempted to watch a high-risk movie. I had seen it years ago and enjoyed it. I chose not to go to war with this thought. Instead, I thought: “I think I can handle this.” Now it is a couple of days later, I did turn from sinful scenes in the movie, but life has been blah ever since, and my joy has disappeared. Why has my joy disappeared?

1 God was probably unhappy with my choice.​

2 God certainly did not watch it with me.​

3 If God did not watch it with me, then the Light that I had got turned off.​

4 The old saying, “Garbage in garbage out” is very true.​

Second, watching what our flesh wants, and thinking the way our flesh wants, kills our joy at the least. At the most, it drags us right back to our habit.

Third, satan promotes the “This is what I want” thought pattern. Instead, fight back.

Fourth, wisdom asks, “What does God want?”

Fifth, quitting protocol says: If my eyes and thoughts are filled with garbage, my temptations will increase and increase.

Sixth, repent. Consider praying:

“Father, I am sorry for watching _____, or for thinking ______. Help me to remember to work on the habit of turning from wrong images and thoughts.

Seventh, God is my miracle. He has given me a chance at a great life. How often will I forget and look at other things, think about wrong things, and chase wrong things.

Eighth, consider starting a list of better things to watch, and better things to think about (I have old articles on this topic).

Finally, My goal is to say 500 times this week, “God is my miracle and my pleasure. My goal is to think right, keep my eyes pure, live right, and try to see if I can be more involved in the great life God has planned for me.

When Biblical David fiddled with sin... Disaster. When he lived right, God was his miracle. His joy, pleasure, and complete purpose.

This article was based in part on this great music video. Consider adding it to your playlist.

 

[Gordon 7]

A daily encounter with God will change you more than anything else.

When God led the children of Israel out of the wilderness, where His Presence went, His power went. Where God's Presence goes, His power flows.

God wants to have a personal relationship with you.

Next, daily encounters with God are intentional.

Many of us prioritize our schedule. Instead, we should schedule our prioritizes.

The Bible says to “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.” If you don't make it a priority to encounter God, you will not encounter Him.

The best antidote for living in a secret sin is to learn to have a secret place where you will seek God until you encounter Him.

You are always carrying something. Either the pressure of a problem, or the power of His presence.

When you carry God's presence your feet become conduits for God's power. The weight of His presence on your shoulders becomes the force of His power on your walk.

Second, only about 10% of Christians really believe that if they keep on praying until the presence of the Lord is on them... Then, their problems will start to be solved. What I say is, try it. First fully repent of your past sins. Second, start working on your plan for change, then, seek the Lord until His presence is on you.

Third, often His presence will be on you if you keep at it. But, sometimes, you are determined to pray, and you just don't make progress. That happened to me today. So I found a great Christian video on YouTube. That great video inspired this article. It also helped me find the presence of God.

Finally, you are going to carry something, you might as well trade in carrying that problem for carrying God's presence.

 

[Gordon 7]

We have things that we do “in excess” that may be connections to addiction. Things like drinking, gambling, risky TV/movies, friends that are a bad influence, and 100 other things. If I picked something you do that upsets you. Please forgive me. Things that I do are similar to what you do. Consider praying:

“Father, show me what I do that is a connection.”

Second, life batters us on some days or weeks. When we don't turn aggressively to God, to praising God, to giving thanks even in tough times, we are making a connection because of what we didn't do. Consider praying:

“Father, help me to never give up. Help me to trust in You.”

Often when we are battered in life, that is when we learn the most, grow the most, get filled with the Holy Spirit the most. When life gets hard, and we keep fighting a strange thing happens. We read an article (that we saved or printed out) for the 11th time. We tried to do what is said 10 times and failed every time. But we try yet again.

Now... we are giving God plenty of space to help us. We patiently wait with full belief that His way is right. That life will turn around soon if we turn to Him. Consider praying:

“Father, help me to remember to turn to You when life gets tough.”

When we always insist on trying to be in God's will when life gets tough, we will be right on the verge of understanding how to quit for good.

 

[Gordon 7]

Joy is found when we do things exactly God's way. If you struggle with lust, constantly pray prayers about what the Bible says “To do.” The Bible says to run from lust. Pray constantly about running, think constantly about running from lust. The Bible says to be content. To be content with clean TV show, content with looking at nature instead of some temptation, to be content with thinking clean thoughts instead of evil fantasy thoughts. Consider praying:

“Father, help me to turn-from-lust, and help me to be content.”

What is your goal for how often you will pray this prayer? Remember, with every prayer you must be completely sincere with a full desire to change.

Second, the Bible says “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Do you want to “live?” We find joy and life by focusing on the Bible. We find joy and life by changing daily so that we can do what it says.

Third, how will you make your access to temptation harder?

Fourth, have a written plan of what you will do instead. Remember, you want to have a great joyful productive year. That will only happen if you gain habits of doing other things.

Finally, what two habits will you work on daily to promote your change? How will you remind yourself to do them daily?

New habits start us on a path toward joy.

 

[Gordon 7]

2 Peter 2:20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”

This verse is saying that if we keep going back, our life will keep getting worse.

Wisdom is memorizing this verse.

Wisdom is reminding yourself constantly that you don't want to be worse off.

Wisdom is reading this verse every day.

Second, many quit because they keep reading many articles per day, they keep reading scripture daily, they keep praying quitting prayers.

Third, many say: “I will read a quitting article daily.”

My comment to those only willing to spend a few minutes working on quitting daily is:

“Memorize this verse.”

Fourth, based on this verse you can't spend too much time working on quitting. Well... unless you are okay will your life getting worse.

 

[Gordon 7]

Smart-phones will shape our thoughts, emotions, and our faith if we allow them to. They sometimes cause relationships to suffer.

When we search on our phones, YouTube, and computers, we either choose to go up as Christians, or go down as Christians. I personally worked endlessly, and continue to work on preparing for what I will search for, and for what I will choose to watch. Two points:

What will I not watch. I will not watch anything that even remotely starts to trigger my habit. Consider forming the habit of “Turning instantly” from anything that might be a trigger. Consider praying:

“Father, help me to work constantly on the habit of turning instantly from triggers on my devices, and triggers everywhere.”

Second, satan wants to gain control over us through lust. When we turn instantly from lust on our devices, we slam the door shut on his increased control. Sin leads to sin. Out of control lust leads to drugs, gambling, shopping, wait, I don't have time to finish this list. It leads to 500 bad habits. Consider praying:

“Father, help me to turn instantly from lust.”

Third, people say, “I don't know what to do to quit.” Consider saying these two prayers about 10,000 times each (Each time we must be completely sincere with a 100% desire to change).

Fourth, consider searching “verses lust” so many times that it starts to auto-fill when you put in the v. It works. Or “Verses ______” (insert your habit of choice).

Fifth, if satan has your eyes he will have your mind.

Matthew 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is [a]good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is [b]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

If you want to be dark (Code word for depressed) look constantly at sin and wrong things. If you want to start down the road toward joy, consider learning the habit of turning from sin.

What does “Full of Light mean?” It means filled with Jesus to such an extent that we are filled with purpose and joy.

What habits will you commit to learning to start down that great road?

 

[Gordon 7]

The Bible says to think about things that are of good report. Every minute of every day we get to choose... Think about bad things, job problems, school problems, money problems, or, we can go out of our way to find something good to think about. This is a great exercise for quitting addictions, because this is very similar to a key habit for quitting, “Learning to think about new things instead of old habits.” Consider praying:

“Father, help me to think about positive things only.”

Let's say you have a problem you need to solve. Decide how many minutes you will spend trying to solve the problem, then when the time is up, think about good things instead.

Second, we should develop habits of thinking about positive behaviors. Things like, “I will watch clean TV, I will eat/drink moderately, I will read the Bible today, I will pray today, I will stay busy today. Consider writing down a few positive behaviors you should be thinking about.

Third, focus on a good attitude. Bad attitudes lead back toward bad habits. Good attitudes give us a chance.

Finally, all of these things are gold for stopping bad habits. Consider making it a goal to form habits of thinking about things that are of good report.

 

[Gordon 7]

Satan was kicked out of heaven for wanting to be in charge. Many of us do similar things to some extent. Some are depressed because:

#1 Your job stinks, your boss stinks, your schooling stinks. Solution – Fight back by learning the habits of praising the Lord often, and giving thanks for all things.

#2 Relationships stink. Solution – Make progress by printing out a page of verses on love. Search “Verses love” and print them out and read and pray over them daily. This technique will help you become the person people want to have relationships with.

#3 Anxiety, anger, or some other negative emotion is ruining you. Solution – Consider that sin often leads to severe emotional issues. Consider doubling your war against sin. Consider searching “Verses _____” about the emotion that is killing you. Then print them out and read and pray over them daily.

#4 Did I say twice to print out key verses for what is ailing you? I did. Is it that important?

#5 They are bored and are not challenged to move upward ever. Solution – Help others, pray about purpose, try to do something that might be your purpose. Insist on trying to be in God's will.

Second, fight negative emotions firstly with spiritual things. After that, have physical things to do to fight back. Get your mind and body busy doing other things. Try reading, talking to a friend, or dancing. Have a list of activities that will change your thinking and emotions.

Third, we must stop the habit of going over negative things time and time again. When this train wreck starts, write down 5 positive things to think about. Every time the wrong thought starts, stop it, and start the positive thought.

Finally, focus on positive stable people, and decide to become one of them. These people have stable, great lives. Watch them, ask them questions, and start to learn the skills that they have that allow them to handle their emotions so well. You can learn those skills. Consider making a commitment to learning those skills.

What skills would most help your quitting?

 

[Gordon 7]

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

They don’t tell us at church that a great cloud of witnesses are watching us. If they did maybe we would think more about the race than we do about lust.

Over the last two weeks, I have been working to set aside a weight in my life so that I would be able to run the race better. Like most of you, I was worried that if I cut some silly pleasure out of my life, I would not be happy.

Finally, I cut it out, and I still did not know exactly what the “race” was for me. I kept thinking and praying about it. Then yesterday it all clicked. I discovered what I was supposed to do. It was not exactly what I thought. But doing it made me happy.

Matthew Henry wrote: “By the sin that does so easily beset us, understand that sin to which we are most prone, or to which we are most exposed, from habit, age, or circumstances. This is a most important exhortation; for while a man's darling sin, be it what it will, remains unsubdued, it will hinder him from running the Christian race, as it takes from him every motive for running, and gives power to every discouragement. When weary and faint in their minds, let them recollect that the holy Jesus suffered, to save them from eternal misery. By stedfastly looking to Jesus, their thoughts would strengthen holy affections, and keep under their carnal desires. Let us then frequently consider him. What are our little trials to his agonies, or even to our deserts? What are they to the sufferings of many others?”

Today, consider setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to think about the race at least once per hour. Consider praying:

“Father, take away this spirit of lust and show me what the race is all about.”

Watch sermons from pastors who understand that the “race” involves all of us. Become obsessed with laying aside every weight, and sin.

Finally, consider striving to form a habit of thinking about the “race.” A second habit of thinking about praying to Jesus for guidance and help.

I have added this verse to the verses I meditate on. This is the third thing that helps me think in new ways.

Clean thoughts steer us towards a clean life. Think about new things.

 

[Gordon 7]

Ephesians 4:27 ESV And give no opportunity to the devil.”​

When tempted consider praying:​

Lord, help me slam the door to this thought. I will think new thoughts.”

Second, replacing bad habits with good habits takes away some of the devil's opportunity. That is good. We have control over how we respond to temptations. Immediate prayer in response to temptations is a habit we should start to learn in situations where we are out and about. Fighting back with specific scriptures is a response we can use when we have time to use that method.

Third, some will struggle this week. But... if you used the habit of responding correctly 77 times to temptation, you increased in self-control. In your struggles, take note of that increased control in some ways.

Next, your success in life is a lagging measure of your habits. The drinker whose booze is ruining him thinks, “I have to quit drinking.” But, the truth is, “He needs to change the habits that lead to quitting drinking.”

Fourth, who is the Christian that you want to become? What habits do you need to work on to become that person? Key point: the small changes I make today do not make me into a person like Biblical Paul. But, each tiny step I take forward is a building block toward my ultimate success.

Fifth, picture the person who has quit, who has a better life. Consider saying to God:

“This is who I am now.”

When you truly become this person in your mind, you will react very differently if you act the way you did before. When you are convinced that you “Are a new creation,” you start to see slipping up as you stabbing the new person you want to be repeatedly.

To Be a New Creation

Consider saying 10 times daily:

Bad habits are fun for the short-term. Their ultimate rewards are terrible.

Good habits may are may not be perfect in the short-term, but their ultimate rewards are awesome.

Sixth, consider using this article as fuel for the fire for starting your three most important habits (from yesterday).

Finally, consider praying often about forming the habit of thinking long-term. That is a good habit.

 

[Gordon 7]

If someone said: Satan does not mind it that much if you pray. The church would have a cow. But what if they say: Satan does not mind it much if we pray and then still continue in habitual sin. Oh... now it makes a bit more sense. On quitting addiction sites it is easy to find many people who have prayed hundreds if not thousands of hours. But they still can't quit.

But you won't find many people on quitting addiction sites who have prayed over all the key verses about their affliction every day. Because the Spirit fills you when you do that. Power fills you. Knowing what is right fills you.

If someone said: Satan does not mind it if you pray over all the key verses about lust every day. I would answer that with: Satan is so mad that you are doing that. Fire is coming out of his ears because he is so mad. It is the Last thing he wants you to do.

Back to prayer. Of course we should pray more. But praying a lot while ignoring Scripture will lead to imbalance and confusion.

If you want the joy I always talk about. Follow Jesus' example on how to fight temptation. He fought it with very specific verses from the Bible.

What if... you have the overwhelming habit of studying the verses on lust. Keep in mind that habits are formed through repetition. Keep in mind that satan will tell you how horrible studying those verses will be. And I will say, it's not easy. It's a bit scary. It is work.

But the rewards are fantastic. Freedom, purpose, peace, joy. Actually, I don't have time to list all of the rewards. The list is too long.

 

[Gordon 7]

Our personal relationship with Jesus is the most important thing. I talked to a lady this week who said; “I was taught that a Christian doesn't drink, smoke, and dance.” Here is the thing. Satan is listening to your Christian rules and he may very well sink you with something they never talk about. Instead, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus, your goal is to live the way He wants you to live. In that scenario satan can't pull a fast one on you. You are spending time with Christ in prayer, and in the Word. You realize that going a wrong way is bad. You realize when the great shining light gets dim in your life. You realize when that great love you used to feel is fading.

When things go from great to average in your relationship with Jesus.. “panic.” Practice rapid repentance as soon as possible.

Every Christian should be able to legitimately say, “a relationship with Jesus Christ is the greatest thing ever.”

Second, don't allow anything to get in the way of that relationship. Matthew 8 says, “Let the dead bury the dead.” Strive to have such a vibrant relationship that you are crushed if some old sin rears it's ugly head again. Make that relationship a priority. Don't allow distractions to come into your life.

Finally, put a premium value on time in prayer with Him. Put a premium value on

studying His Word. Put a premium value on asking Him what to do, and pausing to wait for an answer.

He is the most important thing in life. Believe it. Live it.

 

[Gordon 7]

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

We can learn a lot from a heroin addict. After 6 years of self-indulgence, their life has changed. It's harder to keep friends. It's harder to enjoy a simple TV show or ballgame. Work loses value and interest in their minds. Wait... everything is starting to lose value and interest in their minds. Everything except their addiction.

If you are around hard-core addicts they are sometimes almost zombie-like. Completely empty.

Porn is a bit more subtle. Sometimes anyways. But even when it is more subtle in how it steals more and more things from you. If you sit down and think about it, it will be pretty obvious.

Satan says that there are disadvantages to being only Spiritually minded. He says you will miss out on the fun. But, when he tells you that, read the verse again. Which part of death is fun.

Life is always more fun when we do things God's way. But in order for that to be true we need to strive to follow God's ways. I will repeat an earlier thread: Jeremiah 29:11 ESV
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Pray one million times: "Father, show me the plans You have for me."

If our goal is to follow God's plan... life will always be, way more fun.

When we set a goal to be spiritually minded, we find life, peace, and a future.

 

[Gordon 7]

When you enter a realm of temptation like TV, the beach, or many other places, be aware that satan will whisper to you, encouraging disobedience. When this happens, you have two choices. Firstly, be confused and let whatever happens happen. Or secondly, fight back.

Example one: You are at the beach and you notice “somebody.” WWJD – He would quote Psalm 119:37 - "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word."

Interesting... now our mind has some awareness that looking with lust is “worthless.” Now we are being reminded that the Word will preserve our life. On the flip side, if we don't fight back with the Word, our life may not be preserved. Ouch.

Example two: You are in the middle of an exciting TV show, and here it comes, sin, sin, sin. To fight back quote 1 Corinthians 6:18 - " Flee sexual immorality.”

If the scene is not that big of a deal, shield your eyes, forward fast and move on. But, if it is a big deal, and especially if it is a constant theme: quote Colossians 3:5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.”

Now, this is just my opinion, but I don't think that looking at a beautiful woman is idolatry. However, looking at her with lust seems like it is. So, if a TV show is throwing constant lust at you, the best way to put it “to death” is to turn it off. Then... satan will tell you there is nothing else good on TV. Don't believe his “lie.” There are plenty of clean shows out there. Plus if you are praising God and worshiping Him during the clean show, you just might have a great life.

Prepare for satan's attacks. Fight back. Win.