23 - Overcoming Temptation Through the Word

The Word of God is the most commonly neglected resource in resisting the lower nature. Most Christians have never learned to truly make use of God’s weaponry to fight the enemy of evil temptations.
“Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119:11.
One of the most valuable lessons a Christian can learn is how to resist evil temptation or bad habits by claiming the power of God through the promises in Scripture.
Temptation by itself is not wrong. All of us are tempted to do evil. Even Jesus our Saviour was tempted, yet He was without sin. (Heb. 4:15)
Habits are simply thoughts or acts repeated often. Not all habits are bad. Habits can be good, such as praying, driving, or tying shoes.
But what happens when habits are bad, corrupt, evil? How can we resist evil when constantly pressured by the Devil to submit? The question is: how do we achieve victory over the things by which we are so often tempted?
First of all, no victory will come to us from God without our cooperation. The Lord is not going to reach down with a hand from heaven and remove a cigarette from our lips, or physically take the whisky bottle out of our hands. He won’t strike the television with lightning to keep us from watching violent programs, or stir up a great wind and blow all our pornographic material out of the house. These are things we choose to overcome, all the while claiming God’s power to back up the choice that we’ve made.
Victories for the Christian are not determined by “willpower” alone, or taking motivational courses. How do we overcome?
In this presentation we go to the Bible to learn about God's process for us to overcome sin in this life.