Have you ever been praying, reading the Bible, or driving when an unwelcome thought suddenly pops into your mind? Maybe you initially divert your attention to something else, but soon that thought can return and become persistent. You are being mentally assaulted, and what you do next will determine defeat or victory. If you fail, then the scene of the crime is your mind.
Tempting thoughts come in many forms, but they all have a few important distinctions. These are not coming from you because, as a new creation in Christ, that is impossible. However, they may sound like your own way of talking. These thoughts are attempts to get you to act contrary to who you are as a son or daughter of God. They may also be familiar to you if you have heard them in prior life experiences.
Here is what NOT to do when you are tempted. Don’t say, “I’m not going to think about this.” “I’m not going to do this.” Or “I’ll never do this again!” Then try to use your willpower to accomplish any of these. If you do, you are putting yourself under the law. Neither your law nor God’s has the power needed to stop temptation. For example, if I tell you, “Don’t think about pink elephants.” What happens? You will immediately think about pink elephants!
Because you are united with Christ, the real power is God’s grace within you. Romans 6:14 (NASB) says, Sin will not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 7:4 So what does this look like in real-life situations? When a tempting thought comes into your mind, you can pray something like this.
“Father, I am being tempted to ______. Since I’m not under law, if I do this, You will still love and accept me. But I know you don’t want me to sin because this temptation is the opposite of Who You are in me and who I am in Christ. I am a pure, holy, righteous child of Yours. That is how I want to live right now. So, Jesus, please handle this temptation through me to overcome this temptation.”
Can you see that when temptation comes, we conquer it by grace, and not law, or willpower? This is why we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. God’s grace is the power we need to defeat temptation!
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
Bestselling Author
God’s Best-Kept Secret: Christianity Is Easier Than You Think
