For more than 20 years as a minister, I have been trying to help people with troubles. Very often they are in trouble simply because they don’t know how to handle temptation.
Temptation is universal and as old as the Garden of Eden. Much of your happiness depends on your ability to handle it instead of letting it handle you. Here are four rules that will help you handle temptation.
1. Realize your own weakness. Every person has some area of vulnerability. Different temptations appeal to different people with varying degrees of intensity. Many people trip because of overconfidence. Know yourself. Stay clear of situations that may lead you to be tempted. As the Bible says, “Flee temptation,” and when you flee temptation don’t leave your forwarding address.
2. Choose good associates. The great evangelist Sam Jones said, “You can’t run with dogs without getting fleas on you.” We all know people who are easy to be bad around. And we all know people who are easy to be good around. The church is a good place to make good friends. Seek out good associates and temptation will be less of a problem.
3. Give heed to your conscience. Your conscience is a divinely implanted mechanism to guide you in right and wrong. The voice of conscience is more often a whisper than a shout. Don’t stifle it.
4. Pray for help. Prayer is the most powerful force in the world to help you. If prayer is to be effective there must be humility, relinquishment of desires, and acknowledgment of helplessness. Pray much and God will help you.
The struggle against temptation is never ending. But if you hang on to these principles you are likely to win the war against temptation.