Victory Over Temptation

Have you ever said to yourself, “It’s just too hard to live saved”? The world
wants you to believe that living a consistently pure and holy life before God is
nearly impossible. With so many ungodly images and suggestions competing for
space in your mind each day, it may seem that being a Believer in a
world full of sin is just too hard to do. But don’t believe that lie! Living a
life of integrity is as easy as you make it. When you rely on the power of the
Holy Spirit, you can be an overcomer in every situation you face.

When
you first become born again, you are at your weakest point spiritually. You are
just coming out of the world system and into the knowledge of God. This is the
time when the devil tries to pull you back into the world. Because your flesh
isn’t yet trained in the Word of God, you are more susceptible to Satan’s
attacks.

As you continue to walk with God, however, you must begin
training yourself in the Word. This takes a quality decision to obey God’s Word
at all costs, regardless of your circumstances. Living a sin-free lifestyle is
simply a decision. Once you make that decision, all of heaven will back you up
and equip you to do what you need to do.

Tapping into the power of the
Holy Spirit is the key to living a sin-free life. You can’t live your Christian
life in your own power because you will inevitably fail. The power of the Holy
Spirit is your key to victory. Ephesians 3:16 says that God will strengthen you
with might by the Holy Spirit Who lives in you. If God instructs you to live
pure before Him, it is possible. He wouldn’t tell you to do something that you
weren’t equipped to do. The question is, how badly do you want to live holy?

Deuteronomy 30:10-11 (AMP) says you are to obey the voice of
the Lord, keep His commandments and His statutes and turn to Him with all of
your mind, heart and being, “for this commandment…is not too difficult for
you, nor is it far off.” God clearly states that it is not too difficult
for you to fully obey His commandments. If He said you can do it, you can!
You’ve been transferred out of darkness and into the kingdom of God (Colossians
1:13). As a Believer, you are now living under the Law of Life in Christ Jesus.
You don’t have to be in bondage to sin ever again!

Making the decision
to resist sin, regardless of how much your flesh wants to indulge in it, is the
first step in the process of living sin-free. Next, you must follow through with
your choice by putting actions behind your decision. You have to consistently
place boundaries around your life that prevent you from being tempted. Avoid
situations and people that are a temptation for you. Train your mind and your
spirit by constantly reading and meditating on the Word. Guard the entrances to
your heart, because what you look at, listen to and talk about in abundance will
eventually manifest in your life (Proverbs 4:23).

When you are tempted
to sin, remind yourself that disobedience comes with a price. Romans 6:23 says
that the wages of sin is death. From your thoughts to your deeds, everything is
a seed that will produce a harvest in your life. God wants to make sure that the
harvest that grows in your life is good, so get in line with His way of
thinking. Let the Holy Spirit direct you. He is faithful to always show you the
way out of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). He’s already given you the
victory—begin to walk in it today!