The reason I have this mini-study here is to help any who are having difficulty overcoming certain temptations in their lives. It was written to edify and help the others overcome all kinds of temptation. Anyone who thinks that they are too high and mighty to be tempted are only fooling themselves and will have difficulty enduring to the end. We all are tempted and must be prepared for it daily. So regardless of what things bring you to temptation, I believe these scriptures will encourage you and will help you to overcome. Please feel free to follow along in your own bible.
Here are some excellent scriptures to read before getting out of bed each morning. These scriptures deal specifically with overcoming sin.
Eph 6:13- Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Notice that the “shield of faith” is above all.
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
So how do we obtain the shield of faith? By doing what you are doing now, reading Yahweh’s word!
Romans 10:17- (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Yahweh.
Continuing in Ephesians 6.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Yahweh: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Please note that the sword in verse 17 is the only offensive piece of armor listed. Yahushua also used this when temptation came.
Mt 4:1- Then was Yahushua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of Yahweh, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Yahweh. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of Yahweh, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Yahushua said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt Yahweh thy Elohim. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Yahushua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship Yahweh thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve.
“Get thee hence” (Get behind me) Yahushua said. This was the shield of faith. Notice that the devil left Him (for now):
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him
Here is Luke’s rendering of the same event. Notice that just because Yahushua overcame the temptation, that did not mean that the devil will not return again in the future.
Lu 4:13- And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
In some ways, temptation can be more powerful if it has been a long while since we have been tempted by it. The tendency is to justify doing the sin, since it has been such a long time. But we should ask Yahweh to not lead us into temptation. Here is a great example of what to pray for (part of Yahushua’s prayer):
Mt 6:13- And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
While we do ask Yahweh not to lead us into temptation, we should be just as careful not to walk into temptation. If being at a certain place, seeing a certain thing or doing something seemingly harmless leads you into temptation, then avoid it! Worship of other gods was a powerful temptation to Israel and Yahweh set up safeguards:
Exod 23:13- And in all [things] that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
Deut 13:6- If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which [is] as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 7 [Namely], of the gods of the people which [are] round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the [one] end of the earth even unto the [other] end of the earth; 8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
Yahweh didn’t want people mentioning other gods and if anyone were to entice another to worship them, they were to be put to death (even if it were one’s own wife). This is because Yahweh knew that talking about other gods was the beginning of trouble. It would bear the fruit of temptation and cause one to fall away. So whatever temptation we have, let’s avoid those situations that cause us to be tempted.
Don’t ever think that you are alone in your temptation. Take consolation in the fact that many others are tempted in the same way you are. Yahweh will always leave you a way out of your temptation.
1 Co 10:13- There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but Yahweh [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
Notice the next verse:
Co 10:14- Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
What temptations come into your life? Flee from it! This is consistent with avoiding those situations that cause temptation. Treat that temptation like the enemy and immediately pray. Ask Yahweh to deliver you from your enemies. Nearly all temptation begins in the mind. When the temptation enters your mind, get your mind on Yahweh by praying and have scriptures memorized that condemn the sinful act you are being tempted by. Do this every time you are tempted in your mind. Confess to Yahweh that you cannot do it, but have faith that Yahushua can overcome the world through you.
If we want to avoid temptation altogether in the future, we can pray. Yahushua was speaking to the disciples when he was in the garden of Gethsemane, encouraging them to pray they would not enter into temptation.
Mt 26:41- Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mr 14:38- Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly [is] ready, but the flesh [is] weak.
Lu 22:40- And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
The problem was the disciples kept falling asleep instead of praying. If they had been praying, perhaps they would not have fallen away?
Lu 22:46- And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
We must exercise patience and persevere, then it is less likely we will be tempted more in the future. In the following verse, Yahushua is speaking to those in the Philadelphian congregation:
Re 3:10- Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
If we have pride, it is more likely that we will be tempted and fall away.
1 Co 10:12- Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall!
Here is the parable of the sower. It contains a helpful verse on overcoming temptation. Please read the context here if you are unfamiliar with the parable.
Lu 8:11- Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of Yahweh. 12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
We must have a root to overcome temptation. The seed is the Word of Yahweh.
Lu 8:13- They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience.
Again, patience is important! Don’t be discouraged. Others gone before us have made it, why can’t we?