Overcoming Temptation: A Christian Man’s Battle Plan

“Whenever we are tempted, we should always pray before we act.” – Billy Graham

This quote by Billy Graham emphasizes the importance of prayer in overcoming temptation. Graham understood that prayer is essential in seeking God’s help and guidance in resisting temptation. As we face temptation in our daily lives, we should remember to turn to God in prayer for strength and wisdom. Prayer helps us to align our hearts and minds with God’s will and to rely on His power to overcome temptation.

In addition to prayer, the battle plan outlined above provides practical strategies for overcoming temptation. It is important to recognize the sources of temptation and our own weaknesses, and to develop a plan to resist temptation. This includes practicing self-control and staying accountable to others. Ultimately, our victory over temptation comes from our reliance on God and His power at work in us. As we seek to honor Him and obey His commands, we can trust that He will provide a way out when we are tempted and give us the strength to overcome.

As men, we face numerous temptations on a daily basis. Whether it’s lust, anger, greed, or any number of other sinful desires, we all struggle to resist the pull of temptation and live according to God’s will. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” This verse gives us hope that with God’s help, we can overcome any temptation that comes our way. In this blog post, we’ll explore some practical strategies for overcoming temptation and living a life that honors God.

Recognize the Source of Temptation

The first step in overcoming temptation is to recognize where it comes from. James 1:13-14 says, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” Temptation comes from our own sinful desires, as well as from the world and from Satan. We must be aware of these sources of temptation and be on guard against them.

Identify Your Weaknesses

Next, we need to identify our own weaknesses and areas of vulnerability to temptation. We all have areas in which we struggle more than others, and it’s important to be honest with ourselves about what those areas are. For some men, it may be sexual temptation; for others, it may be anger or greed. By identifying our weaknesses, we can take proactive steps to avoid situations that may trigger temptation and to build up our spiritual defenses.

Develop a Battle Plan

Once we have identified our weaknesses, we can develop a battle plan to resist temptation. This plan may include strategies such as avoiding certain people or situations, staying accountable to a trusted friend or mentor, and setting up physical and technological barriers to prevent access to temptation. It may also involve memorizing Scripture verses that address our particular struggles and praying for strength and wisdom to resist temptation.

Practice Self-Control

Self-control is a key component of overcoming temptation. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22-23 that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. This means that as we grow in our relationship with God and rely on the Holy Spirit, we can develop the ability to resist temptation and make wise choices. However, self-control is not something that comes easily or naturally. It takes practice and discipline to cultivate this virtue. We can start by setting small goals for ourselves and gradually building up to more challenging ones. We can also practice self-control in other areas of our lives, such as in our eating habits or exercise routines, to strengthen this muscle.

Stay Accountable

Accountability is another important strategy for overcoming temptation. We need to have people in our lives who will hold us accountable, ask us the tough questions, and provide support and encouragement. This may be a friend, a spouse, a mentor, or a men’s group. By staying accountable, we are less likely to give in to temptation, and we have a greater chance of making wise choices.

Pray

Finally, we need to pray for God’s help in overcoming temptation. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). We can pray this prayer ourselves, asking God to give us strength to resist temptation and to provide a way out when we are tempted. We can also pray for wisdom, discernment, and guidance in making wise choices and avoiding situations that may lead us into temptation.

As you can imagine, I have seen it personally in my life as well as in the lives of the men who are part of Hill Cities here in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul where I live, that overcoming temptation is a challenging but essential part of our Christian journey. It requires us to be aware of the sources of temptation, identify our weaknesses, develop a battle plan, practice self-control, stay accountable, and pray for God’s help. As we do these things, we can grow in our relationship with God and become the men that he has called us to be. We can resist temptation, live lives of integrity and honor, and be a witness to those around us.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Did you enjoy this blog post? Help me reach more men who want to go deeper with God and to connect with other such men by sharing it on your social media profile or by email. Thank you!

Jeff