The enemy knows us. He’s watched us. He knows our struggles and tries to exploit them. So what can we do against so formidable a foe?
In his message “Dealing With Temptation Wisely,” Dr. Stanley shares these steps you can take to combat the Enemy’s attacks:
- Take responsibility. You are responsible for what you do with temptations.
- Focus on the big picture. A temptation offers a small picture of the pleasures and profits of sin, but God wants you to see big consequences.
- Identify areas of weakness in your life. Recognize which aspects of your life are easy targets for Satan’s attacks.
- HALT. Never let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
- Visualize yourself doing the right thing. Instead of fantasizing about the pleasures of sin, imagine yourself pleasing God.
- Make yourself accountable to a friend. Find someone you trust and then contact that person when you are feeling tempted.
- Read the Word of God. You won’t be able to defend yourself against the enemy’s attacks if you don’t know the Scriptures.
- Make prayer a vital part of your life. Having fellowship and conversation with the Lord each morning strengthens and alerts you to Satan’s attacks during the day.
No matter how strong our enemy’s offense, we have a defense in Christ that can defeat Satan every time. The devil has no advantage over our Lord. Jesus thwarted all of the enemy’s attempts to sway Him from God’s plan, and He can help you do the same. Stay close to the one who has already won you the victory.
Written by Linda Canup
