• God does not personally lead us into temptation: "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone" (James 1:13). But God does permit us to be tempted (Job 1:6–12) so that we can face temptation, overcome it, and become stronger: "I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:14; see James 1:12).
• No temptation is irresistible: "You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation's power so that you can bear up patiently against it" (1 Corinthians 10:13, TLB).
• Whatever we experience, Jesus has been there before us. He "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
Helping Strategy
1. Ask if the inquirer is a Christian, one who has received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If he or she is not, explain "Steps to Peace with God," page 11. No one is strong enough to overcome temptation without God's help, regardless of how high his or her ideals or motives.
2. Share ways to confront and overcome temptation:
A. We must resist the tempter: "Resist the devil and he will flee from
you" (James 4:7).
B. We must submit to God (James 4:7). This we do by:
(1) Committing ourselves daily to God (Romans 12:1), and daily
confessing all known sins, so that there is no unnecessary "buildup" of temptations (Psalm 51:10).
(2) Subjecting our minds to His control:
• "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).
• "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).
(3) The discipline of prayer:
• "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).
• "Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit's wishes" (Ephesians 6:18, TLB).
(4) Reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible. Dwight L. Moody
used to say, "Sin will keep you from this book, or this book will keep you from sin":
• "The word of God is living and active. . . . It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12, NIV).
(5) Associating with the right kinds of friends—God's people:
• "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character'" (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV).
• "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24–25, NIV).
(6) Putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13–18).
(7) Dependence on the Holy Spirit:
• "How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13).
• "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever" (John 14:16).
• "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).
Scripture
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:12–15, NIV).
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not
love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Revelation 12:10–11, NIV).
Other suggested Scriptures:
Matthew 4:1–11 Romans 8:26 Galatians 5:16