Often I get into temptations. What can I do?
Recently I attended a spiritual conference where I was taught how to overcome temptations. I was really touched by the Holy Spirit and I decided to live a holy life. Accordingly I lived a holy life for two weeks but then, I am slowly beginning to return to my old habits. I am not able to control the irresistible temptations. What can I do? - Johnson
Dear Johnson,
Yours is a problem commonly prevalent among youngsters. Let me begin with a great truth enshrined in Romans 8:7, 8.
"The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law nor can it do so."
Note the expressions 'sinful mind' and 'nor can it do so’. This verse explains that a sinful mind by nature cannot please God. According to this verse you are trying to please God with a 'sinful mind’. (un-renewed mind)
You may say, "But I am anointed!" Yes, no doubt. But that only renews your spirit and not your 'mind.' Your mind remains "sinful", but the power of sin to dominate your mind, or to control your mind is destroyed, (Romans 6:14) making way for your mind to be RENEWED.
Remember that rebirth of your spirit is instant, but the renewal of your 'mind' takes time. The more you yield, the quicker your mind gets renewed. Friend, change of life comes with change of your mind. Now, read Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
You must understand that your actions are just the result of your thoughts. Sinful mind promotes sinful thoughts that lead into sinful actions. The reason for your failure is that, you are trying to change yourself by stopping your action without stopping your thoughts. That is why though you have stopped the actions for sometime, the compelling power of thoughts in your sinful mind propels you to commit the old actions again.
Read Romans 12:2 again. It says, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."
This verse makes it clear that 'transformation' of life takes place by the 'renewing of your mind' and not 'the renewing of your actions.'
Therefore, now you should deal with the thoughts of the habit before dealing with the habit itself. Dealing with the habit without dealing with the thoughts is like cutting a flower and not its roots. When one flower is plucked, another will grow in its place very soon.
Right beliefs lead to right actions. Truth leads always to freedom (John 8:32) and 'faith' always leads to 'corresponding works' (James 2:20). The Lord Jesus Christ by His death and resurrection has defeated the devil and had gained power over sin. Therefore sin no longer has dominion over you (Romans 6:14) i.e., Sin has no power to erode and eventually to annihilate these old thoughts in your mind by substituting them with new ideas, attitudes and beliefs, which are derived from the Word of God.
Next time, when these old thoughts come into your mind just say, "It's not me. It is the devil who brings these thoughts in my mind. I have the power to overcome it and therefore I will overcome it.
When you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, the truth, you'll be saved, for with the heart a person believes (adhere to, trusts in and relies upon) and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speak out freely his faith) and thus he is saved from sin (Romans 10:10)
You should know the power and authority that you possess against the powers of darkness (Luke 9:1, 2; Matthew 16:19; Philippians 2:10,11; Matthew 10:8,18; 18:18,19) and you shall use this authority in prayer against the Spirits of darkness and believe what you prayed has happened. Do not crosscheck God. Resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7)
Friend, unless you believe Christ sets you free, you cannot exercise your freedom over the sinful thoughts. If you are not able to believe the truth, then you are under bondage. The devil has used your willingness to lock up your ability to believe. This 'stronghold' will act against your faith and you will not be able to believe the truth. How could you know whether you've believed a truth? You'll act on it. This is because you are set free to act on it. If you are not able to do this, then you need to be set free from the bondage. This can be done in two ways.
(i) Go to a spirit-filled servant of God who has the power of God in him (Acts 1:8) and get prayed. When he lays his hands on your head and prays, you'll be anointed and that anointing will break the yoke of bondage (Isaiah 10:27). You are welcome to visit the 'Jesus Calls' Prayer Tower, where Spirit-filled prayer warriors will pray for your deliverance. Thousands have been set free like this.
(ii) Or cry out to God, pleading with Him to help your unbelief (Mark 9:24). And God, through the Holy Spirit will break and set you free to believe (Mark 9:24).
Once you are free, you need to be even more careful because you are vulnerable to misuse the freedom that God has given you. You may tend to use the freedom as a license to sin. You need to use the freedom to renew your mind so that your actions too will be renewed.
The Bible tells you that you should fill your thoughts with, "Things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report and virtue (Philippians 4:8). That is why you should 'read' the Word of God regularly and relentlessly. Friend, mere reading of the Bible will lead you nowhere more than what any other book can do. What makes the difference is 'Faith' (Hebrews 11:6). You should believe what you read.
And your prayer should be full of worship and praising God for what He is, always holding Him above your problems and situations (Philippians 4:6, 7). When you follow this freely and regularly, you will experience your mind getting renewed. You may fall many times but let not the devil make you use the 'fall' as an excuse to get into depression or sin. Just get up from the mud! Get washed by the blood of Jesus Christ and get going on your walk of faith.
[Shared by Ebenezer Kingslin]
Recently I attended a spiritual conference where I was taught how to overcome temptations. I was really touched by the Holy Spirit and I decided to live a holy life. Accordingly I lived a holy life for two weeks but then, I am slowly beginning to return to my old habits. I am not able to control the irresistible temptations. What can I do? - Johnson
Dear Johnson,
Yours is a problem commonly prevalent among youngsters. Let me begin with a great truth enshrined in Romans 8:7, 8.
"The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law nor can it do so."
Note the expressions 'sinful mind' and 'nor can it do so’. This verse explains that a sinful mind by nature cannot please God. According to this verse you are trying to please God with a 'sinful mind’. (un-renewed mind)
You may say, "But I am anointed!" Yes, no doubt. But that only renews your spirit and not your 'mind.' Your mind remains "sinful", but the power of sin to dominate your mind, or to control your mind is destroyed, (Romans 6:14) making way for your mind to be RENEWED.
Remember that rebirth of your spirit is instant, but the renewal of your 'mind' takes time. The more you yield, the quicker your mind gets renewed. Friend, change of life comes with change of your mind. Now, read Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
You must understand that your actions are just the result of your thoughts. Sinful mind promotes sinful thoughts that lead into sinful actions. The reason for your failure is that, you are trying to change yourself by stopping your action without stopping your thoughts. That is why though you have stopped the actions for sometime, the compelling power of thoughts in your sinful mind propels you to commit the old actions again.
Read Romans 12:2 again. It says, "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."
This verse makes it clear that 'transformation' of life takes place by the 'renewing of your mind' and not 'the renewing of your actions.'
Therefore, now you should deal with the thoughts of the habit before dealing with the habit itself. Dealing with the habit without dealing with the thoughts is like cutting a flower and not its roots. When one flower is plucked, another will grow in its place very soon.
Right beliefs lead to right actions. Truth leads always to freedom (John 8:32) and 'faith' always leads to 'corresponding works' (James 2:20). The Lord Jesus Christ by His death and resurrection has defeated the devil and had gained power over sin. Therefore sin no longer has dominion over you (Romans 6:14) i.e., Sin has no power to erode and eventually to annihilate these old thoughts in your mind by substituting them with new ideas, attitudes and beliefs, which are derived from the Word of God.
Next time, when these old thoughts come into your mind just say, "It's not me. It is the devil who brings these thoughts in my mind. I have the power to overcome it and therefore I will overcome it.
When you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, the truth, you'll be saved, for with the heart a person believes (adhere to, trusts in and relies upon) and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speak out freely his faith) and thus he is saved from sin (Romans 10:10)
You should know the power and authority that you possess against the powers of darkness (Luke 9:1, 2; Matthew 16:19; Philippians 2:10,11; Matthew 10:8,18; 18:18,19) and you shall use this authority in prayer against the Spirits of darkness and believe what you prayed has happened. Do not crosscheck God. Resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7)
Friend, unless you believe Christ sets you free, you cannot exercise your freedom over the sinful thoughts. If you are not able to believe the truth, then you are under bondage. The devil has used your willingness to lock up your ability to believe. This 'stronghold' will act against your faith and you will not be able to believe the truth. How could you know whether you've believed a truth? You'll act on it. This is because you are set free to act on it. If you are not able to do this, then you need to be set free from the bondage. This can be done in two ways.
(i) Go to a spirit-filled servant of God who has the power of God in him (Acts 1:8) and get prayed. When he lays his hands on your head and prays, you'll be anointed and that anointing will break the yoke of bondage (Isaiah 10:27). You are welcome to visit the 'Jesus Calls' Prayer Tower, where Spirit-filled prayer warriors will pray for your deliverance. Thousands have been set free like this.
(ii) Or cry out to God, pleading with Him to help your unbelief (Mark 9:24). And God, through the Holy Spirit will break and set you free to believe (Mark 9:24).
Once you are free, you need to be even more careful because you are vulnerable to misuse the freedom that God has given you. You may tend to use the freedom as a license to sin. You need to use the freedom to renew your mind so that your actions too will be renewed.
The Bible tells you that you should fill your thoughts with, "Things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report and virtue (Philippians 4:8). That is why you should 'read' the Word of God regularly and relentlessly. Friend, mere reading of the Bible will lead you nowhere more than what any other book can do. What makes the difference is 'Faith' (Hebrews 11:6). You should believe what you read.
And your prayer should be full of worship and praising God for what He is, always holding Him above your problems and situations (Philippians 4:6, 7). When you follow this freely and regularly, you will experience your mind getting renewed. You may fall many times but let not the devil make you use the 'fall' as an excuse to get into depression or sin. Just get up from the mud! Get washed by the blood of Jesus Christ and get going on your walk of faith.
[Shared by Ebenezer Kingslin]
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