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Overcoming Temptation, Part 1

* This article is the first part of a 3-part series on "Overcoming Temptation" - for Part 2, click here.

One of the greatest tragedies in the bible is the story of David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:1-5). David had truly experienced the blessings of God; he had conquered all of his enemies and the land of Israel was at peace. But because of his sin, his family was torn apart. The saddest part is that it could have been avoided.

During the spring time, David was supposed to be at the battlefield with his men. But instead, he was at home, walking on the rooftop. There are many times when we should be studying or working, but instead of completing our duty, we choose to stay idle. That’s when temptation comes. One way to prevent temptation is to complete tasks at designated times. When it’s time to study, study. When it’s time to sleep, sleep. It’s in the late hours of the night that temptation comes most often.

Another way to avoid falling into temptation is to make conscious covenants with God. The Bible says that Bathsheba was very beautiful to behold. David looked at her, and then he beheld her (2 Sam 11:2). There is a difference between seeing and beholding. Everyone sees, but not everyone lingers. David did not just see; he indulged with his eyes. The light of the body is the eye. “If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great [is] that darkness!” (Matt 6:22,23)

It is vitally important to guard the eyes. If there is something that you know you shouldn’t be looking at, turn your eyes away. Job 31:1 states, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” Jesus knows that with enough discipline anyone can look away from a billboard, magazine, or television show. But real Christianity starts in the mind. The mind is where the real character is revealed. Nobody but God and you know what goes on in there. No amount of discipline can control the thoughts. It takes the power of Jesus to keep the mind pure. So like Job, it will take not only a covenant with your eyes, but with the King of the Universe. Let us look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and plead for mercy and grace to overcome.

Another reason that David fell was because he had not learned to be content. David had two wives already. Satan always tempts us to want more, when we already have enough. The lesson of contentment is learned in the lesson of trust. Until we really believe that God has our best interest in mind, it will be hard not to want sinful things. Let’s be honest - we love sin. By nature we want to sin. When God tells us not to do something, we feel like we have something to lose by obeying God.

But God is not a withholder of good things. “No good thing will He with hold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). God is a giver. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we will trust Him. Ask God for power to overcome temptation and He will give it to you. This is the single most important weapon we have to fight against sin, self, and Satan.

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Roy Kim is a Religion Major at Andrews University.


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