How to overcome the temptation of the devil
Contents
How to overcome the temptation of the devil <The life of the saints 6> (Matthew 26:36-46)
1. Stay awake, sober, sober, and pray without ceasing
(Matthew 26:41) “Watch and pray that you may not fall into temptation, saying, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 6:13) “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil---” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17) “Pray without ceasing” (cf. Romans 8:26,27)
?Watching and praying is the secret to not falling into temptation. So when Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer, he told us to pray that we would not fall into temptation. However, the disciples could not overcome their tiredness and fell asleep while falling asleep (Matthew 26:56). All of them abandoned Jesus and fled.
2. Living with God’s Word in mind
(Psalm 119:11) “I have put Your word in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Proverbs 7:1-5) “My son, keep my word, and keep my commands with you. Live by my commandments, and keep my laws as the pupil of your eye. Tie it to your finger and write it on the tablet of your heart. Say to Wisdom, you are my sister, and to Myung-chul, you are my relative. Then it will keep you from falling into a whore, or a foreigner who speaks scornfully.”
Among the weapons against the devil's schemes, the most powerful weapon is the Word of God. Also, the Word is the sword used by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). The Holy Spirit defeats the power of the devil with the sword of these words. Therefore, memorize the Word and develop your speaking skills (Matthew 4:1-11).
3. Living to Love Your Neighbors
(Romans 13:10) “Love does no evil to its neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (1 Peter 4:8) “Above all, love one another zealously, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
?Love has two powers. One is the strength to not do evil toward neighbors. Next is the power to cover the faults of our neighbors. Satan cannot overcome a person with such power (love).
4. Life without greed
(James 1:14,15) “But each one is tempted, being drawn away and deceived by his own lust; and lust has conceived and gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
?The cause of temptation is greed. Adam, Achan, Gehazi, Judas Iscariot, and even David fell into temptation because of greed. Therefore, believers should not be drawn and deceived by the lusts of material things, fame, power, and reason.<Reference/1 Timothy 6:9,10>
5. A life that avoids and stays away from the test seat
(Psalm 1:1) “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers” (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:22; 2 John 1:10,11; Proverbs 5:8) ?The way to overcome temptation is to stay away from the counsel of the wicked, the way of sinners, and the seat of the scornful (1 Timothy 6:11).
6. A life of gratitude for everything
Just like Paul who gave thanks in prison (Acts 16:25), and Daniel who gave thanks in front of the danger in the lions' den (Dan. 6:10), if you live a life of thanksgiving, God gives you the blessing of overcoming temptation. ?When you have a hardened heart and you grumble and complain, tests will come, but if you pray with thanksgiving, the tests will go away.