Handling temptation Jesus’ way (2)

Here’s some more advice about handling temptation: 1) Temptation comes when you’re alone without support. Just as a wolf looks for the sheep that wanders away from the safety of the flock, Satan is delighted when we neglect fellowship with other believers. Here’s how the Bible teaches us to overcome temptation: ‘A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken’ (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT). We are born, and born again, to walk this journey with others. Paul wrote, ‘The body is not made up of one part but of many….The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”’ (1 Corinthians 12:14, 21 NIV). There’s safety in numbers, so walking in step with other believers increases our protection against Satan. 2) Your greatest weapon against temptation is knowing God’s Word. Jesus resisted Satan’s attacks by quoting it. Satan is powerless when he’s confronted by a believer who trusts and declares God’s Word and truth. We must first decide to stand against temptation, which halts Satan, but it’s our stance on God’s Word that makes him back off. When Satan approached, Jesus didn’t go looking for a Bible; He quoted the Word He knew by heart. Getting Scripture stored up within us is the key to victory. John said, ‘I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one’ (1 John 2:14 NLT).