But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Cor. 10:13)
COMEDIAN FLIP WILSON created a character named Geraldine, who popularized the phrase, “The Devil made me do it.” That was Geraldine’s response whenever she needed an excuse for her behavior.
The Devil is real, and he does tempt Christians. Since we are still sinners, we fall sometimes. But we can’t use Geraldine’s excuse because God has given us several weapons to use in the fight against temptation.
Two weapons are described in Matthew 26:41, where Jesus told His followers to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” First, watch: be alert to those situations that are likely to cause you to sin; then avoid them. If your friends gossip, find new ones. If you are tempted to gamble, don’t go to the casino. Second, pray: ask God to help you resist the temptation.
Jesus showed us a third weapon. He was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Heb. 4:15). The account of Satan’s temptation is found in Matthew 4:1–11, and Jesus’ response is an example that all Christians can follow. Our Lord used the same weapon against each temptation—He quoted Scripture. Each of the passages Jesus used came from Deuteronomy, showing that we can use the entire Bible.
If we watch, pray, and search the Bible, we will have a solid foundation for standing up to temptation.
Find a Bible verse that speaks to a temptation you are facing.
Kathryn Page Camp enjoys photography, reading, and sailing Lake Michigan with her husband of thirty-five years.
