How do we fight temptation?
Satan is a liar. He has been since the beginning and he’s good at it.
Sin is believing a lie, believing that God’s commandments are chains, believing that I’ll be happier if I do this, that my life will be more satisfied, that I need this, deserve this, or that I don’t deserve what God has promised.
How do we fight that? How do we stand against the lies?
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm
Part of that armor is the sword of God’s word...
Ephesians 6:17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
We fight temptation with God’s word.
And that’s how Christ fought it...
Matthew 4:3-4 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
And again...
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
And again...
Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
Stroke after stroke, Jesus fought the greatest temptation this world has ever seen and he fought it with the truth of Scripture.
When temptation comes, fight. Grab God’s word, read it, recite it, write it down, because every word of God is a sword thrust into heart of Satan’s lies.
And when sin comes back with new lies or old classics it’s used before, swing. Swing again and again and again. Wield God’s word to break its illusions, to see through its deceptions.
Follow the example of Christ and fight sin’s lies with the Truth.