If you’re struggling with temptation, your best bet is to flee the situation. No joke. Even unbelievers recognize the simple power of removing triggers when breaking an addiction. An alcoholic should avoid bars and an emotional eater shouldn’t keep a stash of chocolate.
But how do you resist temptation if your trigger can’t be removed—or you can’t remove yourself from the situation? What if your trigger is being alone in your bedroom? Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who has to share your space (and everything else) with a sibling or two, this could be a Catch-22. What if your trigger is the computer you use for work or school? Or the stash of steamy romance novels someone else in your house owns? What if being in the shower is your trigger?
No one will appreciate it if you quit bathing.
The reality is, some triggers are embedded in your life, paving the way for sins of convenience. If this is the case for you, then James has some advice:
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Let’s take it one step further and turn it into a battle plan.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
Step 1: Gear Up For Battle
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Ephesians 6:10-11
I take an in-depth look at the famous Armor of God passage from Ephesians 6 in Armor of God 101, but for this post, let’s focus on one key piece:
“. . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (v. 17)
The sword of the Spirit is your Bible.
Is that a letdown? Perhaps with all this build-up, you were expecting me to reveal something more profound. I get it. But you already have the most critical piece of battle gear at your disposal, and in some situations, it might be all you have. You just need to know how to use it.
You can’t always walk away from the situation. You can’t always avoid the triggers. But you can ALWAYS carry the word of God with you, if not physically, then in your mind.
God’s Word is POWERFUL and He Promises it Will Work
“Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”
Jeremiah 23:29
God is not human, that he should lie. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
Number 23:19
If you’ve tried fighting temptation with scripture and failed, it’s because you question the effectiveness of God’s word. You may have given up before you even started. “This won’t work. I’ve tried it before.“
Stop handling it like it’s a three-inch Swiss Army knife and start looking at it for the razor-sharp, double-edged, high-carbon steel sword that it is! When God says something will happen, it happens. When he promises his word will not fail you, it won’t. Hold him to his promises.
Step 2: Write Down What You Struggle With Most
What is your pet sin? Think of that one thing you just can’t seem to give up no matter what. Or the temptation that returns, weeks, months, even years after you thought you were through with it. Write it down. If you have more than one, write each on a piece of paper, leaving about seven lines between them. You’ll fill the extra space in a moment.
Step 3: Find a Verse to Apply to That Situation
This is the fun part: trying out weapons.
Start with one of your pet sins and go through scripture to find a verse that speaks to you with power. It might not be a verse someone else would choose, nor will it necessarily apply to every temptation. But when you find it, write it in the space beneath the specific sin or temptation you’re trying to fight.
I recommend selecting a verse for each specific temptation you’re trying to overcome. For example, if you struggle with lust and a penchant for foul language, choose two different verses. Why? Because there’s power in knowing you’ve selected a weapon specific to the battle.
These are the weapons you will grab when the monster rears its head.
Step 4: Inoculate
The term “inoculate” typically refers to the administration of vaccinations. You’re preventing a disease from taking root in your body through the introduction of “immunologically active material.”
I think that’s rather appropriate in our battle plan for temptation. And now that you’ve found your go-to verse(s), it’s time to inoculate yourself against the disease of sin.
- Memorize it. Force it into your brain until you can recall it as quickly as your name, address, and social security number.
- Post it. Write it down and tape it to your bathroom mirror, your bedroom ceiling, the dashboard in your car—wherever it is that you need to remember it most. Don’t hide it. And if someone else sees it? Great! They can benefit from seeing the Word of God, too.
- Speak it. The more you say this verse, the more ingrained it will become in your psyche, which is exactly what you want.
Step 5: Go to War
A sword hanging from a belt might give a warrior a mighty and formidable vibe, but unless he pulls it out, it does him absolutely zilch in battle.
You need to pull out your sword! Cling to it with both hands. Pray on it. Ask God to change your heart and make you strong in battle. He promises to be there with you. Hold him to it!
Bible Verses to Help You Beat Temptation
Sometimes the most powerful verse for a given situation is one you’ve never given much mind to before. Open your Bible and go for a treasure hunt.
1 Corinthians 10:13 and Matthew 26:41 are both popular verses for the battle against temptation. But here are a few lesser-known swords to help you in your own fight:
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 5:10
But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
Psalm 3:3
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:24-25
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.
Romans 8:9
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:14
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Psalm 73:23-24
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Psalm 34:7
Bible Verses About the Power of God’s Word
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
2 Timothy 3:16
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
Psalm 119:91-91
The Battle Against Temptation: More Resources For Teens
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
- How to Overcome Habitual Sin: Why Persistence Matters
- Your Deepest Desires: The Truth About Habitual Sin
- No Fear: The Danger of Sin In Your Heart
- 8 Bible Passages to Stop Sin In It’s Tracks
- How to Develop Self-Control As a Teen
- What to do When You Struggle With Temptation
- Resist Temptation: The Missing Link in 1 Corinthians 10:13