Overcoming Temptation in the Christian Life
Words of Hope for Christians Troubled or Concerned Spiritually
Jan 11, 2009 Kenneth Burchfiel
Most Christians encounter doubt and temptation regarding their life with God, including many saints. Indeed, it is hard not to find anyone who has given in to such things and committed grievous sins. No matter the challenge, all believers should keep the following in mind.
Only God Should be Feared
The minute spiritual hardship arrives, believers often recess into a state of fear. They worry that their struggles are too great to surmount; they act as if no solution exists for their sins or challenges.
When one takes time to reflect on the Lord, however, it becomes evident that God alone need be feared. The Lord created absolutely everything, thus giving Him sole domain, power and authority over everything—including the devil. Nothing can transcend the Creator’s authority or ability. Thus, the Holy Spirit (given to all who repent and are baptized; see Acts 2:38-29) is greater than the source of the problems one faces. With God, nothing is insurmountable.
Paul was wise to say, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31; all Bible passages in this article use the NASB translation.) Certainly, Christians encounter plenty of opposition and temptation. What Paul expresses is that the Holy Spirit can overcome all of it.
God Loves the Worst of Sinners
Not long after Jesus was crucified, there existed a man “ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women” to prison (Acts 8:3). This man “destroyed those who called on [Christ’s] name” (Acts 9:21) and, by his own account, “used to persecute the church of God beyond measure” (Galatians 1:13). Few would give such a man any hope at forgiveness, let alone sainthood.
He later helped write much of the New Testament.
Few Christians have committed sins half as bad as Paul of Tarsus, but even those who have sinned twice as bad have a chance of forgiveness. Bad as the sins of humankind are, the sacrifice of Christ is enough to cancel them out—and give sinners a path to heaven.
Repentance may be necessary, of course, and perhaps other things (click here for more on forgiveness). The point is, however, that no human’s sins are too severe to render forgiveness impossible. To repent and accept Christ’s sacrifice is to hope—and rightly so—that God will forgive them.
God Can Answer All Questions
It is natural for Christians to ask questions about God. If unanswered, these questions often lead one into doubt—even skepticism—regarding the Lord.
Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit, when waited sincerely upon for answers, can respond to all points of confusion. Pastors, explanatory books and one’s God-given logic are also sources of knowledge.
Ration alone cannot overcome doubt, but faith—combined with a sincere voicing of one’s questions to the Lord—can help one find the answers they need. (See this article for more.) Additionally, it helps if the believer suffering from temptation allows God to lead him or her, as the article Giving Control to God explains.
Almost all Christians encounter temptation or adversity regarding their faith; Jesus Himself was tempted, too (see Luke, Chapter 4). Even when believers stumble from time to time, they can trust in this: the Holy Spirit can overcome all adversity, Christ’s sacrifice forgives for all repentant sinners, and God has an answer for every question asked to Him. Even in the worst of conflicts, believers have reason to rejoice.
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