Y’all, the struggle is real, isn’t it? I mean it seems that temptation is everywhere and comes in all kinds of forms. I mean look at this laundry list – pride, sex, anger, laziness, bitterness, cheating / cutting corners, lying, eating poorly, lack of discipline, pleasing people and the list goes on. And that was just yesterday!
What is a Godly Leader to do? Do we give up and give in?
NO!
God has not given us the ability to eliminate temptations, but He has given us ways that we can resist temptation! It is Essential that we put these into practice or we will find ourselves with the desire to be a Godly Leader, but in practice we’ll end up with some very ungodly aspects of our lives.
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
I mean this in 2 ways – the evil one and…you. First, we need to know that the evil one loves to take down Godly Leaders. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Realize and recognize that someone is out to bring you down!
Second, it may seem odd, but we must make a study of ourselves. Personality, circumstances, disposition, and life experiences are all factors that can make us more susceptible to certain kinds of temptations. How can we be on guard for something unless we know what we are looking for?
LEARN TO RECOGNIZE TEMPTATION
Temptation is, well, tempting. It presents something to us as pleasant, true, or both. We want to give in because it presents something to us that pulls on our desires and presents us with something that seems good. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:14-16)
The problem is that in the moment of temptation, we might not at first recognize that what is before us leads to sin. We can combat this by learning to recognize temptation when it comes along. We can also prevent it by filling ourselves with the things God tells us in his Word are good and fruitful things (1 Timothy 6:11). We need to faithfully sit under the teaching of the Word so we can get better and better at discerning when we are being tempted. The Godly Leader knows that it is Essential to learn how to recognize the temptation when it arises.
SLOW DOWN AND REST
We are more susceptible to temptation when we are exhausted. When we are tired we are weakened and so more vulnerable to the deceptions of the evil one. Rest is very important for our spirituality, and we must be extra vigilant when we are tired, asking the Lord for extra strength to resist temptation. Godly Leaders run hard. You need to rest hard as well!
FOLLOW JESUS’S PRAYER REGARDING TEMPTATION
Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:13, “ Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Let that be your prayer to start each day and when you recognize the temptation starting.
When the disciples kept succumbing to sleep while Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told them to “watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Apart from God, we have no hope of resisting temptation. This is why it is Essential for the Godly Leader that humble prayer must be our constant companion. Praying as Jesus taught us in the Lord’s prayer that God would “lead us not into temptation” is praying for our deliverance from even facing temptation. Praying with others is also a great way to help you keep in the practice of prayer.
REMEMBER JESUS’S PROMISE
God never allows us to be tempted beyond what we can take but always provides us with a way out.
1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
That means that God is there for you. Jesus will meet you where you are.
That does NOT mean that if you’re tempted by porn, that you can stop once you’ve opened the porn site on your phone. If you’re an alcoholic, that you can stop once that shot glass is on its way to your mouth.
Remember the previously mentioned ways to stay out of the temptation. But rest assured, that when temptation does come and it will…later today…God will give you the ability to resist the battle of your mind with His strength. As a Godly Leader, you can resist in Jesus’s name!
We could talk a lot more on this topic, but we’ll leave it there for now. What are your thoughts or questions? Leave them in the comments. If you found this blog helpful or thought-provoking, please Subscribe Below to receive a new weekly blog in your email on Tuesday morning. Also, if you think this blog would be helpful for others, please Share it on Social Media or tell a few friends about it!
Love being on this Essential Godly Leadership journey with you!
Essential Godly Leadership: “Leading your life, your family, your work, your relationships, and your world in a way that is seeking wisdom from, and pleasing to, the Lord Jesus.”