How do I battle temptation?
Question:
Good Day!
I have been a patron and a reader of your website for about a few months now, and I have found your answers to be good and your knowledge of the Bible is great. I have to say, your website has been a great deal of help to me, in which I say my thanks.
I am very young, to be exact I'm a high schooler. I have recently been reconnecting and talking with others in the Christian Community and now I put God and His Word into great focus. Now as I said, I am very young, therefore very easily tempted into sin and its deceptive power against me. As I read through your website, I have gotten a really good understanding of what sins are. And therefore I realize what sins I have been doing. I confessed these to the Lord and I've been making an act to change. So here I present to you a spiritual battle against temptation. I ask you: How do I combat temptation and sin in general?
Another thing that I want to ask about is combat against the evil one. As I explored your website, I have seen some, disturbed people who have set about to do the works of the evil one. Now since I was born and even now, I have had a sincere disgust and discomfort whenever it comes to evil things. I have always been disturbed by the evil one, that's why I'm not saying his wicked name. Now many intrusively unwanted thoughts shower upon me once in a while, which makes me feel very very uncomfortable. How do I set about conquering those unwanted thoughts and have my mind clear of the evil one's wickedness?
Answer:
It is good to hear from young people who sincerely want to follow after God. Since I don't know your background, my first recommendation is to dedicate yourself completely to Christ. For this, see:
It helps in battling a temptation to understand why you find certain things to be tempting. See The Nature of Sin, Temptation, and Lust.
A common problem is that we tend to focus on getting rid of sin, but that is only half of the problem. If sin is not replaced with something better, then we will lapse right back into it. "Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation" (Matthew 12:43-45). Thus, when unwanted thoughts intrude, find better things to do that require your focus. "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:7-8). Notice the contrasting actions. It takes both resisting the Devil and submitting to God in order to win.
Finally, don't give up improving yourself. "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world" (I Peter 5:8-9).
I didn't get into specifics since I don't know what kind of temptations and thoughts you are struggling against, but these lay out the general ground rules for battling sin. If you want to discuss more specific problems, you are welcome to write again.
Response:
Hello! Thank you for your great response!
