In Proverbs, chapter one, verse ten, early in life, young people face enticements of sin. Peer pressure tempts them to join the majority in some sinful behavior even though they know clearly it is wrong. Young people can resist such temptations by developing a close relationship with God as their Lord, by nurturing their spirit daily through prayer, worship, and the Word, by learning to say “no” to sin, by the willingness to stand alone if need be in their commitment to God and His righteous ways, as in verses fifteen and sixteen of this theme chapter. And knowing that compromise and sin lead to heartache, not joy; regret, not true fulfillment; loss and not gain; calamity, not life, as in verse twenty-seven.
The temptation of Jesus in Matthew four, verses one through eleven, was an attempt to entice Him from the pathway of perfect obedience to the will of God. Notice that in each temptation, Jesus submitted Himself to the authority of the Word rather than the desires of Satan in verses four, seven, and ten of Matthew four, respectively. What can we learn from the temptation of Christ? Satan is our greatest enemy. As Christians, we must be aware that we are engaged in spiritual warfare with unseen but very real powers of evil. Without the Holy Spirit and the proper use of God’s Word, the Christian cannot overcome sin and temptation.
The following are examples of how to use God’s Word to overcome temptation: Realize that through God’s Word, you have the power to resist any appeal Satan can make, as in John fifteen, verses three and seven. Engraft or memorize the Word of God in your heart and mind. Meditate day and night on the verses you study and learn, especially the ones to your situation.