Temptation

 Ephesians 6:10-17


10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, the Lord didn’t utter anything without first saying, “It is written.” (See Matthew 4:1-25.) Jesus knew Satan could not stand under the power of God’s Word.

Ephesians 6 describes the believer’s spiritual armor—God’s provision for His children when they face pressure from the enemy. Most of the armor is defensive equipment; the sole offensive weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Bible, and it’s our best shot in spiritual battles. However, you can’t remember to do something you don’t know, so it’s important to spend time with the heavenly Father every day, studying Scripture and committing its truths to heart.

Start “putting on” the armor of God every day. Try praying through Ephesians 6:10-17 in the morning. And if you struggle with a particular sin, steer clear of situations that make such a temptation more likely. You may even find it helpful to have an accountability partner—someone who can be honest and with whom you will be comfortable. Steps like these help us resist Satan, who we know from Scripture will flee in the presence of God’s Word.

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