Overcoming Temptation: How to Recognize the Enemy’s Traps
The enemy doesn’t have to attack you to destroy you. Often he sets up traps that tempt us to destroy ourselves.
The traps of the enemy aren’t innovative (and often they’re not even complex). The devil uses three types of temptations to lure us into sin - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life (I encourage you to study them). Jesus was tempted in these three areas while he was in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), and He overcame all of them. In Him, so can we.
The devil will present opportunities for you to disobey God and pursue sin. He studies your habits and weaknesses. He places things within your path that appeal to your flesh. We fall for these things when we allow our flesh to lead us instead of the Holy Spirit.
For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one’s resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world. 1 John 2:16
What a Trap Can Look Like
I can recall a former coworker that frequently flirted with me. He was not a follower of Jesus but I’ll admit (at the time) I enjoyed the attention. I knew He wasn’t sent by God as a potential partner because He wasn’t living for Jesus. I had to take a step back and pray for strength. As I sought God He revealed to me what was REALLY going on. This was a distraction; a tempting trap to lure me away from God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.
The enemy was trying to get me to give in to my feelings so that my focus would be on having fun with that guy instead of the purpose God had for me at that job. It’s hard to be LIGHT when you’re worried about being LIKED. If I more spent time flirting with homeboy, then I’d spend less time thinking of ways to connect with my colleagues and share my faith. And, if I would’ve pursued a relationship with Him it most certainly would’ve pulled me away from Christ. Thankfully, I didn’t fall for it. I kept my mind focused on Jesus.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
The Enemy Will Use Anything
The devil knows how much that one coworker gets on your nerves and he’ll use them to frustrate you so that you curse them out, gossip about them to others, and treat them badly. That way you won’t see them as a soul that Jesus died for and seek to love them as Christ loves you.
He’ll use social media, movies, and music to keep your mind fixated on material things and plant seeds of discontentment as you compare your life to the one you think everyone else is living. Then, maybe, you’ll grow discontent with where God’s placed you (and even God himself) and step outside His will to pursue things that you think will fulfill you (but actually won’t). I could go on and on but I’m sure you get the picture. The goal is to get our eyes and desire off of Jesus and onto what we can possess, what will satisfy our flesh, or what we can achieve in our own strength.
Related Post: How the Enemy Distracts Us & How You Can Overcome It
How do you recognize these traps and not fall into temptation and sin? The short answer - seek God and obey Him. Jesus overcame with the Word of God, and if we follow His example we will overcome as well. You won’t fall for lies if you are abiding in Truth. Make that your first priority. Additionally, there are three things that have practically helped me and I encourage you to give them a try.
1) Recognize Your Weaknesses & Patterns
“Do not give the devil a foothold”. Ephesians 4:27
The enemy studies your weaknesses. If he knows where you can easily be tempted, then you should too. Seek God to identify those areas and set up boundaries to guard yourself. Don’t give the enemy easy access to your mind or life.
Another helpful exercise is observing sinful or negative patterns you have. It’s not a coincidence that every boss you’ve had gets under your skin or that every guy you’ve dated pulls you away from Christ. Pay attention to these patterns because they reveal tests you’re continuously failing. Seek God on how to break free of them. As you do you’ll find yourself finally moving forward instead of going in circles around the same mountain.
2) Realize You Have a Choice
God will warn you about sin but he will not force you to choose what’s right. Out of love, He gives us free will. You have to FIGHT against your flesh and deny yourself to follow Christ. The good news is you don’t have to do it in your own strength. The bible tells us that God will give us a way out when we are tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13). Jesus overcame every temptation known to man - and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can as well.
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:13-15
3) Understand You’re in a Spiritual War
This fight is spiritual which means you have to be spiritually equipped. The traps are harder to see the more out of tune you are with God. Pray for discernment daily and ask God to open your spiritual eyes. Be intentional about focusing on what’s eternal instead what is temporary. That will help you make decisions based on what lies ahead of you (God’s promises, eternal life, etc…) instead of what’s in front of you. Lastly, like a soldier preparing for battle, put on the full armor of God every day as described in Ephesians 6.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:12-13
This has been my recipe for successfully overcoming temptation. The more we mature in Christ, the more proactive our fight should be. It’s one thing to react to spiritual attacks, but it’s another to expect and be ready for them. In my experience, that makes the fight bit easier.
