When temptation comes our way, it often feels overwhelming. The seduction comes from the liar, Satan, and lies accompany every wayward desire we possess. Temptation lies to us that we need to do this, it will benefit us in some way, we deserve it, and other deceptive statements. In addition, since we have lived the first part of our lives (at least) in bondage to our own sinful nature, we easily believe we are still enslaved by sin.
Christ’s work through his death and resurrection provides another way. Through our repentance and submission to him, the power of sin has been broken. We’ve been born again by the Spirit and become partakers in God’s very nature. Therefore, we have freedom in truth, love, and hope to live righteously and holy—not of ourselves but from Christ in and through us.
Yet in the moment of temptation, these truths seem distant, possibly cliché. Our transformation happens through the renewing of our mind to these truths, however. And it is within the moment of challenge and trial that those truths are needed. It’s easy to believe God is for us when everything appears to be working out. Faith matters in the difficult moments or it matters not at all.
When tempted, we must develop the habit of hesitation and reflecting on truth, recognizing the test from the Devil so we can replace those lies with God’s Word. Here are seven Bible quotes to help us when tempted.
When facing temptation, we often feel alone, like no one else faces these hardships and lusts. That’s part of the lie. The Devil seeks to isolate us in our temptation. In reality, everyone struggles with sin.
1 Corinthians 10:13 provides an encouragement and promise.
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
The apostle Paul reminds us how we share the temptation experience with everyone. The lusts we encounter aren’t unique but common to all people. Knowing this can bring comfort and help combat feelings of isolation during times of temptation.
In addition, the verse gives us hope. God’s faithfulness doesn’t lead us to fight alone. First, he won’t allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to resist. God empowers us with himself, and we can rest in him and declare truth against the lie we have no ability to reject temptation. Second, the Father promises to provide a way of escape. The “way out” may seem unlikely or hidden, but the same can be said of all God’s promises. Turning to him and asking, he will give us wisdom generously and without discrimination. This way could be through prayer, Scripture, and removing yourself. This won’t be easy, but with God, all things are possible.
Part of being human and made in God’s image is that we all have the godly desire to be known and heard. God made us to have an intimate relationship with him and others, and sin separated us from right relationship with the Father, others, and creation. Yet he restores all these through Christ.
Just as we feel alone when tempted, we think no one can understand what we’re going through. But not only do others also have a similar experience, Jesus himself understands being tempted since he lived a fully human life. Hebrews 2:18 encourages us.
“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Jesus doesn’t view our struggles from a distance. He intimately understands the struggle and the suffering of the temptation. He knows the pain of temptation, but he also knows how to lead us through it in righteousness.
Christ was tempted in all ways we have been, and yet without sin. This teaches us a profoundly important truth: temptation isn’t sin. It leads to it, but if Jesus was tempted and remained righteous, we shouldn’t believe the lie the Devil tells us. While dealing with our lusts, Satan tells us we’ve already failed, we’ve already sinned, which leads us to the sin. Through looking at Christ, we can remember facing our sinful desires isn’t itself disobedience.
Turn to Jesus in times of temptation. He understands and comforts us first, and then he helps us through it by empowering us to remain faithful to the Father through his Spirit.
Facing temptation isn’t a passive action. Wih repentance, God calls us to actively resist temptation. James 4:7 gives us this strategy.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
As we’ve discussed, the core foundation remains. We must submit our lives to God to have his blessing and spiritual power to overcome. Therefore, James puts first things first. We must submit to God. Submission includes our will, desires, and decisions to his Lordship and authority. Placing ourselves under God’s will may sound passive, but it is an active and constant choice to take up our cross and follow him.
Next, we actively resist. God is always active and intentional, so he disciples us to have the same character. James follows our active submission with active resistance. We don’t tolerate or negotiate with temptation but reject it as a path to death, not life. Resistance might include turning away from a circumstance, taking godless thoughts captive, and declaring Scripture.
The verse also contains a promise. Submit first, resist next, and the Devil will flee. The enemy can’t stand against the power of God working in and through us.
The primary way to engage God and gain his help is through the gift of prayer. Many falsely believe prayer is a passive activity. On the contrary, if Jesus continues to pray as our intercessor in Heaven, then our prayers become powerful.
In Matthew, 26:41, Jesus gives his disciples guidance during a particularly dark moment.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus spoke these words in the Garden of Gethsemane during a time of intense spiritual warfare, the night before his crucifixion. The Devil actively sought to tempt him and those who followed him, and his solution instructed them to stay aware and pray. Christ makes an interesting but important statement: while our spirit desires to overcome, our flesh struggles to obey.
First, Jesus commands them to “watch,” a mindfulness of what’s happening in the spiritual realm. Part of our flesh’s weakness includes mental laziness, a lack of focus on what we can’t readily see, the heavenly reality. Yet this reality has power and influence over what we see. Staying spiritually aware with discernment helps us be less likely to fall to his lying ways.
From the place of staying attuned to the unseen through the Spirit, we choose to pray. Ask God for wisdom about the situation and strength to resist. In prayer, acknowledge our weakness and declare his power, trusting in his ability to protect and empower us.
In prayer, God gives us wisdom and insight into the situation through his Word, which he speaks to us through the Spirit. This could and usually includes reminding us of a specific biblical verse or passage that contains truth to combat the temptation and lies of the enemy. Psalm 119:11 speaks regarding the power of the Word.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
His Word comes from righteousness and holiness. Therefore, his Word will produce the same. To “hide” his Word involves treating it with respect, honor, and valuing it more than anything. God’s revelation about himself through the Spirit is the greatest treasure in existence, because of the life and power it gives. When we hide God’s truth in our hearts, it guides us away from sin and toward righteousness.
The Word of God begins with the Spirit and flows to the Bible uniquely inspired (God-breathed) by that Spirit. Scripture reveals God’s redemptive story, and the Holy Spirit helps us properly participate in his will to reconcile all things to himself through his Son by the Spirit. To “hide” God’s word in our heart includes living according to those truths. The Bible expresses true belief as what we do, not simply what we intellectually acknowledge.
To hide God’s Word in our heart, we read and meditate on Scripture, then seek God’s help to understand and live it out. This empowers us to overcome temptations and struggles.
The goal of prayer, reading the Bible, and all spiritual disciplines is one simple thing: walk step by step with the Father by the Spirit. Spiritual disciplines engage us with the unseen, looking beyond this world to our hope and the Lord we love. With this clarity, we follow Christ. The apostle Paul reminds us of this in Galatians 5:16.
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
The New Covenant restores us to what humanity lost in the Garden of Eden. In paradise, Adam and Eve walked in intimacy with God and found their contentment and purpose from him. The Fall severed us from this, what we were created for, and through Christ, we were reborn to live in this way again.
Prepositions matter. “By” is a little word with powerful meaning—it indicates cause and agency, the means or method, proximity or location, a standard, an action, and ownership. Place all of those ideas within the phrase, and we better understand walking “by” the Spirit. The “Holy” Spirit will not lead us to sin or temptation beyond our ability to resist in him. This daily moment-by-moment walk helps us address our sinful desires.
However, walking by the Spirit helps us do more than say “no.” We have a greater satisfaction and blessing within the restored relationship with our Creator.
We weren’t meant to live alone. In the perfect Garden, Adam was incomplete without intimate relationship with one like himself. The Church (the pillar of truth, filled with the Spirit) teaches and empowers us to live according to the Spirit.
In relationship with others through the Body of Christ, we can be vulnerable about our struggles and failures regarding sin. Whether the temptation or the sin, James 5:16 gives us a path to restoration.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
We don’t naturally want to do this. We’d rather try to impress people with our successes. Yet Scripture leads us to be humble and find grace. Confessing our struggles or failures creates accountability. As a pastor friend once told me, “Secrets have power in darkness.” Temptation seeks to isolate us from God and one another. In community, we break its power over us and encourage ourselves back to God’s truth through compassion and mutual understanding.
Confession isn’t about shame. Shame doesn’t belong in the Kingdom. When we share our struggles, ones common to all, we find comfort and connection. Their prayers help us overcome temptation and gain wisdom from their experience. Mutual support sees us through hard times and speaks forgiveness over us when we require it, reminding us of God’s love for us.
Peace.
Further Reading
Bible Verses about Temptation
How to Resist Temptation with Encouraging Bible Verses
20 Verses for Taming Temptation
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