12 Keys For Victory Over Temptation

Mankind deals with temptation constantly. It is impossible to escape it, but we can learn to overcome it.

We, as believers in Christ, are not bound to the chains of the enemy. Jesus came and went to the cross to free us. Sadly, many professing Christians are not aware of this freedom we have.

I struggled with years of bad habits that were sinful until I genuinely took the time to dive deep into God’s Word. The Holy Spirit showed me that freedom was mine. I just had to take it for myself.

As you read this blog post, you will see the freedom the Father has for you through His Son, Jesus.

You can be victorious over temptation and free from sin.

Something Personal to Share

I don’t want to share this, but if I don’t, I don’t feel this blog post will be that effective. My whole desire is that people will be free from sin. I know how it feels to be in bondage, crying out, wanting to be free but never getting anywhere. It is demoralizing to be trapped in sin, especially for someone who knows it’s not right and is trying to do something about it.

As a teenager, I looked at pornography. In my world, that was a normal thing to do. The old saying, boys will be boys. If you didn’t, there must be something wrong with you.

After giving my life to Jesus at 22 years old, I knew it was wrong and walked away from it. I don’t even remember it being a struggle at the time. Also, the internet wasn’t around. It was an effort to access it, meaning you had to go to a local convenience store to buy the magazines. I was never one for the porn shops or gentlemen’s clubs, as they call them.

Fast forward to the day it came back into my life. I was at work and went into the maintenance room to get a tool. Right there, in front of my face, was a graphic poster of a woman. At that moment, all those past feelings of looking at pornography came rushing in. I suddenly desired to look at it again. At this time, the internet was coming out, and I had a home computer. So, I began exploring ways to access it online. That, in return, opened the door wide open to viewing pornography online.

Battling sin, no matter what it is, can be a struggle as you fight it alone. After years of doing so, I began to press into the Lord to find out why I was losing the battle. He took me on a long journey through the scriptures. The bottom line was I was not allowing the Lord to give me the strength to come against it. It was my fight, not his. Also, I was dealing with sin in of itself, not learning how to deal with temptation first.

I can tell you today that Jesus has set me free from it. I can’t brag about myself. The Lord helped me slam the door shut and lock it. I have no desire for it. But I can tell you this: the devil will periodically check to see if I will open the door back up.

That is why I am writing this blog, to help all those struggling with a sin or various sins in their lives. You are not alone; you can be free. The key is learning to master temptation way before sin even occurs. As you do, you will see freedom in your life.

Temptation Versus Sin

This may surprise you; if you are tempted, that is not a sin. Yielding or giving in to the temptation is a sin. Example: You get a thought in your mind about having sex with your co-worker. If you put a stop to it and don’t entertain it, you choose not to enter into sin, but if you allow your mind to explore that thought and grow more, you go from temptation to sin.

As we can see from 2 Corinthians 5:21, Jesus sinned not, but in Matthew 4:1-11 He was tempted by the devil three different times. He chose not to entertain those thoughts. He combatted satan with the Word of God.

Temptation is the feeling of being drawn to do something wrong by the devil, your desires, or other people. Sin is the act of actually doing it.

Sin robs us of joy, peace, and a relationship with God. Any true believer in Christ doesn’t enjoy sin. Maybe they do for a moment, but in time, their hearts will get a hold of them through the Holy Spirit. While I struggled with pornography in my life, I felt hopeless and dirty. My relationship with God was a roller coaster. On top of that, it robbed me in my marriage.

We hear messages about walking away from sin, but how often have you heard one about overcoming temptation? I have never heard one in 34 years as a believer in Christ.

Many believers try to tackle the sin part before they ever try to have victory over temptation. It’s like getting the cart before the horse. We have to master not falling during temptation. Once we do, we will see ourselves free from sin.

Keys to Victory Over Temptation

Being victorious over temptation is 100% possible. No one has to fall into the snares of the devil. It takes effort on your part. 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises that God will not allow us to face temptation that we can’t stand against. Also, He will show us a way out. It comes down to whether you are willing to guard your heart.

In the Bible, the “heart” is more than just the organ in your body. It stands for the center of who you are. It’s where your thoughts, feelings, wants, choices, and reasons all come from. It’s like your inner control room. Decisions happen there, and actions start there. The heart is seen as where your spiritual life and character are, showing your authentic self and how you connect with God.

As you can see, your heart, spiritually speaking, is critical to your life. You must guard it with everything inside of you. The Bible says it determines the course of your life. It’s not something you can play with. Sin is real, and it hinders our walk with God.

Here are 12 practical keys to guard your heart and be victorious over temptation. Realize this: none of these replace a life of daily prayer, reading the Word of God, or consistent church attendance. These are in addition, too.

1. God Will Strengthen You

This scripture transformed my life, and I speak of it constantly. It is so powerful on so many levels. God will work in you. This is by His grace to strengthen you. Ultimately, He will develop the desire and power to do what pleases Him inside of you.

Being victorious over temptation and free from sin pleases God. Therefore, you can run to God and say, I am struggling with this sin. I know it doesn’t please you. I want to be free; I want my life to please you.

As you pray this prayer, I promise that Father God will start working inside of you through the Holy Spirit. The key is to work with Him as well. You have to yield to Him. If you resist Him, He will pull back, and you will not see any changes.

You have to put your skin in the game as well. That is why I listed 11 other keys. These are things you need to do. As you work with the Lord, you will see the transformation take place.

2. Submitting and Resisting

What a great promise we have, and it is a promise that we can hold onto. God is not a man that He can lie. If the Word of God promises it, then it’s ours.

I want to focus on two keywords in James 4:7: submit and resist. They indicate our actions. God can strengthen you and give you all the courage to fight, but if you choose not to submit to God and resist the devil, you will not see the victory in overcoming the devil.

In today’s society, many hate to hear the word submit. Many are so rebellious and have no desire to submit to anyone, even God. However, when you learn that word and begin operating in it, you will witness many wonderful things in your life through the Lord.

Submit means to:

• Surrender to God: His care, power, and strength

• Yield to God: His will, command, instructions, and laws

• Conform to His expectations with the right heart

Resist means to:

• Be sober-minded and alert of the devil (1 Peter 5:8)

• Actively oppose the enemy

• Bind him through God’s Word (Matthew 16:19)

• Don’t entertain his schemes and plans

• Put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20

• Be determined and not give in

3. Embrace the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is your guide and comforter. He lives inside of you. We can’t ignore Him; we must constantly make Him a part of our day. Don’t put Him in a box and allow Him in your life when it’s convenient for you. He wants to share things with you, but He is a gentleman and will only speak to those who want to hear Him. We must respond to His promptings in our spirit. As we do, He will communicate with us more and more.

When you embrace the Holy Spirit, He will help you deal with temptation. In my journey to being free from pornography, He would gently share with me ways to overcome. Then, as I overcame, He would warn me about certain things that I was looking at that would push me back into sin. Simple things like Instagram photos of women or stuff that I thought about. All these were breadcrumbs back to sin.

Looking back on my path over the years, I can identify how the Holy Spirit has helped me be free so many times. He lives within you. He is there to help you. You must let Him do so.

4. Get Far From the Fence

Don’t just toe the line and see how close to sin you can get. If you do, you are giving him a foothold in your life. For me, I wanted to get as far away as possible. I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was done with it. I didn’t even want to be around it.

This is why you must be extreme in your avoidance, even if it means dropping certain friends or family members. Maybe they encourage you to gossip, do drugs, steal, or whatever. For me, I don’t watch certain movies or even have certain social media apps on my phone. Some would say, Shawn, that’s a little bit overboard. Nope, not for me. I love being free, and I don’t want anything in my life that will tempt me.

Examine your life and what sin you want to be free from. Look at the path to it. What draws you back in over and over? One thing that I did was put filters on all my computer devices. It even reports my activity to my wife. Also, I removed Instagram from my phone. I don’t even have TikTok on it. I don’t watch any movies with sex scenes.

You have to get far away from sin! Don’t see how close you can get to it because I guarantee you will fall right back into it.

5. Make an Effort to Resist

I shared about resisting the devil, but we must resist the temptation in itself. This may surprise some, but temptation is not always from the devil. Our own flesh will tempt us as well.

The Holy Spirit will partner with you to help you be free. He will give you the strength needed, but He will not do it all for you. You have to say no and make every effort not to succumb to the temptation. You have to resist.

In Luke 4:13, when the devil departs from Jesus after tempting Him three times, the Bible says he left him until the next opportunity came. The devil is relentless. We have to be aware of this and be on guard.

As I shared with you, I struggled with pornography years ago. To this day, I have to be on guard against all forms of temptation that may come my way to draw me back to that life.

Some may accuse me of obsessing over it, but my relationship with the Father is more important than anything else. I am capable of going back there again. Therefore, I must make a constant effort to resist.

You can’t just give in at any given moment. If you do, the devil will know it and not stop tempting you. It’s like the bully on the playground; if he gets a response from you every time, he won’t stop. If you ignore him, he will go onto an easier target.

6. Take Immediate Action

While in the US Army, we trained and trained, over and over. The phrase practice makes perfect is so true. As we practiced, we became more skilled in battle. Something else occurred as well. We developed muscle memory.

Muscle memory is the ability to reproduce a particular movement without conscious thought, acquired through frequent repetition of that movement. So, when I was in the military, we were able to do tasks without any thought. It was like second nature.

With temptation, we have to get to the point where responding becomes second nature. When we are tempted, we don’t even think about it. We respond immediately. It has to be like a threat to our lives. Whatever it may be, we need to shut it down and change our focus without thinking about it.

I am so far removed from the days of pornography, but as I was developing my spiritual muscle memory, the devil would try to tempt me. He suggested that I look at certain images on social media. He knew this would pull me back in. I trained myself to see the threat and rebuke him immediately. I would come against him with the Word of God.

I would immediately go to the Lord and tell Him I am not returning to that life. I need His strength to overcome. I would change my focus. I removed the threat and placed it upon the Lord. As I did, the temptation subsided and went away. As I kept doing this repeatedly, the enemy’s temptation became less and less.

Even though I don’t deal with it at the level I used to, I still have to respond like I have always, immediately and with force.

7. Avoid Particular Situations and Settings

We all have some sin that can creep back into our lives. It’s not always about sex. There are many forms of sin. What may be your sin may not be mine. You must be aware of those sins and what particular settings can fuel them. Or what people encourage you to sin.

Then you have to say no to them. Again, it could be people. Cutting them off may not be easy, but you may have to set boundaries.

As I wrote earlier, I have to be careful what apps I have on my phone. I have to ensure that I don’t look at particular content on the internet. It may seem innocent to some, but to me, it can fuel or draw me back to looking at pornography.

I have looked at this seriously in my life. I have taken much time to identify what fuels my want to look at pornography. Then, I removed many things and even fortified my life.

8. Know Your Behavioral Triggers

A “behavioral trigger” makes you act in a certain way. It could be a thing, person, or place that causes you to feel strong emotions, making you behave better or worse. For example, being rejected by a loved one may cause you to overeat. Triggers can change how you think and act.

The enemy knows what buttons to push. He knows what triggers you. He has studied you since birth. In many cases, he knows you better than you know yourself.

You have to know what triggers you. You can’t always avoid triggers. In many cases, they are a part of daily life. For me, when I got stressed and wanted to relieve it, I would use pornography. Now, when I get stressed, I use exercise. I will go for a walk or go to the gym. My responses are healthy and not destructive.

Here is a list of some triggers. See if you can identify with them. Yours may not be listed here. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what triggers you to sin and how to turn it positively.

• Peer Pressure: Wanting to fit in with a group

• Covetous: Seeing something desirable that isn’t yours

• Anger: Feeling very upset or hurt by someone

• Jealousy: Wanting what someone else has

• Greed: Desiring more than what you need

• Pride: Thinking you’re better than others

• Fear: Worrying about something that might happen

• Laziness: Not wanting to do what’s right because it’s hard

• Loneliness: Feeling isolated or unloved

• Boredom: Acting out because you have nothing to do

• Curiosity: Wanting to try something dangerous or forbidden

• Impatience: Not wanting to wait for something

• Lust: Strong desires for things or people inappropriately

• Stress: Feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities

• Desperation: Feeling there’s no other option but to act wrongly

• Influence of Media: Imitating negative behaviors seen in movies, games, or online

• Rejection: Socially rejected by others

The beautiful thing about knowing your triggers is that you can stay way ahead of sin and even temptation. You can see the enemy’s schemes a mile away as you understand what triggers you. It will enable you to pray and strengthen yourself through the Lord before you get to the point of giving in to temptation.

9. Set Boundaries

Knowing in your heart what triggers you or that you will need to take action immediately is great, but if there are no boundaries set in place, all that and others will go by the wayside.

When you set boundaries, you are being purposeful. You are doing it with intentionality. You are putting your stake in the ground and making a declaration. There is a determination in your heart that you will not cross this line.

When I got free from pornography, it was a time in my life when I was so sick of it and the bondage over my life. I wasn’t seeing the freedom in my life from sin that the Bible was promising. I was determined this time, and it wasn’t like the other times I had cried out to God. I was serious.

As the Holy Spirit began to walk me through the Word of God, he began showing me why I was missing it and not seeing the desired freedom. Hope started rising in my heart. I knew that this time was for real. That is when I started setting boundaries by developing a plan with the Holy Spirit.

Today, I keep tabs on those boundaries, constantly shoring them up and making adjustments. Just recently, I started getting pulled by some thoughts. The devil was checking to see if my doors were still closed. I immediately took it to prayer, made some adjustments, and informed my wife. The doors remained locked; glory to God!

10. Have an Accountability Partner

I was a part of a global Christian men’s group years ago called “Promise Keepers” in the 90’s. One of its components was keeping each other accountable to biblical standards. We had a small chapter in our church, and we would meet weekly after church on Wednesday nights to share with others our struggles. We would pray for each other and lift each other up.

While I think this is great, I also believe it’s a biblical principle. Many times, we were not as open as we should have been. If you struggle with something you are ashamed of, will you be willing to blurt it out to a group of guys around a restaurant table? These are better settings with a brother or sister in the Lord (meaning brother to brother or sister to sister) that you can trust with your life than an open group. They won’t judge you but will love you along the way as you seek freedom in Christ. Realize this, you have to do you. Have accountability in your life that works for you. Be led by the Holy Spirit in how you have an accountability partner.

Myself, I have always used my wife. Years ago, I had no problem running to her to share my pornography issue with her. Not once did she treat me like I was dirty. She showed me compassion and love the whole way. She walked alongside me the entire way. Today, she is still my accountability partner.

11. Your Spiritual Goals and Desires

My spiritual goal and desire are to please Father God. I don’t ever want to offend Him. The Bible clearly says that sin separates us from God and will hinder our walks with Him. I don’t care what any preacher has to say about this. We can’t live with sin in our lives and think it’s going to be all good with Father God.

Who do you want to be in your walk with God? Take note of that. How do you want to see yourself one year from now, even five years? I hope you want to see yourself far away from any current sinful struggles you are dealing with.

I will never forget how ashamed and dirty I felt inside. I used to be on an emotional roller coaster on a constant basis. One week, I had the victory. I would exclaim, “I am now forever free. I will never go back to that life of sin.” The very next week, I was back at it. It got to the point that I was expecting the ups and downs because I thought I was never going to be free.

Today, I never ever want to experience that dirtiness and shame ever again. So, when the enemy starts trying to pull me back into that old life, I fight back. I look at the old Shawn. Then, I see my years of victory. I tell myself it’s not worth it. There is no reason to go back to the dirtiness and shame.

12. Realign and Adjust Your Life

Just like a car needs a periodic tune-up, we also need spiritual tune-ups. Sometimes, we can get weary. Those positive habits we develop, such as prayer, reading the Bible, and other things we build in our lives, can be cumbersome. We become lazy in doing them. Then, they can fall by the wayside after not doing them for a while. It’s easy to make excuses for not doing them.

This is why we need realignment. We need to go before the Holy Spirit and ask Him to help us get back on track. Take the time to write in a journal to express how you desire to maintain good spiritual habits but also make others.

The Lord always wants to walk closer with us, but we are the ones who hinder it. He never holds back in our relationships. The Bible says in James 4:8 that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.

I encourage you to take some time in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what needs to be worked on in your life. Make a realistic and reasonable list. I always encourage people to understand that we are not running a sprint but a marathon. Don’t use this as an excuse not to achieve the needed changes. I only say this because some set expectations that are so high that they set themselves up for failure.

Wrapping It Up

This blog post shared a lot of information that is a lot to digest, but it can help anyone facing similar battles with temptation and, ultimately, with sin. Remember, you’re not alone in this; you can find freedom from sin by learning to deal with temptation first.

Don’t forget the 12 keys we explored! Whether setting boundaries, having an accountability partner, or being aware of what triggers you, each step is essential and gets you closer to victory. It’s like wearing armor daily to stay strong against those sneaky temptations.

As we wrap up, I want you to know that change is possible. It takes effort and patience, but with God’s help and the right tools, you can slam the door on sin just like I did. Keep pressing forward, knowing that every small step counts, leading to a more significant change.

You’ve got this, and I’m cheering you on every step of the way!

Devotional Questions

1. There’s a crucial difference between temptation and sin. Think about a recent temptation you faced – how did you respond to it, and what does Proverbs 4:23’s command to “guard your heart” mean to you personally in that situation?

2. I discuss the importance of knowing your behavioral triggers and setting clear boundaries. What are some specific triggers in your life that you need to be more aware of, and what boundaries could you establish with God’s help to better protect yourself?

3. I shared my vulnerability about my journey to freedom through embracing the Holy Spirit’s guidance. In what areas of your life do you need to more fully “embrace the Holy Spirit” as your guide and comforter, and what steps can you take to be more responsive to His promptings?

Scriptures on Temptation

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) — 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

James 1:12–14 (NLT) — 12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

Matthew 26:41 (NLT) — 41 Keep watch and pray so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Hebrews 4:15 (NLT) — 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Matthew 4:1 (NLT) — 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.

1 Timothy 6:9 (NLT) — 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

2 Peter 2:9 (NLT) — 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the three temptations?

Temptations are everywhere, and they play on our weaknesses. We see the “lust of the flesh” all around, from indulgence in food to chasing after instant pleasures. Just like Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness, we, too, must navigate these urges. In Matthew 4:3-4, Jesus reminds us that man doesn’t live by bread alone, showing us there’s more to life than satisfying our immediate cravings.

Next, the “lust of the eyes” tempts us to focus on what looks good but might not be suitable for us. It’s all about that shiny new car or that fantastic vacation spot that makes you scroll endlessly on social media. Nothing is wrong with nice cars or vacations, but if they take you away from God, then there lies the problem. 1 John 2:16 tells us these things pass away, and true contentment isn’t found in material items but in God’s lasting gifts.

Lastly, pride can sneak in like a thief in the night. The “pride of life” whispers that we’re better than others or that we don’t need help. However, Proverbs 16:18 warns us that pride goes before destruction. Let’s keep our hearts humble and focused on God’s grace.

If we remember these three temptations, we can better resist them and grow closer to a life filled with faith and love.

2. What are the biggest temptations in life?

Life throws so many temptations our way, like money, status, and even relationships. Just like 1 John 2:16 says, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” It’s a reminder that these temptations can lead us away from what truly matters.

Indeed, when we face these struggles, we can turn to the strength of the Holy Spirit for guidance. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us about the fruits we should seek, like love, joy, and self-control. Each moment of temptation is a test, but with the Spirit’s support, we can rise above and remain true to our values.

Ultimately, remember that the most significant challenges reveal our character and faith. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised.” So, let’s lean on each other and the Holy Spirit to navigate through life’s temptations together!

3. Does God remove temptation?

Temptation is something we all face, right? It’s like that moment when you see those tempting snacks in the cupboard while trying to eat healthy. But here’s the good news! The Bible reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God doesn’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. Instead, He promises to provide a way out! Isn’t that encouraging?

In life, when we’re in tough spots, we can feel stuck in a cycle of temptation, much like being trapped in a maze. However, God’s support and guidance are like having a map through that maze. As we lean on Him, He gives us strength, and James 1:5 tells us that if we lack wisdom, we need to ask for it. So, we can seek His help when that temptation feels overwhelming.

Additionally, it’s helpful to remember that our choices shape our lives, just like a gardener chooses what to plant in their backyard. If we plant the right seeds, we can grow strong in faith and stand firm against temptations. Philippians 4:13 says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! This means when we trust Him, He equips us to overcome anything that comes our way. So, let’s lean into God and watch how He helps us move through temptation!

Shawn Paul is an author who lives in Kentucky. He is passionate about living for Jesus Christ and inspiring others to do the same, which is the focus of his blog, where he shares Biblical topics to help your walk with the Lord.

Shawn enjoys spending time with his wife of 38 years. Bicycling is one of their favorite pastimes. They also have two daughters and 4 grandkids.

As a writer, Shawn's unique perspective and passion for his faith shine through in his work. He desires to impact people worldwide in various ways for the Gospel.