Resisting Temptation

The Bible says that we should resist the devil. (James 4:7): “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” How do you resist the devil?

To answer this we need to understand Ephesians 6:16. The Apostle discussing spiritual armor shows how we resist the temptations of the devil. He says, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” Whatever Satan sends our way we can stop by exercising faith.

Faith in God’s promises, as well as God’s commandments, resists the enemy’s devices. Someone once said that doubt in God is faith in the devil. Thus faith in God must translate as doubt in the devil. It really is a matter faith. All of Satan’s devices will work if we refuse to believe God. That is why Paul called upon Timothy to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).

The counter to falsehood is the truth. That is why when Jesus was tempted He countered with the truth of Scripture. Although the devil refuses to acknowledge the truth he cannot resist it. He knows the power of it when one trusts it. The truth of Scripture is the authority of God, just as when a King’s word becomes the authority of a kingdom. Whatever God has said must be true. The power is not in the Christian but in the truth he believes and speaks on behalf of God.

This weapon of God’s truth must be used on the enemy. It is the Christian’s weapon and we must wield it. Ephesians 6:17 says, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” It is not the mere quoting of Scripture that Satan cannot resist, but it is the believing of that word.