The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren—A Synopsis (continued). Chapter 27—Defeating Temptation (pages 209-216) Summary Temptation will always be part and parcel of a Christian’s earth-bound experience, but God promises that nothing on him will be mightier than what is in him. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, a Christian may defeat all temptation. And this always involves the will of the Christian—he always has choice in the matter. There are four biblical keys that the Christian should execute in order to defeat temptation, as follow: 1. Refocus attention in a different direction. It is self-defeating to “resist temptation,” which is nowhere found in the Bible; instead, the Bible instructs the believer to “resist the devil.” Since the battle for sin is won or lost in the mind, where temptation starts (with a thought), the believer should know that evil thoughts cannot be blocked. When a believer focuses on the evil thought in an effort to block it, this process only drives it deeper into memory. The only way to neutralize the allure of such thoughts is to turn one’s attention to something else. This process is repentance [which biblically only means to change one’s mind]. The key to any tempting thought is to “change the channel” and think on something else—the “principle of replacement.” In time and with the continuous assistance of the Holy Spirit, the believer becomes more adept in ignoring evil thoughts (which only captures one’s attention, arouses one’s emotions that in turn activates one’s behavior) by redirecting one’s mental focus on God’s Word. 2. Reveal spiritual struggles to other believers. Secret temptations often only build up stress in the believer, which only makes the matter worse. It is pride that causes a believer to refuse to reveal his weakness, thinking he is the only one with such a problem, when the truth is that all believers experience much the same. When a believer realizes that God’s plan for spiritual growth and freedom includes other Christians and then is willing to confess his weaknesses to other dedicated believers, he will not only find internal relief but will also have the support and prayers of other “weak” Christians. Creating such a support group is often the only way to overcome a very strong temptation. 3. Resist Satan. The Bible says that the Christian life is a spiritual battle against evil forces. After making the choice to humble oneself and submit to the power of God’s Spirit, the Christian must still make the choice to fight Satan. With a humble attitude and the willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to energize, the believer’s determination to fight Satan is further bolstered by the following: · The helmet of salvation. Having the knowledge of one’s salvation, the believer must always be thankful for its security. The eternal security of the believer is a strengthening thought, which should be entertained on a regular basis. It is secured by the work of Christ for which the believer should daily both thank and praise God. When this is done, there is little room for evil thoughts in the believer’s life. · The Word of God. Jesus used God’s Word extensively when faced with the suggestions of Satan, and in this as in every challenge of life; Christ is the believer’s supreme example. The Word of God should be regularly studied (not just read) and memorized. The more Bible doctrine is absorbed in a believer’s mind, the more it will come to the believer’s rescue. 4. Realize personal vulnerability. When a believer becomes prideful (cocky and overconfident) there can only be disaster in his spiritual life. A believer is never beyond temptation—never! The believer should “evade and escape” tempting situations; if one is to be victorious over temptations, he must avoid them. Quotes “God has promised never to allow more on you than He puts within you to handle it.” (pg. 209) “Every time you try to block a thought out of your mind, you drive it deeper into your memory.” (pg. 210) “Since temptation always begins with a thought, the quickest way to neutralize its allure is to turn your attention to something else.” (pg. 210) “The battle for sin is won or lost in your mind. Whatever gets your attention will get you.” (pg. 210) “The more you think about something, the stronger it takes hold of you.” (pg. 210) “Temptation begins by capturing your attention. What gets your attention arouses your emotions. Then your emotions activate your behavior, and you act on what you felt.” (pg. 211) “Ignoring a temptation is far more effective than fighting it. Once your mind is on something else, the temptation loses its power. So when temptation calls you on the phone, don’t argue with it, just hang up!” (pg. 211) “Spiritually, your mind is your most vulnerable organ.” (pg. 211) “You defeat bad thoughts by thinking of something better. This is the principle of replacement.” (pg. 211) “If you’re serious about defeating temptation you must manage your mind and monitor your media intake.” (pg. 212) “Some temptations are only overcome with the help of a partner who prays for you, encourages you, and holds you accountable. God’s plan for your growth and freedom includes other Christians.” (pg. 212) “Satan wants you to think that your sin and temptation are unique so you must keep them a secret. The truth is, we’re all in the same boat. We all fight the same temptations, and ‘all of us have sinned.’” (pg. 213) “We don’t passively resign ourselves to his [Satan’s] attacks. We are to fight back.” (pg. 214) “God warns us never to get cocky and overconfident; that is the recipe for disaster.” (pg. 215) Scriptures 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 4:7; Job 31:1; Psalm 119:37a; Romans 12:21; Hebrews 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:8; Philippians 4:8; Proverbs 4:23; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10; James 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 3:23; James 4:6, 7a; Ephesians 6:17; Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 14:16; 1 Corinthians 10:12. Conclusion/Comments The Christian is in partnership with God in defeating temptation in life. By not thinking too highly of oneself and submitting to the power of the Holy Spirit, the Christian is then able to make proper decisions in defying Satan while (1) not dwelling on evil thoughts but turning to good ones, (2) soliciting the help of other believers in the struggle, (3) resisting the devil with the “helmet of salvation” and the Word of God, and (4) continuing in a humble state-of-mind (always recognizing his vulnerability).