INSIGHT #4

By Joshua.O Areogun

FOR TEENS OF ALL AGES…

Welcome to yet another edition of insight, a weekly write-up for teenagers for the purpose of enlightening teens on God’s plan for their lives and also to help them handle various situations they go through everyday. At insight we believe that even though kids might be the future, teens are the immediate future, so I strongly believe that teens of whatever age or class should take themselves serious. God bless you as you read.

This week we’re going to see how to handle temptation. Temptation is something every body has to face…but like a regular problem, the first step to handling it is to identify and properly understand it.

Temptation is a test allowed by God for you to overcome…..wow that means every temptation you face can be overcome…so don’t the devil use your ignorance against you. We can see this in 1st Corinthians 10:13

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. (NLT)

Now that we can see that there’s no temptation we can’t handle, we can also see that in every temptation we face God always makes it easier for us by giving us a way out. So basically in every temptation we face, we have an advantage…all we need to do is use it.

The next step to handling temptation properly is to know what exactly causes temptation…this can be seen in James 1:14;

14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

So, there you have it, our temptations arise from our desires. For example; if you love money a lot, then you’ll be tempted to steal someday.

This information leads us to the next step, which is to identify our desires (e.g. money, food, girls, or boys. Etc) or better still, your areas of weakness and be extra careful so that you don’t fall for temptation when it comes and also when we’re tempted, God already promised us a way out...sometimes it could be as simple as using the door…literally. The easiest way to avoid some temptations is to leave the place where you’re being tempted.

Also you’ll need to change your mindset i.e. see each temptation as an opportunity for you as a person and your endurance to grow. We can see this in James 1:2-4

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles (temptations) come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.

3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow

4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you

will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Can you see that? Temptation should be seen as an opportunity to achieve what is seen in verse 3, not as a test in itself but as an opportunity to grow. I personally believe that once your perspective of temptation becomes right then it will be a whole lot easier for you to overcome temptation.

Next week we’ll continue our study on handling temptation. So until then, remember that God allows us to be tempted so that we can grow. And also, when you’re faced with temptation, you can always ask God for grace to help you overcome it and to show you the way out.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for your promise to always show me a way out when I get tempted. I realise that I can’t do it on my own so I come to ask for your grace to help me overcome every temptation. In Jesus name. Amen. GOD BLESS YOU.

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