But Daniel resolved not to defile himself….
–Daniel 1:8
There’s no doubt that you’ve experienced temptation in any number of situations. I have, too.
The best definition of temptation that I know is this: Temptation is the seduction or a solicitation to fulfill a God-given desire in a God-forbidden way.
Now, you may have been surprised when you came to Christ that you were still tempted. Perhaps you thought all of those seductions would go away.
But no, even as Christ-followers, you and I will be tempted all of our lives. This is true for every area of our lives, and it is certainly true when it comes to sexual temptation.
You see, God gave the gift of sex, but it is a gift to be cherished and nurtured in the boundaries and the blessings and the beauty of a marriage commitment. That’s what the Bible teaches.
The Bible also teaches that Jesus Christ not only died for your sins, he died to give you victory over temptation. You no longer have to live under the power and the dominion of sin in your life.
So today, right now, pray for the strength to resist and defeat temptation and to build the moral fiber and character that honors God. Every success you experience will enable you to resist the next temptation that comes your way.
EVERY TIME YOU RESIST TEMPTATION, YOU BUILD CHARACTER AND HONOR GOD.
