To know HOW to fight sin; we need to be able to recognize it and understand WHERE it comes from first. This can be broken down into 4 Phases of how sin becomes a reality in our actions. Within each Phase there is an opportunity to fight, resist, and be victorious against sins growth.
PHASE 1
The Sparked temptation & Implanted desire:
Temptation sneaks up on us. A smell, innocent sight, subconscious memory brought to mind by a touch, smell, sound, feeling, and/or sight. It Sparks or Implants something in us. This is where the corrupted world and spiritual realm collides with our spirit and impacts our flesh.
It sparks a temptation or Implants a desire. A temptation and desire that is selfish, rebellious towards God, and offensive to his holiness. "It" could be one or all of the following things. (1) Your own corrupted heart (read more), (2) Satan and his angels (read more), or (3) God allowing you to see something about yourself. "It" is unpreventable and unavoidable; as long as we are in our flesh and in this corrupted state (read more).
At the realization of this temptation or desire is our best and most clear opportunity to fight it. The only reason why you are aware of this sinful temptation or sinful desire is because God has made you aware of it at that moment. He gave you the ability to see it and sense it. This is when God points out the symbolic Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for each one of us. We see and know the two at this moment just like Adam and Eve did before they fell into sin.
Correct thinking processes:
Negative thinking redirection:
Turn your thoughts of the temptation and desire to the negative or harmful effects of the desire or temptation. If it is to hurt someone; than redirect your thought to how hurting someone will damage a relationship or get you in trouble at work or with the law.
Positive thinking redirection:
Turn your thoughts of the temptation and desire to the positive or helpful effects of redirecting. If the temptation or desire is to steal something; redirect your thoughts to how you can earn it at a later date or earn something better; or that God has something else waiting in the future for you so stealing is not necessary.
These positive or negative thought redirection are needed immediately for them to be most effective.
Also read The Satisfaction of Christ Jesus | More Valuable than Money | When the claim of Freedom is really Blind Pride | God's Glory Alone
PHASE 2
Dismiss or Entertain:
Once the temptation or desire is made known to you but you dismiss the possible severity of the temptation or just entertain the desire fooling your self into thinking that you will not actually act on it or pursue it; you have already lost.
The temptation will linger if it is not addressed and the desire will grow if not fought against. Then, because it has lingered and grown; we begin to ponder how to justify it.
Positive or Negative thought redirection needs to be intensified and manifested at this point. Do not just think of something else but put it on paper, or speak it out loud. Positive redirection would include listing the qualities that make prevention more valuable. Negative redirection would include listing the harmful qualities of non-prevention. Review pictures, writings, songs, or other tangle redirections that impact the senses and not just thoughts.
Once we have justified the temptation or desire in our minds, it is planted in our mind and begins to take root. It is fed by our dismissal or subtle entertaining thoughts of it. The stems turn into a solid tree trunk of temptation and desire spread like little branches through our mind and heart as we convince ourselves of its existence and justify its stay in our mind.
Also read Fasting | Health, Wealth, Happiness, and Prosperity Teaching and The Errors of The Modern Prosperity Gospel
The truth is; that we have actually sinned at Phase 2. We do not even have to follow through with the act but the purest form of acceptance of the temptation or desire in our heart and mind is sin. Jesus makes this very clear. Read Matthew 5:27-28. The act of adultery is his example but the sin was found in the heart without ever acting on it.
PHASE 3
Plotting and Planning:
As the temptation grows and the desire becomes more "normal" of a thought and justified in our mind; We begin to lose sight of the selfishness, the rebelliousness, and the unholiness of it. We become more numb to its offensive nature. So numb and so blind, the branches of the temptation and desire begin to bud; we start to think of ways to act on our temptation and desire.
As we plot and plan; we justify it. As we justify it; the plans become more clear and the will to act on those plans become exceedingly strong.
The positive and or negative tangible redirections need to actively replace the tangible thing supporting and influencing the thinking errors so that plotting and planning of executing the desire is more interrupted.
Also read The Beauty of Accountability | Have You Been Deceived by the World
PHASE 4
The Fruit and its Appeal:
After we have planned out how we will act on the temptation and desire, as we justified away its negative nature; the bud then bears the most enticing fruit in our heart and mind. Our body strongly wills to follow through with our plans, to achieve our temptation and desire. Our senses are overwhelmed by our numb and blind mind. We act.
We sin and disobey God himself. We fall to temptation and give into our selfish rebellious desires. Adam and Eve were the first to experience this and it spread to all people in all time. Each one of us stand in our own garden of Eden. We get tempted to act on the desire to be self-seeking, self ruled, and ultimately be our own god. This happens every day to everyone of us.
If the tangible thinking redirections do not prevent the act than two things need to happen after the act is completed. (1)You need to isolate what triggered and encouraged the temptation and desire and (2) recognize which redirections were more impactful than others. Thus next time the temptation and desire returns, the triggers and encouragements can be more targeted with more effective positive and or negative thought redirections.
Also read Christian Sinner or Christan Hypocrite?
Jesus
Jesus was tempted. Jesus entered Phase 1 when Satan came to him and tempted him in 3 different ways. Trying to spark and implant a seed of sin in him. But Jesus did not sin. Jesus defeated Phase 1. How?
1. When Phase 1 hit; He put his mind on God.
2. When the temptation continued to be pushed; He quoted God's Word.
3. When the tempter tried to use and manipulate God's Word; He stood on what was true and did not second guess God's Word.
This is where Adam and Eve failed. They got to point 1 and 2 but when the Tempter used and manipulated God's word; they stopped trusting in what God had already made known and begun to think inwardly and depend on their own thoughts and understandings. This is where we all fail! When the temptation and desire is made known to us; we take our eyes off God and start trusting in ourselves. That is what ushers us into Phase 2.
Adam and Eve SHOW us in perfect symbolism what we experience daily (Genesis 3:1-7) and at the same time Jesus, "the Second Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Romans 5:15) SHOWS us in perfect symbolism how to defeat what Adam could not (Matthew 4:1-11).
VICTORY OVER PHASE 1
Phase 1 is utterly defeated by the simple fact that GOD IS RIGHT ALWAYS AND FOREVER. He is HOLY AND RIGHT. Therefore, when temptation comes, it can NOT be dismissed because IT IS A BIG DEAL. It is possible rebellion against a HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS GOD. To even allow, consider, and entertain a seemingly small temptation or desire is consideration and entertaining possible rebellion against THE Holy and Righteous God.
1. Change your situation and environment immediately!
2. Put your MIND on God; pray and bring to mind HIS Word and your favorite bible verses!
If you do not change your situation and environment immediately and pray; Phase 2 creeps up.
VICTORY OVER PHASE 2
It is even more critical now that you change your situation and fight your thoughts. Phase 2 is a battle in the mind. To understand that it IS a big deal and it SHOULD NOT be dismissed or entertained. To remind ourselves of what it does to our spirit and remind our selves what JESUS HAD TO DO BECAUSE OF IT!
1. Change your situation and environment immediately!
2. Put your MIND on God; Preach to yourself THE GOSPEL! (Read here)
If we remain in the temptation and do not put our minds on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and apply it to our selves at that moment; as the temptation gets a deeper hold of our mind, Phase 3 slowly begins.
VICTORY OVER PHASE 3
At this point if you have not changed your situation or environment the odds are you will not. But hope is not lost! Hope is never lost! We have to break the flawed justified reasoning. This can be done by understanding your thinking error.
1. Ask yourself where plan leads and what action will result.
2. Think of the possible damage that comes from the results
3. Think of the good that comes from not pursing the plan.
4. Put your MIND on GOD: Pray for Wisdom and for the Holy Spirit to Intervene for Gods Glory. Pray for the WILL and the push to do what is for God's Glory. Pray and plead for salvation from this impending act.
VICTORY OVER PHASE 4
There is only one victory over phase 4; that is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. At this point you have been deceived and in sin. But because of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ the sin is not counted against you nor do you have to be a slave to it! Christ already paid for that very sin on the Cross. God already knew you would commit this sin before you were born; and he still chose you as his own.
But because you were allowed to knowingly experience this eternal offense against a perfect and holy and righteous God; He showed you and allowed you to see so that you can sacrifice your own will for his sake. To crucify your fleshly desires and live free to Glorify Him.
The freedom given is freedom to FIGHT what you are made aware of. To resist what you now see. Because when we fight our sinful desires and resist our rebellious nature; we push ourselves TO GOD as he draws us close to himself. Our FIGHT of Sin glorifies Him because we DECLARE that HE is right and we are wrong! That we PROCLAIM there is no other name which brings salvation to the world except only through God himself; Jesus Christ.
Also read When the Claim of Freedom is Really Blind Pride
VICTORY IN LIFE
Temptation will come again and again. Desires will sprout and spring up seemingly at random. If you truly believe that God is TRULY WORTHY of ALL YOUR HEART, BODY, SOUL, AND MIND (Mark 12:30-31) than you should WANT to grow closer to him and grow a greater stance against the coming temptations and desires.
1. Study and Know Psalm 119
2. LIVE Romans 12:9
3. Continually preach to yourself The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
These 3 points will push you to know and understand more about yourself and God. Point 1 should compel you to study the rest of God's Word. Romans 12:9 reinforces your stance against the coming temptations and desires. Preaching The Gospel to your self will keep you humble and focused on where your mind and body should be and WHO you should be glorifying and satisfying.
Please read 1 John 2:1-2
PHASE 1
The Sparked temptation & Implanted desire:
Temptation sneaks up on us. A smell, innocent sight, subconscious memory brought to mind by a touch, smell, sound, feeling, and/or sight. It Sparks or Implants something in us. This is where the corrupted world and spiritual realm collides with our spirit and impacts our flesh.
It sparks a temptation or Implants a desire. A temptation and desire that is selfish, rebellious towards God, and offensive to his holiness. "It" could be one or all of the following things. (1) Your own corrupted heart (read more), (2) Satan and his angels (read more), or (3) God allowing you to see something about yourself. "It" is unpreventable and unavoidable; as long as we are in our flesh and in this corrupted state (read more).
At the realization of this temptation or desire is our best and most clear opportunity to fight it. The only reason why you are aware of this sinful temptation or sinful desire is because God has made you aware of it at that moment. He gave you the ability to see it and sense it. This is when God points out the symbolic Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for each one of us. We see and know the two at this moment just like Adam and Eve did before they fell into sin.
Correct thinking processes:
Negative thinking redirection:
Turn your thoughts of the temptation and desire to the negative or harmful effects of the desire or temptation. If it is to hurt someone; than redirect your thought to how hurting someone will damage a relationship or get you in trouble at work or with the law.
Positive thinking redirection:
Turn your thoughts of the temptation and desire to the positive or helpful effects of redirecting. If the temptation or desire is to steal something; redirect your thoughts to how you can earn it at a later date or earn something better; or that God has something else waiting in the future for you so stealing is not necessary.
These positive or negative thought redirection are needed immediately for them to be most effective.
Also read The Satisfaction of Christ Jesus | More Valuable than Money | When the claim of Freedom is really Blind Pride | God's Glory Alone
PHASE 2
Dismiss or Entertain:
Once the temptation or desire is made known to you but you dismiss the possible severity of the temptation or just entertain the desire fooling your self into thinking that you will not actually act on it or pursue it; you have already lost.
The temptation will linger if it is not addressed and the desire will grow if not fought against. Then, because it has lingered and grown; we begin to ponder how to justify it.
Positive or Negative thought redirection needs to be intensified and manifested at this point. Do not just think of something else but put it on paper, or speak it out loud. Positive redirection would include listing the qualities that make prevention more valuable. Negative redirection would include listing the harmful qualities of non-prevention. Review pictures, writings, songs, or other tangle redirections that impact the senses and not just thoughts.
Once we have justified the temptation or desire in our minds, it is planted in our mind and begins to take root. It is fed by our dismissal or subtle entertaining thoughts of it. The stems turn into a solid tree trunk of temptation and desire spread like little branches through our mind and heart as we convince ourselves of its existence and justify its stay in our mind.
Also read Fasting | Health, Wealth, Happiness, and Prosperity Teaching and The Errors of The Modern Prosperity Gospel
The truth is; that we have actually sinned at Phase 2. We do not even have to follow through with the act but the purest form of acceptance of the temptation or desire in our heart and mind is sin. Jesus makes this very clear. Read Matthew 5:27-28. The act of adultery is his example but the sin was found in the heart without ever acting on it.
PHASE 3
Plotting and Planning:
As the temptation grows and the desire becomes more "normal" of a thought and justified in our mind; We begin to lose sight of the selfishness, the rebelliousness, and the unholiness of it. We become more numb to its offensive nature. So numb and so blind, the branches of the temptation and desire begin to bud; we start to think of ways to act on our temptation and desire.
As we plot and plan; we justify it. As we justify it; the plans become more clear and the will to act on those plans become exceedingly strong.
The positive and or negative tangible redirections need to actively replace the tangible thing supporting and influencing the thinking errors so that plotting and planning of executing the desire is more interrupted.
Also read The Beauty of Accountability | Have You Been Deceived by the World
PHASE 4
The Fruit and its Appeal:
After we have planned out how we will act on the temptation and desire, as we justified away its negative nature; the bud then bears the most enticing fruit in our heart and mind. Our body strongly wills to follow through with our plans, to achieve our temptation and desire. Our senses are overwhelmed by our numb and blind mind. We act.
We sin and disobey God himself. We fall to temptation and give into our selfish rebellious desires. Adam and Eve were the first to experience this and it spread to all people in all time. Each one of us stand in our own garden of Eden. We get tempted to act on the desire to be self-seeking, self ruled, and ultimately be our own god. This happens every day to everyone of us.
If the tangible thinking redirections do not prevent the act than two things need to happen after the act is completed. (1)You need to isolate what triggered and encouraged the temptation and desire and (2) recognize which redirections were more impactful than others. Thus next time the temptation and desire returns, the triggers and encouragements can be more targeted with more effective positive and or negative thought redirections.
Also read Christian Sinner or Christan Hypocrite?
Jesus
Jesus was tempted. Jesus entered Phase 1 when Satan came to him and tempted him in 3 different ways. Trying to spark and implant a seed of sin in him. But Jesus did not sin. Jesus defeated Phase 1. How?
1. When Phase 1 hit; He put his mind on God.
2. When the temptation continued to be pushed; He quoted God's Word.
3. When the tempter tried to use and manipulate God's Word; He stood on what was true and did not second guess God's Word.
This is where Adam and Eve failed. They got to point 1 and 2 but when the Tempter used and manipulated God's word; they stopped trusting in what God had already made known and begun to think inwardly and depend on their own thoughts and understandings. This is where we all fail! When the temptation and desire is made known to us; we take our eyes off God and start trusting in ourselves. That is what ushers us into Phase 2.
Adam and Eve SHOW us in perfect symbolism what we experience daily (Genesis 3:1-7) and at the same time Jesus, "the Second Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Romans 5:15) SHOWS us in perfect symbolism how to defeat what Adam could not (Matthew 4:1-11).
VICTORY OVER PHASE 1
Phase 1 is utterly defeated by the simple fact that GOD IS RIGHT ALWAYS AND FOREVER. He is HOLY AND RIGHT. Therefore, when temptation comes, it can NOT be dismissed because IT IS A BIG DEAL. It is possible rebellion against a HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS GOD. To even allow, consider, and entertain a seemingly small temptation or desire is consideration and entertaining possible rebellion against THE Holy and Righteous God.
1. Change your situation and environment immediately!
2. Put your MIND on God; pray and bring to mind HIS Word and your favorite bible verses!
If you do not change your situation and environment immediately and pray; Phase 2 creeps up.
VICTORY OVER PHASE 2
It is even more critical now that you change your situation and fight your thoughts. Phase 2 is a battle in the mind. To understand that it IS a big deal and it SHOULD NOT be dismissed or entertained. To remind ourselves of what it does to our spirit and remind our selves what JESUS HAD TO DO BECAUSE OF IT!
1. Change your situation and environment immediately!
2. Put your MIND on God; Preach to yourself THE GOSPEL! (Read here)
If we remain in the temptation and do not put our minds on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and apply it to our selves at that moment; as the temptation gets a deeper hold of our mind, Phase 3 slowly begins.
VICTORY OVER PHASE 3
At this point if you have not changed your situation or environment the odds are you will not. But hope is not lost! Hope is never lost! We have to break the flawed justified reasoning. This can be done by understanding your thinking error.
1. Ask yourself where plan leads and what action will result.
2. Think of the possible damage that comes from the results
3. Think of the good that comes from not pursing the plan.
4. Put your MIND on GOD: Pray for Wisdom and for the Holy Spirit to Intervene for Gods Glory. Pray for the WILL and the push to do what is for God's Glory. Pray and plead for salvation from this impending act.
VICTORY OVER PHASE 4
There is only one victory over phase 4; that is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. At this point you have been deceived and in sin. But because of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ the sin is not counted against you nor do you have to be a slave to it! Christ already paid for that very sin on the Cross. God already knew you would commit this sin before you were born; and he still chose you as his own.
But because you were allowed to knowingly experience this eternal offense against a perfect and holy and righteous God; He showed you and allowed you to see so that you can sacrifice your own will for his sake. To crucify your fleshly desires and live free to Glorify Him.
The freedom given is freedom to FIGHT what you are made aware of. To resist what you now see. Because when we fight our sinful desires and resist our rebellious nature; we push ourselves TO GOD as he draws us close to himself. Our FIGHT of Sin glorifies Him because we DECLARE that HE is right and we are wrong! That we PROCLAIM there is no other name which brings salvation to the world except only through God himself; Jesus Christ.
Also read When the Claim of Freedom is Really Blind Pride
VICTORY IN LIFE
Temptation will come again and again. Desires will sprout and spring up seemingly at random. If you truly believe that God is TRULY WORTHY of ALL YOUR HEART, BODY, SOUL, AND MIND (Mark 12:30-31) than you should WANT to grow closer to him and grow a greater stance against the coming temptations and desires.
1. Study and Know Psalm 119
2. LIVE Romans 12:9
3. Continually preach to yourself The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
These 3 points will push you to know and understand more about yourself and God. Point 1 should compel you to study the rest of God's Word. Romans 12:9 reinforces your stance against the coming temptations and desires. Preaching The Gospel to your self will keep you humble and focused on where your mind and body should be and WHO you should be glorifying and satisfying.
Please read 1 John 2:1-2
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