How to Fight Temptation: 7 Tips on How To Resist Temptation in a Relationship

 

Updated: January 16, 2018

How to Fight Temptation: 7 Tips on How To Resist Temptation in a Relationship

How to fight temptation is a vital topic in knowing how to maintain purity in a relationship. Tips on how to resist temptation in a relationship are tools to help you when the time of temptation comes. Sometimes we see it coming, sometimes we have invited it in, and sometimes it smacks us in the face with pure shock.

Temptation is a guarantee when you decide to live life according to God’s will.

It will present itself pretty and leave you feeling ugly. However, this shouldn’t scare us but rather push us to be prepared for when it does show up because trust me, it will.

I don’t know what your experience has been up to now. Many of us have been in the place of, “Oh no..this has gone too far..what do I do now?”  It can be this place during our journey of sexual purity where we have a choice of whether or not we are going to step into sin, we have already stepped into sin and now we want to make sure it doesn’t happen again, or we are prepping ourselves for when we finally face the moment of temptation. The question becomes, How do we battle temptation?

There are signs of sin about to enter your realm. One of those signs, is a spiritual pause. Do you know what I’m talking about?

It’s that hesitation in a moment where you find yourself at sin’s doorstep and you have a choice of whether or not you are going to walk in.

The moment when this scripture comes into play, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Now this question comes into play, “Am I going to give into this temptation or will I use the gift God gave me and that is the ability to walk away?”

Thinking back when I was single and engaged to my husband, there are a few tips that I remember helped me to stay on the right track. Regardless if you are in a relationship or not, these tips can still help in preparation for when the time presents itself.

Sexual temptation doesn’t just appear in one form or once you are in a relationship; it can definitely happen with just you.

I would also keep in mind, the habits you create when you are single will carry over into your relationship/future marriage and you want to be aware of how to handle temptation now so you can succeed in staying pure throughout your journey.

7 Tips on How To Resist Temptation in a Relationship

1) RUN–

No seriously, RUN! There were times when my hubby and I didn’t notice, ignored, hadn’t set in place, or needed to change some boundaries to fit where we were in our relationship (meaning at the beginning of our relationship it was no big deal to watch a movie on the couch but as time went on it was clear that definitely needed to change). I remember this one time where I literally had to RUN away from him and when I turned back, he told me to keep going. We both knew it needed to happen. Hey I’m not alone when it comes to running from temptation, check out Joseph’s story in Gen. 39: 6-12. RUN!

2) Worship Music Play List–

Create a Christian worship play list and have it accessible so you can throw it on the moment those thoughts start to enter your mind. It helps you set your focus back on the LORD and not your desire of the moment.

Play the worship music out loud, sing to it (regardless if you have the gift..loll!), and focus on the words being spoken. The idea is to change your altar from your desire to the feet of Jesus Christ. It can also “clear” the room of anything not from God. It’s a way to Holy cleanse your area.

3) Leave the Room–

This ties in with the first tip but a little different. In this situation you may be by yourself and not necessarily with someone. You may just need to get up and physically leave the room, go outside, or anywhere just not where you are at the moment. Again, a change of scenery will help switch your focus.

By removing yourself from the situation, it can help distract yourself from whatever is tempting you. This can also mean ending a FaceTime call, Snap, or any form of communication that is luring you in. The point is to remove yourself from the place of temptation.

4) PRAY–

Yes, pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. Pray out loud, call someone and pray with them, have prayers already written out, post prayers where you can see them, find someone in your house maybe a family member or friend and have them pray with you. There is strength in numbers. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:12).

Prayer will help you tap into the resources you have waiting for you in the heavenly realms.

It has the power! It provides clarity, strength, and the ability to walk away. Pray your temptation away. Scream if you have to!

5) Accountability Partners–

These are people who you speak with on a daily or at least weekly basis, people you have confided with, people who are Christian and supportive of your decision to stay pure (trust me I’ve had friends who tried to stay pure and fell hard because they had people in their life who encouraged them to fall), and who can be honest with you.

Let them know ahead of time if you are hanging out with your boyfriend/girlfriend/whoever you get tempted with so they can check in with you or even just throughout the week.

6) Be AWARE of your “Tempting Times”–

These are the times of the day when you are most tempted. Again, it could be when you’re actually with someone or just by yourself. What time of the day is it? Are you in a particular mood? Are you somewhere in your home or someone else’s home that gives you time to fall into sin?

Be aware or ask the Lord to help show you when that time is so you can set in place these escape routes or avoid them altogether.

7) Reset Boundaries–

I mentioned this in the first tip but if you happen to fall you may need to set or reset boundaries. Have a conversation with the person you are with and talk about how you guys can set or reset boundaries to help make sure it doesn’t happen again. Talk about your goals as a couple.

Communication is important otherwise footholds will be left open for the enemy and it will most likely destroy your relationship.

Think about your goals as an individual too. What foundation do you want to set for your future and your family’s future? Remember, the habits you create now will carry over into your marriage. Learning how to set boundaries now will help you set boundaries later with people who aren’t your spouse. It’s training!

If you don’t know it already, JESUS CHRIST is the key in all of this. He will help open your eyes to the temptation that lies before you, He will help by giving you a way out, He will help to remind you of your worth, His forgiveness is all encompassing when we mess up, and His death on the cross which covers us even when we feel like a complete failure. He will give you the strength, perseverance, courage, patience, and His everlasting love to help you through it all.

If you don’t have Jesus Christ in your life, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just ask Him right now to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior. He will lead people to you or you to people to help out with that process.

Scriptures about resisting temptation:

“And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:40)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16)

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15)

“But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15)

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

 

Baskets of Blessings!

Nina D.