How to Fight Temptation: 7 Tips on How To Resist Temptation

Updated: November 7, 2022

When it comes to purity, many need to know how to resist temptation. Not everyone was brought up learning about purity and how to fight temptation. The world definitely doesn’t talk about it so I wanted to make sure there was Godly advice on how to resist temptation. If you don’t know how to do it, then what happens when temptation comes?

Sometimes we see temptation 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 know how to resist temptation for when it does show up because trust me, it will. If it hasn’t already!

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 or 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.

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.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to 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 way of escape?”

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 comes in all forms, at all stages, and remember purity is a journey not a destination. Also, the habits you form now will carry over into your marriage. If you learn how to resist temptation now, you will be equipped to do it later. How many of us know temptation doesn’t stop because you have a wedding ring.

How to Fight Temptation: 7 Tips on How To Resist Temptation

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. For example, 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 too tempting to be in the dark on the couch together so we had to change that.

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 had to happen. Hey I’m not alone when it comes to running from temptation, Joseph in the Bible had to do the same thing.

“But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.” (Gen. 39:11-12)

Running is a valid form of resisting temptation. Now, hopefully it won’t get to this point where you have to run because boundaries weren’t set in place, if you don’t know how to set boundaries, click HERE: “7 Tips on How to Set Physical Boundaries in Christian Dating Relationships”, but sometimes temptation can creep up on us and if we need to move and move fast, run!

2) Worship-

Sometimes we need to clear the atmosphere of any demonic voices, oppression, or anything else that is not of the Lord. Worship is a weapon of warfare because it focuses our words, minds, and eyes back on Jesus Christ. If we are too busy spending our time worshipping, then we aren’t filling that time giving into temptation.

The devil wants to try and steal God’s glory by enticing you to give glory to something or someone else. When we worship His Name, we are giving the glory back to God. Demons can’t stand in the presence of true worship. They must flee!

Create a Christian worship play list and have it accessible so you can throw it on the moment those thoughts or actions start to enter your mind. 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’s a way to Holy cleanse your environment.

3) Leave-

This ties in with the first tip but a little different. In this situation you may be by yourself, and not necessarily be with someone you have to run from. You may just need to get up and physically leave the room, go outside, or anywhere away from where you are at.

A change of scenery will help switch your focus. You might need to sit with someone, get cool air, or take a walk and pray. By removing yourself from the situation, it can help distract yourself from whatever is tempting you.

This can also mean ending a video call, lustful conversation, whatever social media you’re on, or any form of communication that is luring you in. The point is to remove yourself from the place of temptation.

4) Pray-

Pray in the Name of Jesus Christ! Cry out to Him! Pray out loud! You may want to 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.

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Eccl. 4:12)

Prayer will help you call on the authority you have in Jesus Christ to access the resources you have waiting for you in the courtrooms of heaven. Again, it’s through the power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit that we call upon. No other name will do.

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

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

5) Accountability-

Choose people who you can speak with on a daily or at least weekly basis, depending on your need, people you can confide in, people who are Godly, safe, and healthy Christian men or women (it’s better to stay with your same gender unless another person is present so everyone is safe), and they are supportive of your decision to stay pure. Unfortunately, I’ve had friends who tried to stay pure and fell hard because they had people in their life who encouraged them to fall.

“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33)

You also want them to be honest with you. If you have people who only puff you up and don’t want to hurt your feelings, then it defeats the purpose. You want them to be honest with you even if you don’t want to hear it. If you trusted them before temptation, then you need to rely on what you knew about them, why you chose them, and listen to them!

They can be used in the following ways: 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, ask them for advice on what to wear or how to act, some of us didn’t grow up in church so we may need to learn, check plans with them before you say yes to someone to check and see if the plans are appropriate. Actually use these people as a resource, that’s what they are there for.

If you don’t have anyone like this in your life, then pray for the Lord to send them. Keep praying until they show up.

6) Awareness-

There are moments, situations, seasons, emotional states, and times of the day when you are most likely to be tempted. Again, it could be when you’re actually with someone or by yourself. Pay attention to when you are feeling the most tempted.

What time of the day is it? Are you in a particular mood? Upset? Angry? Need to be comforted? Are you somewhere in your home or someone else’s home that gives you time to fall into sin? With a certain group of people? Is it a time of year where you lost someone? A special holiday? Birthday?

Be aware and ask the Lord to help show you when that time is so you can set in place ways to avoid them altogether or set things into place to help you during these times.

7) Boundaries-

I mentioned this in the first tip but if you happen to fall you may need to set or reset boundaries and this is important in knowing how to resist temptation. Either 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 or you may need to have the conversation with yourself.

If you are with someone, 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!

“For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” (1 Tim. 4:8)

Set those boundaries, and reset as necessary. It will help you resist temptation.

If you don’t know it already, JESUS CHRIST is the key in knowing how to resist temptation. He will help open your eyes to the temptation that lies before you, He will help by giving you a way out, and He will help to remind you of your worth. Remember, His forgiveness is all encompassing when we mess up, and His death on the cross 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. Repent, and keep journeying through your purity journey.

If you don’t have Jesus Christ in your life, feel free to contact me if you have any questions on how to do that. You can also ask Him right now to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior. Say, “Lord I repent of my sins (you are recognizing you are sinner and are sorry for it which includes turning away from them), please come and be the Lord and Savior of my life.” Now, start walking it out. Pray for people to come into your life to help out with that process if you don’t know of anyone already.

Scriptures on How to Resist 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 man 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 Daugherty

Nina Daugherty

Jesus, family, ministry, and lots of coffee! My heart comes from being a young teen girl who didn’t know much and found Jesus in a dark time. My ministry focuses on the heart of God for this generation to make Godly decisions especially in the area of purity. A blog for all ages because God’s Word is eternal and has no age limit!