RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

Many Christians find themselves exasperated by overwhelming defeat from temptation. Many doubt if victory over temptation can ever be achieved. In desperation they’ve given up. But God has made provision for our victory over any — and every — temptation. We do not have to limp to life’s finish line bruised, battered, and defeated. We can run the race of life with our eyes fixed on the Savior, who always leads us into His triumph.
God has given us an example and the power to be overcomers. The genuine follower of Christ will always face temptation. It’s been a part of life dating back to the garden of Eden. Adam was tempted. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter, Paul, and John all faced temptation. It’s impossible to go through life without temptation. But the Bible says that with every temptation, God has provided a way of escape.
There’s one great example in the Scriptures where we see absolute victory over temptation. Jesus was tempted in every manner in which you and I have been tempted. There are three fundamental areas in which Satan tempts the believer: 1) the lust of the flesh; 2) the lust of the eyes; and 3) the boastful pride of life. It’s recorded in Matthew 4:1–11 that Jesus was tempted in all three of these areas. He was first tempted with the lust of the flesh. Satan enticed Him to turn a stone into bread after a long time of fasting. He then attempted to lure Jesus into a prideful attitude about who He is. Satan reasoned that if Jesus was the Son of God, then He could cast Himself off the pinnacle of the temple and He would not be hurt. Finally, Jesus was tempted with the lust of the eyes. He was shown and offered the kingdoms of the world.
But Jesus refused to yield to Satan’s temptations. He overcame the snares of the evil one. Therefore Jesus offers us an example and the source to overcome temptation. In each instance, Jesus countered the temptation with the Word of God. When Satan lured Him, Jesus stood upon the Scriptures. He quoted the Bible. He obeyed the Bible. The Bible was a mighty sword in the hands of the Son of Man. With it, He tore down every rationalization the enemy threw His way. When Satan tried to deceive Jesus by misusing Scripture, Jesus simply quoted Scripture in its proper context. Jesus is our example of how to overcome temptation. We have the same weapon that Jesus used.
But as we look at the temptation of Jesus, we also find the source of our victory. Shortly before Jesus was tempted, He had been baptized. At that time, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove. The earthly ministry of Jesus did not begin until after He had publicly positioned Himself in obedience through His baptism — and after the anointing of the Holy Spirit came upon His life. This empowering of the Holy Spirit was the secret to Jesus’ victory.
Although Jesus was, is, and always will be God, He left His throne of glory and took upon Himself the clothes of humanity. He lived as we lived. He walked and struggled just as we do. Yet He was without sin. As a man, He was completely dependent on the Holy Spirit. Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit just as we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit to experience victory. Overcoming temptation is a matter of yielding to and abiding in the Holy Spirit. That’s our source of victory. Jesus is our example — and the Holy Spirit is our resource. As we look to Jesus, we emerge from temptation as “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37).