Yes, temptation is more likely to succeed when your heart is unprepared for it.
Here are some tips that may help you resist temptation:
- Resist immediately: Temptation’s goal is to lead to sin, so try to resist it as soon as you can.
- Develop a battle plan: Create a plan to help you resist temptation and return to live with God.
- Read the Bible: Reflect on Bible verses about temptation each day. You can write important verses on notecards or memorize them.
- Put on the armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-11 says to put on the armor of God to stand against the devil’s schemes.
- Deny ungodly desires: Take control of your desires and find godly desires in the Lord.
- Delight yourself in the Lord: Psalm 37:4 says that if you delight yourself in the Lord, he will give you the desires of your heart.
- Don’t believe the devil’s lie: The devil’s lie is that sin will make you happier and more content.
- Allow God to transform your mind: The world pressures us to conform our thinking, but the Holy Spirit is working to change our minds.