HELP FOR THE FAMILY/YOUNG PEOPLE

How to Resist Temptation

THE CHALLENGE

"Sometimes girls ask me for my phone number and offer to 'hook up' with me.  I refuse and walk away.  But in the back of my mind, there's a lingering thought, 'What if I had given her my number? Honestly, some of those girls are very attractive.  It's easy to think,'Why not?"-Carlos, 16.

Do you, like Carlos, struggle with temptation?  If so, you can win the battle.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Everyone is vulnerable to temptation-even adults. After all, temptation can take many forms.  The apostle Paul was not young when he wrote:  "I really delight in the law of God . . . , but I see in my body another law warring against the law of my mind and leading me captive to sin's law."  (Romans 7:22,23) Despite the pressure Paul resisted the urge to give in-and so can you!  Really, why be a slave to your desires?  (1 Corinthians 9:27)  Learning to resist temptation while you are young will set you free from much anxiety now and will also prove to be a vital skill that you will need in adulthood.

The media fuels temptation.  The Bible speaks of "youthful desires," which are strong enough as it is. (2 Timothy 2:22) But movies, TV, music, and books marketed to young people often intensify those desires by conveying the impression that surrendering to temptation is acceptable, For example, if two characters in a movie are 'in love,' it is all but certain that they will have sex with each other at some point in the story.   However, the Bible says that real men and women have the power to "keep abstaining from fleshly desires."  (1 Peter 2:11)  That means you can choose to resist temptation. But how? 

Next time: HELP FOR THE FAMILY/YOUNG PEOPLE-Conclusion of  How to Resist Temptation/WHAT YOU CAN DO

From the Awake! magazine