Do you realize that if it is wrong to do a certain thing, it is wrong to harbor thoughts of that thing in your mind? Sin begins in the mind, for every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. When that desire in the mind has conceived, it brings forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. The temptation starts as a thought; when you let your mind dwell on it, turning it over, whether it be a desire to go somewhere, to do something, or to have something you know is wrong, that thinking finally leads to action and breeds sin. If you keep thinking about it, desiring it, wanting it, after a while you'll be unable to resist it. The way to prevent sin is to let God's Spirit fill the mind, setting your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. When tempted, put an opposite thought in your mind by opening your Bible and studying a spiritual subject. Pray over it and ask God to help you, and see how rapidly you begin to win the victory over temptation and sin.

God's chosen saints should realize that while Satan designs temptations to exploit human weakness, Almighty God allows trials to perfect faith and prove loyalty. Consequently, every temptation provides a choice between life or death, blessing or curse. In James 1:13-15, we learn that dealing with temptation is a process, beginning with raw desire, resulting either in resistance and growth or in sin and death. God sets limits on the work of Satan, the accuser, as seen in the positive conclusion of Job's trials. We see a massive contrast between Adam and Eve's failure and Christ's victory. While Eve gave in to the lust of the eyes, Jesus overcame Satan's threefold test—hunger, faith, and power by prayer, fasting, God's Spirit, and Scripture, proving that yielding to legitimate desires becomes sin if pursued outside the will of Almighty God. While temptation is universal, it is not irresistible; no one is ever forced to yield. Furthermore, God promises to provide strength and a way to escape (I Corinthians 10:13). While society excuses sin as weakness or disease, Scripture contends that responsibility rests on the individual. Scripture provides examples of both failure and faithfulness. Failures include Lot, Achan, the rich young ruler (overtaken by greed and materialism), Saul, Absalom, Herod (overtaken by ambition), Peter (overtaken by self-preservation), and Israel (by idolatry). But victories include Job's endurance, Joseph's purity, David's restraint, and Christ's resistance. Temptation reveals whether our hearts will trust God or surrender to selfish desires. We can resist temptation only through deliberate preparation, guarding our hearts, setting boundaries, relying on God's spirit, and clinging to His Word. With God's strength, His chosen saints can endure, resist, and gain eternal life.