Second Friend Day - Elmer Towns

Chapter 8
OVERCOMING TEMPTATION
"How can I get victory over cigarettes?" a young lady recently asked. Before she was
saved, the habit never bothered her. Now she feels guilty about smoking but can't quit.
Now that you are a Christian, you will face new temptations. Perhaps you cursed
frequently before you were saved. You never realized you were offending God by taking His
name in vain. Because it's a habit, some people have difficulty cleaning up their mouth. Some
sins will be easy to give up, others will hang on to plague you. Those habits that hang on will
continually crop up, tempting you to sin. Other sins will creep into your life, things you've never
done or thought of doing. These will tempt you away from God. Some new sins can be flicked
off like a fly off a table. Other sins are harder to rid yourself of; like a hacking cough, they
linger.
Temptation is like the person trying to quit drinking alcohol, yet he's an addict. At one
time he enjoyed liquor but there came a time when he wanted to quit. The more he tried to quit,
the stronger its grip.
Jesus taught us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matt.
6:13). Since Jesus instructed us to make this prayer, He certainly expected it to be answered
when we pray properly. God was so confident that you could overcome temptation, that He
promised a crown to those who are victorious. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for
when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that
love him" (James 1:12).
King David called upon God for deliverance, "Deliver me according to thy word" (Ps.
119:17). We see a picture of David earnestly praying for God to give him victory over his foes.
The phrase "according to thy word" can be interpreted two ways. First, David could mean,
"Deliver me as You promised." God's Word is the basis of victory. God had promised that Israel
would be victorious over her enemies, so David expected their defeat. He was praying that God
would keep His promise. The second interpretation of "according" means that God's Word was
the agency of the victory. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He got victory by claiming
God's Word (Matt. 4:4,7,10). At another place, God's Word promises, "Thy word have I hid in
mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Ps. 119:11). In the heat of temptation a young
person can quote the Scripture and get victory.
1. You cannot expect deliverance from temptation until you are a child of God. God
does not help a man overcome sinful habits until that man gets saved.
A Pharisee and publican went into the Temple. to pray (Luke 18:9-14). The Pharisee was
religious, yet his heart was not right with God. He prayed, "I thank thee that I am not as other
men ... extortioners, unjust, adulterers."
The publican was a sinner, and he knew it. He knew he could not change his sinful
habits. Yet at the same time, he was ashamed of his sin. He prayed, "God be merciful to me a