Here are a few essential elements to guide you in helping new believers grow.

1. Prayer

In the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul prayed for his disciples, confident that God was going to
complete the work He started in them. Throughout the gospels, Jesus also prayed for His disciples.

In the same way, it is important for us to pray for new believers, trusting God to work in their lives.
Praying with them shows that we care for them. It also gives them an example of what it looks like to
communicate with God.

2. Word of God

In the second chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul mentions that he shared the Word of God with them. It
is essential for new believers to learn how to read the Bible and listen to God from His Word. We
know from experience that we grow in our faith by consistently studying the Bible and spending time
with Him. God's Word is our spiritual food, and we can't live without it.

Last year I saw a couple of girls pray and receive Christ in a college dorm I was working in. I
consistently met with a girl named Gretchen, and I encouraged her to read the Gospel of John. Each
week she came with different questions, including some insightful questions -- things I wouldn't have
thought to bring up. She was curious and I helped her to understand what she was reading.

3. Building a loving relationship

In addition to teaching spiritual things, we must also share our lives with new believers, being open
and honest about the good and bad as well as what God is teaching us. Get together and do fun things.
Go shopping, play video games or go out to lunch. When you become someone's friend, you show
who you are and that it can be fun to be a Christian.

I met 5 times with a college student, Kristi, to go over the basics of Christianity. But our weekly
meetings were difficult because she was so shy. When Kristi still hadn't gotten involved with a Bible
study that I was leading, I took her out to lunch to reconnect with her. This was the best time we had
all semester. She saw that I cared about her and wanted more than just to share spiritual things. The
second semester, Kristi came to the Bible study almost every week.

Paul mentions that he is like a spiritual parent to the new believers: "But we proved to be gentle
among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7). We, too,
can be like caring parents for new believers -- watching over them, nurturing them, encouraging them,
correcting them and keeping them accountable.

4. Fellowship with other believers

Another part of follow-up is introducing new believers to other Christians who can encourage them
and support them in this new phase of life. Invite new believers to come to your Bible study or
church. If you are meeting with them to go through follow-up materials, ask some of your Christian
friends to come too. This way they can make new friends, hear different perspectives and learn from
others.

5. Encourage them to tell others about Christ

It's never too early to encourage new believers to talk to others about how God has changed their
lives. This will help to solidify their faith and show how God is working. When you share your faith
with others, take them along and train them in how to share the gospel. Then they can be multiplying
disciples and see God touch others' lives like He has touched their lives.
6. Don't forget the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit's role is essential. Help new believers understand who the Holy Spirit is and what it
means to walk in the Spirit's power, not their own power. If we try to live the Christian life on our
own, we will just fall away.

As soon as possible, make a transition from sharing the gospel to initiating follow-up. New believers
might have questions and doubts, and it's important to support and encourage them right away. Offer a
specific meeting time and make it easy for them to say "yes."

In follow-up, we can play an important part, but ultimately it is God who is doing the work. Don't be
offended if people aren't interested. God is the one who is pursing them and He will bring about fruit.
He has promised in His Word to bring about the good work that He has begun in us.

1. Know that you are forgiven

Once you have given your Life to Jesus Christ, the Bible, God's Word, says:

You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better that we deserve. This is God's gift to you,
and you have done nothing on your own (Ephesians 2:8).

For those who put their faith in Jesus: He gave them the right to be the children of God... God
Himself was the One who made them His children (John 1:12-13).

2. Prayer

It is important to spend time in prayer every day. Just as you can not grow without eating food each
day, so your spirit must be fed in order for growth to occur in our walk with the Lord. The good news
is that as children of God we have access to His presence any time we need it. You actually have the
right to come before God and to share with Him your intimate thoughts, desires and fears. Prayer is
simply talking to your heavenly Father.

3. Bible Reading

The Bible is the main way God has chosen to tell us about Himself. Learning what God says in the
Bible is a very important part of your new life. As you read His Word, ask God to show you how
various passages apply to your life.

A good place to start your study is in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Find an easy-to-read,
modern translation like the New Living Translation (The Book), the New American Standard Bible,
or the New King James Version Bible.
4. Fellowship

When you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you became a vital part of God's family, the Church. As you
get involved in a local church you will receive strength and encouragement from other believers. But
you will also give something vital of yourself back to others. This is one reason why being involved in
a local church is so important -- and why the Bible says not to neglect meeting together with other
believers (Hebrews 10:25).

5. Grow in Your Relationship with Christ

Once you have accepted Christ as your savior and begin to engage in regular prayer, Bible reading
and get plugged into a local Church, it is important develop a deeper, personal relationship with
Christ. "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to
knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to
godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:3-8).

The Bible says that we are to “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely
humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4: 1-3). God wants us to
grow in our “knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the
fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

The Apostle Paul wrote this about his spiritual growth: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind
me” (1 Corinthians 13:11).

Please Memorize These Verses

 "What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same
anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

 "I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life" (1
John 5:13).

Suggested Reading

 1 John

 The Gospel of John

 The Psalms and Proverbs

 Know what the Bible has to say when it comes to dealing with sex. What you read and
see in media will not typically line up with biblical instruction. The standards are different.
Jesus knows the emotional, physical and spiritual fall out people experience when they
 cheapen sex and reduce it to pure pleasure. Therefore, His guidelines are not meant to be
restrictive or puritanical, but protective. They lead to healthy relationships and help
people maintain dignity and self-respect. Spend time searching the Bible for instruction
concerning sexual temptation.
 Remove sources of sexual temptation. Temptation is not a sin, but acting on it is. If you
find yourself lustfully fantasizing and engaging in behavior you know to be morally wrong,
then identify the source of that temptation and remove it. The Internet may be one of those
sources. Although we hear more about men being addicted to Internet pornography, women
also struggle with this addiction. Purchase a good filter and monitor your viewing habits. The
Bible instructs us to flee from sexual temptation, not log on and hope it doesn’t bother us.
 Be obedient. Don’t be ruled by passion. No matter what you feel, act with your brain and
not your emotions or your body. Scripture is clear that sexual behavior is always subject to
the will. Use your will to resist temptation and say no to sex outside of marriage.
 Renew your thoughts. Think on things that are noble, pure, lovely, of good report,
virtuous and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). This must be a daily practice that we do o intentionally.
It is easy to become distracted by sexual temptation because it is all around us in the media. It
is easy to allow our thoughts to wander and fantasize.
 Don’t put yourself in the position to be tempted. In the same way that a recovered
alcoholic shouldn’t go sit in a bar and try not to drink, don’t position yourself to be tempted
(e.g., go to X rated movies, read steamy sexually explicit novels, hang out in bars, get drunk,
etc.). When Satan tempted Eve, she engaged him in conversation. Instead of telling him to go
crawl somewhere else, she entertained his conversation. Learn from her mistake.
 Use God’s Word to resist. When Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the desert, Jesus’ defense
was to speak the Word. Satan could not argue with Scripture and gave up. This speaks to the
importance of knowing and memorizing scriptures. If Jesus, who was the Word, fought
temptation with the Word, what better line of defense could we employ?
 Don’t lie to yourself. Most of us think we can handle a lot more sexually explicit material
then we can. We aren’t always aware of the subtle influence and desensitization that happens
with regular exposure to this material. We deceive ourselves and think we are above these
influences. If you are human, you are not!

Stay intimately connected with God. Spend time in prayer, reading the Bible and worshipping
God. Remember, when you are weak, He is strong. Most of us give in to temptation when we are out
of touch with God. Even though He never leaves us, we can stop communicating with Him. Stay
connected and dependent on Him to give you what you need to overcome and He will. The more
intimate you are with God, the more power you will have to overcome.
10 Practical Ways to Battle Your Sexual Temptations
Tags : top 10

When someone confesses or is caught in an affair one of the first things they say is something to this
affect, “I didn’t mean it.” Or “She/he meant nothing to me.” In other words they end up in a place
they never wanted to be. Most people don’t set out to cheat on their spouse. It all starts small. It
begins with a thought that goes uncontested, perhaps even nurtured into a fantasy. Those thoughts
grow into an attitude and then the attitude grows into a disposition. That disposition erodes boundaries
and clouds our sense of right and wrong.

This is difficult for most men. Our DNA is pre-loaded with the strong instinct to feel attraction and
desire, yet life and morality demand that we are able to control those instincts. So how do we do that?
For the sake of our marriages, relationships, or just spiritual well-being, we need to be able to find the
answer. You are in a battle against sexual temptations and it’s important to win early. Here are 10
ways to battle sexual temptation.
1. Avoid Tempting Situations

Winning early means staying away from traps. The last thing you want to do is find yourself alone
with the object of your unhealthy desires, whether it is images or actual people. If contact with that
person is a must, then make sure it is always in a public space and others are around. Set boundaries
surrounding your phone, the computer, and TV. Find a partner who is willing to help you with
accountability.

2. Consider The Consequences

While pondering the object of your desire, also ponder the consequences of action. Is it going to help
or hurt your marriage? How would your wife respond if she knew? Think about where your actions
can lead and then imagine your wife finding out. Do you want to deal with the fallout? Always think
of the end game. Where do you want to be? Are your thoughts and actions leading you there?

3. Avoid Pornography

Besides the obvious reasons that avoiding porn will help guard against lust, there are psychological
reasons as well. Porn creates unrealistic expectations and desensitizes our minds towards our
spouses. They can’t possibly live up to what is viewed, and would we even want them to? This pushes
the focus of your sexual desires outside of the home and can only lead to paths of destruction.

4. Use Social Media with Caution

There are many benefits of social media, but there are just as many pitfalls. We are reunited with
people from our past and introduced to those who are new. Old sparks can be renewed or new ones
can be lit. For a married man, this can be extremely perilous. Always remain alert to true intentions
when using social media.

5. Question Your Intent

Most times, when our minds wander sexually, we aren’t really seeking pure sex. We are seeking to
replace something missing in our lives and our relationships. It could also be that we are trying to
distract ourselves from dealing with something difficult. For each man, these things will be specific to
his experiences. Figure out the root issue and work to correct it.

6. Practice Sexual Intimacy

While there is no way to go back to how you felt when your relationship was new, there are certainly
plenty of ways to regain that level of relational excitement. Improving communication, date nights,
passionate kissing and thoughtful gestures are just a few examples. When our minds and hearts are
occupied in the right place, sexual lust has little room to operate.

When our minds and hearts are occupied in the right place, sexual lust has little room to operate.

Tweet Quote
7. Consistent Prayer

Prayer is the act of communicating your thoughts, worries, hopes and dreams to God. Lift up the
desires you are feeling and ask for help. God made you and knows you and can deliver you time and
time again.

8. Choose Your Friends Wisely

When battling sexual temptation, there are plenty of people we can find that will encourage and
enable it. You can still be their friend, but by all means, avoid joining them in their poor relational
choices.

9. Keep High Standards

To be a gentleman is a choice. A very good choice, and this world today needs many more. Despite
the vast amount of temptations that life throws our way, we should hold ourselves to the highest of
moral standards. Self-discipline in all areas of our life leads to positive results.

10. Redirect Your Passion

Rather than being controlled by untamed lust, direct that passion in positive directions. Use that
energy to brainstorm about ways you can bless your wife. Perhaps focus on things that will make the
world better like volunteering at a homeless shelter. Coach a youth sports team. Mentor troubled
individuals.

10 Practical Ways to Battle Your Sexual Temptations

Tags : top 10

When someone confesses or is caught in an affair one of the first things they say is something to this
affect, “I didn’t mean it.” Or “She/he meant nothing to me.” In other words they end up in a place
they never wanted to be. Most people don’t set out to cheat on their spouse. It all starts small. It
begins with a thought that goes uncontested, perhaps even nurtured into a fantasy. Those thoughts
grow into an attitude and then the attitude grows into a disposition. That disposition erodes boundaries
and clouds our sense of right and wrong.

This is difficult for most men. Our DNA is pre-loaded with the strong instinct to feel attraction and
desire, yet life and morality demand that we are able to control those instincts. So how do we do that?
For the sake of our marriages, relationships, or just spiritual well-being, we need to be able to find the
answer. You are in a battle against sexual temptations and it’s important to win early. Here are 10
ways to battle sexual temptation.

1. Avoid Tempting Situations

Winning early means staying away from traps. The last thing you want to do is find yourself alone
with the object of your unhealthy desires, whether it is images or actual people. If contact with that
person is a must, then make sure it is always in a public space and others are around. Set boundaries
surrounding your phone, the computer, and TV. Find a partner who is willing to help you with
accountability.

2. Consider The Consequences

While pondering the object of your desire, also ponder the consequences of action. Is it going to help
or hurt your marriage? How would your wife respond if she knew? Think about where your actions
can lead and then imagine your wife finding out. Do you want to deal with the fallout? Always think
of the end game. Where do you want to be? Are your thoughts and actions leading you there?

3. Avoid Pornography

Besides the obvious reasons that avoiding porn will help guard against lust, there are psychological
reasons as well. Porn creates unrealistic expectations and desensitizes our minds towards our
spouses. They can’t possibly live up to what is viewed, and would we even want them to? This pushes
the focus of your sexual desires outside of the home and can only lead to paths of destruction.

4. Use Social Media with Caution

There are many benefits of social media, but there are just as many pitfalls. We are reunited with
people from our past and introduced to those who are new. Old sparks can be renewed or new ones
can be lit. For a married man, this can be extremely perilous. Always remain alert to true intentions
when using social media.

5. Question Your Intent

Most times, when our minds wander sexually, we aren’t really seeking pure sex. We are seeking to
replace something missing in our lives and our relationships. It could also be that we are trying to
distract ourselves from dealing with something difficult. For each man, these things will be specific to
his experiences. Figure out the root issue and work to correct it.

6. Practice Sexual Intimacy

While there is no way to go back to how you felt when your relationship was new, there are certainly
plenty of ways to regain that level of relational excitement. Improving communication, date nights,
passionate kissing and thoughtful gestures are just a few examples. When our minds and hearts are
occupied in the right place, sexual lust has little room to operate.

When our minds and hearts are occupied in the right place, sexual lust has little room to operate.

Tweet Quote

7. Consistent Prayer

Prayer is the act of communicating your thoughts, worries, hopes and dreams to God. Lift up the
desires you are feeling and ask for help. God made you and knows you and can deliver you time and
time again.

8. Choose Your Friends Wisely

When battling sexual temptation, there are plenty of people we can find that will encourage and
enable it. You can still be their friend, but by all means, avoid joining them in their poor relational
choices.
9. Keep High Standards

To be a gentleman is a choice. A very good choice, and this world today needs many more. Despite
the vast amount of temptations that life throws our way, we should hold ourselves to the highest of
moral standards. Self-discipline in all areas of our life leads to positive results.

10. Redirect Your Passion

Rather than being controlled by untamed lust, direct that passion in positive directions. Use that
energy to brainstorm about ways you can bless your wife. Perhaps focus on things that will make the
world better like volunteering at a homeless shelter. Coach a youth sports team. Mentor troubled
individuals.

Eve must have thought that piece of fruit was going to taste pretty good, maybe better than any she'd ever
had before. But as she and Adam soon learned, God had a reason for making it off limits. They may have
enjoyed the taste for a moment, but the guilt and regret lasted a whole lot longer.

The students who wrote these devotions are learning, like Adam and Eve did, that giving into temptation
may be fun at first, but the consequences are never worth it.

A Way Out
"[God] will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also
provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

(1 Corinthians 10:13)

Ever since the Garden of Eden, people have faced temptation. For Adam and Eve, it was the forbidden
fruit. For me, it could be drugs or sex or cheating or lying.

Fortunately, God makes two important promises for me to remember when I'm being tempted. First, he'll
make sure the temptation is never more than I can bear. It might be more than I can handle by myself, but
it can't possibly be more than God can handle. He's always there for me to lean on.

Second, God promises to give me a way out of the temptation. He'll show me the way if I ask. He's already
given me a lot of advice in the Bible. Memorizing his Word helps me to know the right thing to do. Without
God, I wouldn't have a chance against temptation. With God, I know I can stand strong.

—Sarah

What About You?

1) What are some ways God helps you escape temptation?

2) Memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13 and repeat it to yourself when you feel tempted.

3) Talk to God about the temptations you face; ask him to help you resist them.

Playing with Fire

"Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without
his feet being scorched?"

(Proverbs 6:27-28)
Imagine looking through a store window at something you really want. But the store is closed. Would you
break the window and steal it? Of course not!

It's kind of like that with sexual temptation. If you give in, you might be happy for a few minutes, or even a
few days, but in the end there are real consequences. The guilt starts to set in. So does the regret.

That's why these verses mean a lot to me. Basically they say that I can't play with fire for very long without
getting burned. Sooner or later, the consequences of sin will catch up with me. When I think of it that way, it
isn't hard to say no.

—Robyn

What About You?

1) Think about a time when you were tempted to sin. How did you respond? What helped you or could
have helped you resist temptation?

2) Think of the characteristics of fire—what it's like, what it does, and so on. Reread the two verses for
today. Why do you think the author of Proverbs compares sexual temptation with fire?

3) Ask God for strength to resist temptation and to help you make wise decisions.

Think About It
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines temptation as “an enticement or invitation to

sin, with the implied promise of greater good to be derived from following the way
of disobedience.” Resisting temptation begins with knowing that Satan is the
supreme “tempter” (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5) who has been tempting
mankind since our Creator placed His first two children in the Garden of Eden
(Genesis 3; 1 John 3:8). Ultimately, however, we know that Satan’s power over
Christians has been effectively destroyed as the war has already been won through
our Savior’s death and resurrection which conquered the power of sin and death
forever. Nonetheless, Satan still prowls the earth looking to drive a wedge
between God and His children, and his temptations are unfortunately a daily part
of our lives (1 Peter 5:8). Yet with the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of
God’s Word to help us, we will find ourselves effectively resisting temptations.

The apostle Paul encourages us with these words: “No temptation has seized you
except what is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Indeed, every one of us
faces temptations of some kind; even Jesus was not immune as He was “tempted
in every way, just as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). Although Satan may be the dark
force ultimately behind the tempting, it is our fallen and corrupted human nature
that allows these temptations to take root and causes us to act on them, thereby
“giving birth to sin” (James 1:15). But it is the power of the Holy Spirit that
enables us to free ourselves from the sin and temptations we struggle with in our
daily lives. Thus, if we have the Spirit of Christ residing in our hearts, we already
have what it takes to resist the flaming arrows the devil sends our way. As Paul
told the Galatians, “live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
sinful nature” (Galatians 5:16).
The Word of God has always been our best defense against Satan’s temptations,
and the better we know His Word, the easier it will be to claim victory over our
daily struggles. The psalmist tells us, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I
might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). When Christ was tempted by Satan in
the desert, the first thing He did was to quote Scripture (Matthew 4:4–10), which
eventually caused the devil to leave Him. Indeed, Christians need to be diligent in
studying God’s Word. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your
commands make me wiser than my enemies” (Psalm 119:97–98).

In addition to God’s Word, prayer can help us to resist temptation. The night He
was betrayed, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He told Peter to
pray “so that you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14:38). Also, in the “Lord’s
Prayer,” Jesus taught us to pray that we would not be led into temptation
(Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4). Yet, when we do fall into temptation, we know that
“God is faithful; He will not let us be tempted beyond what [we] can bear,” and
that He will provide us with a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). This is a promise from
God, and like Abraham, Christians should be “fully persuaded” that God has the
power to do what He has promised (Romans 4:21).

Another way to help us resist temptation is to remember what Jesus Christ did for
us. Even though He never committed a sin, He willingly endured the torture of the
cross for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Every sin we’ve ever
committed, or will commit, played a part in nailing our Savior to the cross. How
we respond to Satan’s worldly allurements is a great indicator as to just how much
the love of Jesus Christ occupies our hearts.

Now, even though Christians already have the tools necessary for victory, we need
to use our common sense and not place ourselves in situations that prey upon, or
stimulate, our weaknesses. We are already bombarded every day with images and
messages that tantalize our sinful lusts. We don’t need to make it more difficult
than it already is. Even though Christ’s Spirit resides in our hearts, our flesh can be
very weak at times (Matthew 26:41). When we know something is or can be sinful,
Paul warns us to “flee from it.” Remember, the “tempter” is also the master of
rationalization, and there is no limit to the arguments the devil can offer us to
justify our sinful behavior.

Armed with God’s Spirit and the truth of His Word, we are well equipped to
overcome Satan’s assaults (Ephesians 6). No matter what trials and temptations
come our way, God’s Word and Spirit are infinitely more powerful than any of
Satan’s schemes. When we walk with the Spirit we can look at temptations as
opportunities for us to show God that He is indeed the Master of our lives.

8 Steps to Overcoming Temptation

01
of 08
Identify Your Temptations
Paul Bradbury / Getty Images

Everyone is different, so it's important to know your weak areas. Which

temptations are difficult for you to overcome? Some people may find that
gossip is more alluring than sex. Others may find that even holding your date's
hand is too much of a temptation. When you know what tempts you the most,
you can be proactive about fighting that temptation.

02
of 08
Pray About Temptations

DUEL / Getty Images

Once you know the temptations that are difficult for you to overcome, you can
begin to pray for them. For instance, if gossip is your great temptation, then
pray every night for the strength to overcome your desire to gossip. Ask God to
help you walk away when you find yourself in situations where people are
gossiping. Pray for wisdom to discern when information is gossip and when it
is not.

03
of 08
Avoid Temptations

Michael Haegele / Getty Images

The most effective way to overcome temptation is to avoid it altogether. For

instance, if premarital sex is a temptation, then you can avoid being in
situations where you might find yourself giving into that desire. If you are
prone to cheating, then you may want to position yourself during a test so that
you cannot see the paper of the person next to you.

04
of 08
Use the Bible for Inspiration
RonTech2000 / Getty Images

The Bible contains advice and guidance for every area of life, so why not turn
to it for overcoming temptation? 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "You are tempted in
the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let
you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your
temptation." (CEV) Jesus battled temptation with the Word of God. Let truth
from the Bible inspire you in moments of temptation. Try looking up what the
Bible says about your areas of temptation so that you're ready when the need
arises.

05
of 08
Use the Buddy System

RyanJLane / Getty Images

Do you have a friend or leader that you can trust to guide you in facing your
temptations? Sometimes it helps to have someone you can talk to about your
struggles or even brainstorm practical ways you can avoid temptation. You
may even ask to meet regularly with your friend to hold yourself accountable.

06
of 08
Use Positive Language

muharrem öner / Getty Images

What does positive language have to do with overcoming temptation? In

Matthew 12:34, Jesus said, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaks." When our language is faith-filled, it reflects our heartfelt belief in
God, that he can and will help us overcome the desire to sin. Stop saying
things like, "It's too hard," "I can't," or "I'll never be able to do this."
Remember, God can move mountains. Try changing how you approach the
situation and say, "God can help me overcome this," "God's got this," or "This
is not too hard for God."

07
of 08
Give Yourself Alternatives
olaser / Getty Images

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, the Bible states that God can show you how to
escape from your temptation. Are you looking for the way of escape God has
promised you? If you know your temptations, you can give yourself
alternatives. For instance, if you are tempted to lie to protect another person's
feelings, try considering other ways to say the truth in a way that won't wound.
You can speak the truth with love. If your friends are doing drugs, try
developing new friendships. Alternatives aren't always easy, but they can be
the path God creates for you to overcome temptation.

08
of 08
It's Not the End of the World

LeoGrand / Getty Images

We all make mistakes. No one is perfect. That is why God offers forgiveness.
While we should not sin because we know we'll be forgiven, we should know
that God's grace is available when we do. Consider 1 John 1:8-9, "If we say that
we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts.
But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and
take our sins away," (CEV) Know that God will always be here ready to catch
us when we fall.