10 Steps to Avoid Backsliding

The Christian life is not always an easy road. Sometimes we get off track. The Bible says to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ
daily so that no one turns away from the living God. If you have found yourself backsliding, or drifting away from the Lord, these practical
steps will help get you back on course today.
Time Required: A Lifetime

What You Need:

 A Bible

 A Daily Relationship With God

 A Christian Friend

 A Bible Teaching Church

Here's How:

1. Examine your faith-life regularly.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of
course, you fail the test?
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

2. If you find yourself drifting away, turn back immediately.

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another
daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:12-13 (NIV)

3. Come to God daily for forgiveness and cleansing.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:14 (NIV)

4. Continue daily seeking the Lord with your whole heart.

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind,
for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if
you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
I Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

5. Stay in the Word of God; keep studying and learning daily.

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Proverbs 4:13 (NIV)
 6. Stay in fellowship often with other believers. You can’t make it alone as a Christian. We need the strength and prayers of other
believers.

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of
his coming back again is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

7. Stand firm in your faith. Expect difficult times in your Christian life.

All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matthew 10:22 (NIV)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

8. Persevere.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine
closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
1 Timothy 4:15-17 (NIV)

9. Run the race to win.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who
competes in the games goes into strict training ... we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9: 24-25 (NIV)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness...
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)

10. Remind yourself of what God has done for you in the past.

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
you will receive what he has promised … we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are
saved.
Hebrews 10: 32, 35-39 (NIV)

Tips:

1. Develop a daily habit of spending time with God. Habits are hard to break.

2. Memorize favorite Bible verses to recall in difficult times.

3. Listen to Christian music to keep your mind and heart in tune with God.

4. Develop a Christian friendship so that you'll have someone to call when you feel weak.

5. Get involved in a meaningful project with other Christians.

5 Steps to Avoid Temptation

1. Recognize your tendency toward sin.

James 1:14 explains that we are tempted when we become enticed by our own natural desires. The first step toward avoiding temptation, is
recognizing our human tendency to be tempted by our own fleshly desires. Temptation is a given, so don't be surprised by it. Rather, expect
to be tempted. Be prepared for it.

2. Run away from the temptation.

I love the New Living Translation of 1 Corinthians 10:13. It says, "But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different
from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it.
When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it."

When you are face to face with temptation, look for the way out that God has promised and then run as fast as you can.

3. Resist with the Word of truth.

Hebrews 4:12 says God's Word is living and active. Did you know you can carry a weapon that will make your thoughts obey Jesus Christ? If
you don't believe me, read 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 One of these weapons is the Word of God.

Though it can be helpful to read God's Word when you're being tempted, sometimes that's not practical. Even better is to practice reading
the Word daily, so that eventually you have so much of it inside, you are ready whenever temptation comes. If you are reading through the
Bible regularly, you will have the full counsel of God at your disposal.

4. Refocus with praise.

How often have you been tempted to sin when your heart and mind were fully concentrated on worship to the Lord? Praising God takes your
focus off of yourself and puts it on God. You may not be strong enough to resist temptation on your own, but as you focus on God, he will
inhabit your praise. He will give you the strength to resist and walk away from the temptation. May I suggest Psalm 147 as a good place to
start.

5. Repent quickly when you fail.

In several places the Bible tells us the best way to resist temptation is to flee from it (1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:11;
2 Timothy 2:22). Yet still we all fail from time to time. We fail to flee. Notice I didn't say, repent quickly if you fail. Having a more realistic view
—knowing that at times you will fail—should help you to repent quickly when you do. It is not the end of the world when you fail, but it is
very dangerous to persist in your sin. Going back to James 1, verse 15 explains that sin "when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

Tips:

1. Try this Prayer for Dealing with Temptation.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he 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 (NIV)
“But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the
temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to
it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)
Dear Lord,
You know the temptations that I am facing today. But your Word promises that I will not be tempted beyond what I can bear. I ask for your strength to
stand up under the temptation whenever I encounter it. Your Word also tells me you will provide a way out of the temptation. Please, Lord, give me the
wisdom to walk away when I am tempted, and the clarity to see the way out that you will provide. Thank you, God, that you are a faithful deliverer and
that I can count on your help in my time of need.
Amen

2. Choose a Bible Reading Plan. & 3. Develop a Christian Friendship AKA accountability Partner—Someone to Call When You're Feeling Tempted.