The Power to Overcome TemptationSample

Your Temptation Emergency Plan

“Run from all these evil things.” 1 Timothy 6:11 (NLT)

Do you have an emergency plan for getting away when you’re tempted? Do you have preventative strategies to help you stay away from your biggest temptations?

If you don’t have those things, you need them now!

The Bible is clear about what that emergency plan is: You run. When you find yourself tempted, you need a panic button, an escape route.

First Timothy 6:11 says, “Run from all these evil things” (NLT).

The Bible says you need to move quickly out of any situation that causes you temptation. Never argue with a temptation. You’ll always lose. Emotions will take over, and emotions aren’t always logical.

No matter the temptation, you have to get away. It could be a temptation to cheat in business. It could be a sexual temptation. But your response should be the same: Get out.

But even better than running from temptation is to prevent temptation in the first place. Another way to say that is this: If you don’t want to get stung, stay away from the bees.

Years ago, when I was a youth minister, I’d tell kids, “Don’t decide in the back seat of a car that you’re going to be sexually pure and save yourself for marriage. Hormones will kick in, and you’ll be overwhelmed.” You must make a preventative strategy in advance and not put yourself in the tempting situation.

The same principles apply throughout life.

If you know you get short-tempered with your children when you’re tired, develop a preventative strategy. Set an earlier bedtime for your kids or schedule some quiet time for everyone during the part of the day that’s most difficult for you.

This devotional © 2024 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.