I've observed before that yielding to a temptation reduces its apparent strength. Once the adversary has us, there's no need to keep us uncomfortable; he'd rather let us settle snugly into our sin. I've also pointed out that therefore no one has ever known the full power of temptation like Jesus, who never yielded to it. In my best periods, I have never managed to resist temptation for very long; my former sinfulness was so devastating that everything I deal with since seems almost trivial by comparison, and therefore almost not worth battling against. Having been set free, now I'm basically just clinging to Jesus, and feel like I'm doomed to fail anyway.
Yet I know that these last two sentences contain lies of my adversary that I have believed. I renounce them In the Name of Jesus, and repent of the sin I have used them - indeed, cultivated and embraced them - to commit. I forgive those who have instilled them in me.
Through the decades of my life, I've repeatedly seen with discouraging clarity what I was made of. Lord, please show me what You've remade me of, and let me know the strength You bring to those who rely on You in our weakness.
Resisted temptation may grow stronger, at least for a time . . . but so do we!
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