How to Overcome Temptations

“The more I try not to, the more I do. Gosh! I just wish there was some way I could control myself. All I really desire is some good fun without the sin attached. ”


These are the words of frustrated sixteen year old Andre as he explained his difficulty to his friend Marissa.

Do you feel like Andre at times?

Is there something you are struggling with and you wish you could overcome it?


Both Andre and Marissa decided they needed to talk with someone with wisdom, so they went to talk with their Youth Leader - Daniel who shared the following insights with them:

These are the three ways in which you can be tempted and we each will face one or more of these at some point in our lives:

1. Temptations by objects or encounters


 Temptation is a pornographic movie or magazine

 Temptation is looking at an attractive person and allowing their body to preoccupy your mind

 Temptation is chocolate or cheese cake when you are already struggling with overweight issues.



2. Temptations by being in pressuring situations

 Temptation is seeing money falling from someone’s pocket and wanting to take it as your own

 Temptation is your friends forcing you to do something you know is wrong

 Temptation is being jeered to the point of fighting.



3. Temptations by hearing voices in your head

 Temptation says, “Everyone is doing it and you would be strange not to do it too.”

 Temptation says, “I am going to give them a taste of their own medicine.”

 Temptation says, “You can’t do it, you are worthless, furthermore nobody likes you anyway.”



The most destructive is the third one as it aims to destroy both your confidence and your belief in the word of God.

Fighting temptations – Knowing and understanding the truth can save you from falling for Satan’s lies. On hearing this, Andre took a deep breath.

The negative thoughts and the weaknesses you have usually serve as an open door to be tempted. James 1:14 says, “…each one is tempted when, by his own desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”

This therefore means that you will be tempted (excited or aroused) by those things that you like and provoked (incited or roused) by those things that you don’t like.


Daniel then went on to sharing the following 7 ways of overcoming temptations with Andre and Marissa. See how these too can help you:

1. Stay away – (Know where your weakness lies)

You stand a better chance of not falling into temptation if you stay away from the things which may trip you over. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness…”

Youth is a time when lusts strike the strongest and you have the least experience dealing with them. The hormones flowing through your body cause your emotions to fluctuate between extremes. Therefore, find creative activities to divert your energies such as sexual urges. Know your weakness and stay away from those things which will bring you shame.

2. Talk with someone

Just like Andre and Marissa did, they found Daniel who was able to guide them into understanding themselves and making the right decisions. You too can find someone who will help you to overcome your temptations and check upon your progress from time to time. Find good counsel.

3. Use the bible as your inspiration

The bible has very good instructions to help young people with their everyday challenges. In psalm 119: 9 it says, “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.”

Sinful acts usually come with a lot of pleasures and enjoyment but the consequences later on are painful and can be devastating.

4. Watch your attitude and your thinking

You will eventually do and become whatever you feed your mind on. Be careful of the type of thoughts you entertain. A man is literally what he thinks – Proverbs 23: 7.

Keep your thoughts and your conversations pure and avoid negative thinking. You can also commit a sin from your thoughts, even if you never performed the act (Mark 7:18-23).

Think positive at all times. – Philippians 4:8

5. Change your environment

Staying pure sometimes require changing your friends or the people you hang out with, especially if they are not encouraging you to do the right things. You are young and you will need to use your strength for godly and righteous activities.

If you have a tendency to gossip, then see how much you can get involve in activities which allow you to use your talent of speaking for good. These are activities that will bring glory to God. Perhaps you can try debating.

6. Get into the habit of making the right choices

Your entire life is formed around a series of choices and decisions, good or bad. Every time you overcome a temptation it gives you more strength to overcome the next one.

7. You can receive forgiveness

If you fall, get up. Don’t allow your guilt to get the better of you. Jesus loves you so much that he already made provision for when you do fall. He says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Be careful now; do not fall into the dangerous trap of repeated sin because you know God will forgive you.

Jesus told his disciples in Matt. 26:41 to watch (Stay alert) and pray so that they will not enter into temptation. This raises an interesting question, whenever we fall into temptation, is it because we fail to watch and pray?”

If you pray and have regular worship sessions it will help you to be more victorious.

You can enjoy your Christian life and be holy at the same time. Trust God and always allow His Spirit to lead you, for in all these we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Both Andre and Marissa were grateful for what they learnt and so they decided they would share this information with all the other members of the youth group.


(Feel free to forward this artcle to someone you believe would benefit, thanks for sharing)

Lord Bless Me…

So I will bring joy and not pain…
So I will do your will amidst the heartache and the shame…

When the sun is out, or when the weather is not quite favourable to me…
Cause me to see that even in my dislikes you are bringing your purpose out of me…

Lord Bless Me…

So I will not be a curse…
So I won’t settle for last, when you have called me to be first…

When the issues of the day become overwhelming…
The voices around me are everything except encouraging…

Lord Bless Me…

May I understand that frequent rejections
May be your way of saying change the plan and change direction

Lord Bless Me…

Let me claim all the promises you have made
So I will experience you more and more each day

Lord I ask you now to bless me

Prayer for Strength 2

Dear God:



Today, I am remembering that I am your child.

I know I am safe in the arms of your love.

I know I am protected by the power of your love

I know I am guided by the wisdom of your love

Today, I know I am a beloved child of God

I know that all of my needs are met by God today

I know that all of my questions are answered by God today

I know that my concerns are God’s concerns because I am God’s Beloved child

I am leaning on God today

I am depending on God today

I am putting my faith in God today

I am putting my hand in God’s today so he can lead me safely through whatever I fear.

I am trusting God with all the affairs of my life today because I know God loves me just as I am, today and every day

For this I am so grateful.

And so it Is!




Writer: Iyanla Vanzant

Turning Point – Ja Gospel Music

I sense in my spirit that yet again our beautiful country is at the brink of a change.
Exactly what am I talking about?
Approximately fifteen years ago, we were exactly at this point.
The gospel music had lost its colour, its flavour and salt.
We were just going through the motions, no anointing, and no excellence of spirit.
Most of the songs that were recorded originated from North America; we were merely putting the lyrics to reggae beats and then call them our own.

The Music Ministers became conscious that ‘concerts’ were dying and were in need of urgent rescue.
But, instead of seeking God for the heavenly sound He desired for them to sing, speak and play over the nation, they went to look at what was working in the world and guess what?

Yes…You guess right, they copied the ways of the world and brought it into the church.
Now, some may agree with me some may not.
I was but a boy when this was happening in Jamaica.
The Kingdom of God leads, the devil follows and tries to copy, not the other way around.
I am writing this from my heart as I ask God to give us Jamaica.
If you are in agreement with me then let us pray.

A series of events later followed that I will write about later called, ‘Music that holds the nation hostage’.

What can we do?
What is needed now is for the 'Praying and watchful’ people to pray.
We can hold seminars and discussions to open the eyes of the people. We can do ‘sing-shops’ and more.

But now we need to pray.

A change is on the horizon. Our land is in dire need of healing.
The Bride must prepare for the Groom. We are at a turning point.
We also run the risk of making another mistake that will render what happened over the last few years as a ‘huge joke.’

Pray, we must. Sit by and allow it to repeat itself, a risk too great to take.

If we are going to save the next generation and the present we must pray and act now.

We need to pray and ask God for music and songs that will capture the heart of Jamaica. Capture the hearts of the people and direct them to the Almighty God, a position the church once held. It is now in the hands of the ungodly.
The thoughts of our children, teens, youths and adults have been perverted by the music while the gospel music ministers find comfort in ‘entertainment’ and jesting.

My soul cries out, at this turning point, GOD PLEASE SAVE JAMAICA.

(If you know a Musician, Singer, Choir Director or Pastor who needs to hear this, please feel free to share it)

Where art thou?

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Genesis 3:9
Why did God ask that question?

In Genesis 3: 8, Adam and Eve had sinned. They had eaten of the forbidden fruit, and the immediate response of sin was that, "they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD amongst the trees of the garden.

I wonder why God ask Adam where he was, is it that God is not able to look on us in our sinful state or is it that sin hides us from God.

Why did Adam and eve hide among the trees?
We also see in St. Matt 27: 45 – 46, one of the more puzzling things for many Christians, the lamenting question that Christ uttered on the cross in His cry of, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

"Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

So whenever we sin is it that we are no longer under God’s protection as He is not able to look at us with all that sin and so we become even more vulnerable?

David also cried unto the Lord, "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments," Psalm 119:176.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way," Isaiah 53:6.

In this plan of salvation just like a lost sheep needs the shepherd to find it, we need our Great Shepherd to find us whenever we go astray. But also important to the salvation plan must be a willingness to be found. If we keep hiding then grace will not be able to cover us and clothe us in God’s righteousness.

Where are you now?

Can God see you, can He look upon you?

If you are not sure where you are with God, use this moment to ask God to restore your heart and soul back to Him. He is waiting.

Set the level…

In sound technology it is very important that the levels be set to get the best out of your microphones and other sound equipment, this also help to minimize or prevent feedback and other disturbances.

I want to say to our leaders of worship, musicians, singers and psalmists.

When you stand to lead the musical aspect of your worship services, set the level.

Determine ahead the level you want to initiate at, and then build on it. God works on your desires to promote His glory.

Seek God and then lead the praise service powerfully, set the level.

The songs, the scripture, the acts of worship, do them with passion and set the level.

Always be conscious of your own attitude and spirit not just when you stand to lead but even in your preparation and the night before, days before, set the level.

When we begin to set the level of the service and with the Holy Spirit working in us, we will see miracles, super natural workings and regeneration like no other.

Prayer of Purpose

Dear God

I know you are great and wonderful and I also know you are listening to this prayer.

From a very early age you called Samuel and placed him to serve your people.
God You showed Joseph the blue print of his life through his dreams...but God what do you want from me?

I look at the moon each time and its purpose I can clearly see...but God what do you want from me?

You groomed and trained David to be King and from he was a little shepherd boy you knew his heart... God what about mine?

At times I feel so far away from where you desire me to be...God you are able to fulfill your plans in. What do you want from me?

You called Ruth, Esther, Naomi, Elizabeth and Mary...God what do you want from me?

You said I should call unto you and you will show me hidden secrets.
Well…here is my mind, use it, here are my eyes show me and here is my mouth let me speak boldly.

God what do you want from me?

You have given me a name, a name which means something.
Help me Lord to live my name or change my name.

Show me your way for me to go there.
Teach me to walk its path.
My ways are not always yours; help me to walk in purpose in Jesus name, Amen.