Yellow: Direct Response
Light Yellow: Additional Response
Celeste: Additional Points
“Do not let sin continue to reign in your mortal bodies so that you have to obey its desires” (ROM. 6:12).
1. What struggle do we all have?
Have you ever felt a strong desire to do something that Jehovah does not like? If so, you may think that you are the only one who feels this way, and that is why you feel discouraged. But the Bible says: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind” (1 Cor. 10:13). That means you are not alone; there are other brothers and sisters who are also struggling with similar desires. And don't forget that in your struggle you have Jehovah's help, so you can win this battle.
2. What temptations might some Christians and Bible students be facing? (See also the pictures.)
2 The Bible also mentions: “Each one is tested when he is drawn away and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14). In other words, not everyone is tempted by the same things. For example, some Christians and Bible students may feel the desire to commit immoral acts with someone of a different sex or with someone of the same sex. Others may have stopped watching pornography but feel the urge to resume this habit. And there are those who feel the urge to return to drug use or excessive drinking. In any case, it is likely that we have all felt at some point like the apostle Paul, who wrote: “When I want to do what is right, what is wrong is with me.” (Rom. 7:21).
ILLUSTRATION
A temptation can appear at any time and in any place. (See paragraph 2).
3. What might someone begin to feel who is struggling over and over again with the same evil desire?
If you are struggling over and over again with the same bad desire, you may feel that you do not have the strength to reject it and that just by having that bad desire you do not have Jehovah's approval. But nothing could be further from the truth! To see why we say this, in this article we will answer two questions: 1) What is the true origin of these negative feelings? and 2) How can we win our battle against bad intentions?
HOW SATAN WANTS US TO FEEL
4. a) What does Satan want us to think? b) Why are we sure that we have the strength to resist evil desires?
4 When we face temptation, Satan wants us to think we lack the strength to resist it. That is why Jesus taught us to ask Jehovah: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.” (Matt. 6:13). In fact, Satan claims that humans, when tempted to do something wrong, will choose to disobey Jehovah (Job 2:4, 5). But how ironic that he says that, when it was he who lacked willpower, gave in to his wrong desires, and chose to disobey God. Apparently, he thinks we are like him. And not only that: he even thought that the Son of God, who was perfect, would fall into the temptation to do something wrong! (Matt. 4:8, 9). But do we really lack the strength to resist evil desires? Of course we do, for as the apostle Paul said: “I have strength for all things through him who gives me power.” (Phil. 4:13).
5. How do we know that Jehovah is sure that we can win the battle against wrong desires?
5 Jehovah is very different from Satan: he is absolutely certain that we are able to win the battle against wrong desires. How do we know this? Because Jehovah foretold that a great crowd of faithful people would survive the great tribulation. Do we realize what that means? Jehovah, who cannot lie, assures that many people—not just a few—will enter the new world dressed “in long white robes,” which symbolizes that they are clean in his eyes. (Apoc. 7:9, 13, 14). It is clear that Jehovah knows that we have the strength to fight against bad desires.
6, 7. What else does Satan want us to believe?
6 On the other hand, Satan also wants us to believe that simply having bad desires prevents us from gaining Jehovah's approval or eternal life. Again, how ironic that Satan would attempt this, when he is the one who has no hope of receiving Jehovah's approval or of living forever, since he has already been judged and condemned (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 20:10). Because we can achieve something that is completely out of his reach, he envies us and wants us to feel like him: hopeless. But the Bible assures us that Jehovah wants to help us gain his approval and live forever. He “does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). So our situation is nothing like the Devil’s. We do have hope!
7 As we can see, it is Satan who wants us to believe that we do not have the strength to resist evil desires or that just by having them we do not have Jehovah's approval. Always keep this in mind, and you will be able to fight against those negative feelings. Don't let Satan get away with it! (1 Pet. 5:8, 9)
HOW INHERITED SIN CAN MAKE US FEEL
8. What else might make us believe that we do not have God’s approval or the strength to resist wrong desires? (Psalm 51:5; see also “Key Idea”).
Besides Satan, there is another factor that can make us believe that we do not have the strength to resist bad desires or that we do not have Jehovah's approval. What are we referring to? To the sin we have inherited from Adam and Eve. (Job 14:4; lea Salmo 51:5). b
9, 10. a) How did Adam and Eve feel when they became imperfect beings? (See also the picture.) b) How do we feel because of imperfection?
9 Let us think about how Adam and Eve felt when they sinned and became imperfect beings. After disobeying Jehovah, they hid and tried to cover their bodies. Why did they react that way? The book Insight on the Scriptures explains: “Sin introduced feelings of guilt, anxiety, insecurity, and shame into them.” It's as if imperfection were a locked house, and each of those four feelings were a room. Adam and Eve could move from room to room, but they couldn't escape the house. They were trapped in their imperfection; there was no way out for them.
10 Of course, we are not in exactly the same situation as Adam and Eve. Unlike them, we do have a way out: redemption, which allows us to receive forgiveness for our sins and have a clear conscience (1 Cor. 6:11). Even so, since we have inherited imperfection, it is not surprising that we also feel guilt, anxiety, insecurity, and shame. In fact, the Bible says that sin continues to exert a strong influence on all humans, even those who have not sinned “in the same way that Adam sinned” (Rom. 5:14). But we must not let that make us feel that we lack the strength to do what is right and that we will never be able to gain Jehovah’s approval. What will help us to overcome these negative feelings?
ILLUSTRATION
Adam and Eve, dressed in long skin garments, leave the Garden of Eden in shame.
After Adam and Eve sinned, they felt guilt, anxiety, insecurity, and shame. (See paragraph 9.)
11. If we feel that we do not have the strength to resist evil desires, what does Romans 6:12 remind us of?
11 Sometimes, imperfection can be like a voice inside our head that tells us, “You won’t be able to overcome bad desires; you don’t have the strength to reject them.” Let’s not listen to that voice! Remember that the Bible teaches that we should not let sin continue to “reign” over us (read Romans 6:12). This means that we do not have to act on evil desires; we can choose not to. (Gal. 5:16). Jehovah knows that we are capable of resisting temptations. Otherwise, he would not ask us to (Deut. 30:11-14; Rom. 6:6; 1 Thess. 4:3). There is no doubt: we have the strength to win the battle against wrong desires.
12. What should we do if we feel that Jehovah will not give us his approval, and why?
12 At other times, we may hear the voice of imperfection telling us: “Because you have this wrong desire, Jehovah will not give you his approval.” Let us not listen to it! Let us remember that the Bible teaches that Jehovah understands that we are born imperfect (Psalm 103:13, 14). He “knows everything” about us, including how inherited sin has caused each of us to have certain wrong inclinations. (1 John 3:19, 20) As long as we keep fighting against wrong desires and do not act on them, we will be clean in Jehovah’s eyes. Why can we be sure of this?
13, 14. Why do we know that Jehovah does not withdraw his approval from us just because we have a wrong desire?
13 The Bible teaches that there is a big difference between having an evil desire and acting on that evil desire. We cannot always control what we desire, but we can control what we do. For example, before becoming Christians, some Corinthians had practiced homosexuality. The apostle Paul said: “Some of you were that.” So, did they never again feel the desire to engage in homosexual acts? It would be unrealistic to think so, because these desires are often deeply rooted within a person. But those Christians who showed self-control and did not act on their wrong desires had been “cleansed” and had Jehovah’s approval. (1 Cor. 6:9-11). The same can be said of you.
14 No matter what desire you are struggling with, you can be sure that you will be able to reject it. Even if you cannot make it disappear, you can still demonstrate self-control and refuse to give in to the desires of the flesh and its thoughts. (Eph. 2:3). So how can you win your battle against evil desires? Let's see.
HOW TO WIN THE BATTLE
15. If we want to win the battle against evil desires, why do we have to be honest with ourselves?
15 If you want to win your battle against evil desires, you will first have to be honest with yourself and acknowledge your weaknesses. Be careful not to be deceived by “false reasoning” (James 1:22). For example, someone might reason, “Others drink more than I do,” or blame others, saying, “If my wife were more affectionate, I wouldn’t be tempted to view pornography.” But such thinking minimizes the problem, and that only makes it easier to give in to temptation. So don't make excuses to justify yourself, not even to yourself. Take responsibility for your actions (Gal. 6:7).
16. How can you strengthen your determination to do what is right?
16 In addition to being honest with yourself, strengthen your determination not to give in to your weaknesses (1 Cor. 9:26, 27; 1 Thess. 4:4; 1 Pet. 1:15, 16). Be clear about the situations and things that make you more vulnerable. Perhaps at certain times of the day you are more likely to give in to temptation, for example when it is late at night or you are tired. Anticipate temptation and rehearse in your mind how you would reject it. As we can see, a key to fighting temptation is to prepare beforehand. (Prov. 22:3).
17. What do we learn from Joseph? (Genesis 39:7-9; see also the pictures.)
17 Consider how Joseph reacted when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him: he immediately and decisively refused her (read Genesis 39:7-9). This reaction indicates that before she even tried to seduce him, he had already decided that he would not sleep with another man’s wife. What can you learn from Joseph? The best thing to do is to strengthen your resolve to do the right thing before temptation arises. That way, when it appears, it will be easier to reject it because you've already decided how you're going to react.
ILLUSTRATION
Series of images: 1. Joseph flees from Potiphar's wife as she grabs his clothes. 2. A teenager rejects the advances of a young woman at school.
Reject the temptation immediately, just as Joseph did. (See paragraph 17.)
“KEEP GETTING EXAMINED”
18. What else can you do to win your battle against evil desires? (2 Corinthians 13:5).
18 To win your battle against evil desires, you will also need to examine yourself frequently (read 2 Corinthians 13:5). This will allow you to see if you need to make any changes in your thinking or actions. For example, after resisting a temptation, you might ask yourself, “How long did it take me to reject it?” If you didn’t reject it immediately, don’t be discouraged, but take steps to react more quickly next time. Ask yourself questions like these: “Can I get bad thoughts out of my mind more quickly? Is the entertainment I choose making the struggle harder for me? Do I look away instantly when immoral scenes appear? Am I always clear that obeying all of Jehovah’s standards is in my best interest, even though in some cases I need to show a lot of self-control?” (Ps. 101:3).
19. Why is it so important that we avoid making bad decisions about seemingly small things?
19 Remember also that “the heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate” (Jer. 17:9). And Jesus said that “out of the heart come evil reasonings” (Matt. 15:19). So do not let your heart deceive you with supposedly “logical” explanations. For example, someone who has stopped viewing pornography might eventually begin to think that it is not dangerous to view provocative images as long as no one is naked. Or perhaps he thinks, “There is nothing wrong with having sexual fantasies as long as I don’t act on them.” Such reasoning indicates that, so to speak, his heart is “making plans to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Rom. 13:14). What can you do to avoid falling into that trap? Remember that making bad decisions in seemingly small matters can lead to making bad decisions in much more serious issues. Avoid all "evil reasoning" that makes you downplay bad actions.
20. What will happen in the future to our bad desires, and what help do we have now?
20 As we have seen, Jehovah gives us the strength to resist temptations. Furthermore, thanks to the ransom, we have the hope of living forever in the new world. How happy we will be to serve Jehovah without having to struggle with our wrong desires! Until that day comes, let us remember that if we do our utmost to fight against temptations, Jehovah will bless us and we will win the battle.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What will help us if we feel that we do not have the strength to resist wrong desires or that we do not have Jehovah's approval?
Let us remember that the Bible teaches that we must not let sin continue to “reign” over us. This means that we do not have to act on wrong desires; we can choose not to. The Bible also teaches that Jehovah understands that we are born imperfect. He “knows everything” about us, including how inherited sin has caused each of us to have certain wrong inclinations. Jehovah knows that we are capable of resisting temptation; otherwise, he would not ask us to.
How can we win the battle against evil desires?
To begin, we must be honest with ourselves and acknowledge our weaknesses. We must be careful not to deceive ourselves with false reasoning or seek excuses to justify ourselves, not even to ourselves. Let us take responsibility for our own actions.
How can we continue to examine ourselves?
Let us remember that “the heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate.” Therefore, let us not allow our hearts to deceive us with supposedly “logical” explanations. Making poor decisions in seemingly minor matters can lead us to commit more serious errors. Let us avoid all “evil reasoning” that makes us downplay the importance of wrongdoing.
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