Handling Temptations Part #3

We know that the temptations that we experience is because of what is desirable to us, that is why it is tempting sometimes ONLY to us. We must realize that we have strength in us to overcome temptations, but only if we choose to overcome. Whatever you WILL to overcome, you CAN overcome by power that is put in you. Then, once we have victory over the temptations, we must live in that victory and not become a slave to it any longer. Avoid places, peoples, pleasures, habits, or things that are going to cause you to slide backwards in your victory so that your victory will be a complete and utter victory.

Below, I have included the original Twelve Steps as published by Alcoholics Anonymous, I found that these are very relevant for any tempation, addiction, obstacle, etc... Where the word alcohol was, I placed the word “temptation”.  As you read this, place the temptation, or obstacle that is preventing you, in the place of temptation.

        1. Admit that you are powerless over “temptation”—that your
            life has become unmanageable.

        2. Come to believe that a Power greater than yourself could
            restore you to sanity.

        3. Make a decision to turn your will and your life over to the
            care of God as you understand Him.

        4. Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself.

        5. Admit to God, to yourself, and to another human being the
            exact nature of your temptations.

        6. Be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of
            character from you.

        7. Humbly ask Him to remove your shortcomings.

        8. Make a list of all persons you have harmed because of this
            temptaion & be willing to make amends to all.

        9. Make direct amends to such people wherever possible,

            except when to do so would injure them or others.

      10. Continued to take personal inventory and when you are 
            wrong promptly admit it.

      11. Seek through prayer & meditation to improve your conscious
            contact with God as you understand Him, praying only for
            knowledge of His will for you & the POWER to carry that out.

      12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps,
            try to carry this message to others who are slaves to their
            temptations, & to practice these principles in all your affairs.

Again, once you overcome these temptations and obstacles, you must then continue to live victoriously by avoiding places, peoples, pleasures, habits, or things that are going to cause you to slide backwards into that obstacle or temptation that you have had victory over.  As you do these things, your victory will be a complete and utter victory.

As you conquer your own desires, temptations, addictions, and obstacles, you will not only change your own situation, you will also change your state of mind.  Cheers!