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When Temptation Calls, Just Hang Up
By Rick Warren

A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.” Proverbs 14:16 (NASB)

Its common sense that if you dont want to get stung, stay away from the bees! If you dont want to get burned, dont get close to the fire! If you dont want to fall off the cliff, dont hang off the ledge!

The goal is not to see how close you can get to temptation but rather how far away from it you can stay.

Proverbs 14:16 says, A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless” (NASB). You might think you can handle temptation, but who are you kidding? You need to do a frank assessment. You need to analyze when and where you are most tempted and vulnerable. Then you need to stay away from those situations as much as you can.

The Bible says to run from temptation: I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws” (Psalm 119:59 NLT). If you have to physically remove yourself, do it! When Potiphars wife tempted Joseph, she grabbed his cloak, so he left it behind as he ran out of the house.

The point is, get out of the situation. Run from the temptation. Dont stick around.

When youre tempted, change the channel. Turn on music. Go for a walk. Read the Bible. Call a Christian friend. Do something to break the spell.

Here is what won’t work: Dont ever try to argue with the devil. You’ll lose every time. Hes had thousands of years to think up counter arguments to anything you may say. Dont rationalize it. Dont justify it. Dont argue it. The key is to break the focus.

Dont stare at the cookies and repeat, I dont want them! I dont want them!” Turn around! The more you try to fight a feeling, the more it grows in intensity.

When temptation calls, dont try to argue. Just hang up and go do something else.

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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