Scripture is clear in telling us that it is not God who leads us into temptation, but in fact our own flesh or the enemy at work. In my darkest and loneliest moments, it was actually the power of prayer that helped to lead me away from temptation. The very same acronym we are using to learn about prayer — P.R.A.Y. — has brought me from a place of darkness into the light.
Pause. When the lies of the enemy or our desires get in God’s way, a good practice is to pause and listen. Oftentimes, that is all it takes. Usually, I know I am about to step in the wrong direction, and pausing allows the Holy Spirit to change my direction.
Rejoice. In other words, show gratitude. Choosing gratitude in the midst of temptation helps to shift my perspective. Gratitude combats comparison, jealousy, coveting, to name a few.
Ask. In the context of temptation, this could mean a few things. Maybe it could be asking what you should do next. Maybe it is asking what led you here. Often times I want to start prayer by asking, but when I pause and rejoice first, my heart has aligned with God’s heart and it is easier to know what I want to ask.
Yield. Here is the action point. Yielding is where obedience comes. If I have paused, rejoiced, and asked while tempted, there is a good chance I need to lay something down, walk away, change my perspective, or maybe forgive someone.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God will provide a way out when we are tempted, but it is much easier for me to take that way out when I respond to temptation with prayer.