Based on the writings of Ellen White, overcoming temptation is a partnership between human effort and divine power. It requires a determined will to resist, combined with complete reliance on God's strength through faith and prayer. Here are the key principles for overcoming temptation: ### 1. Actively Resist and Use Your Willpower You have a crucial role to play in resisting temptation. God provides the strength, but you must choose to use it. * **Your Effort is Essential:** "You must then answer your own prayer as far as possible by resisting temptation, and leave that which you cannot do for yourselves for Jesus to do for you." (3T 378.1) * **It is Your Choice to Yield:** "It is Satan's act to tempt you, but your own act to yield. It is not in the power of all the host of Satan to force the tempted to transgress. There is no excuse for sin." (4T 623.2) * **Summon Your Will:** "Jesus is your helper. In his strength you can overcome the beguiling power of appetite. Summon will-power to your aid." (CTBH 147.2) ### 2. Rely Completely on God's Power While your effort is necessary, victory is only possible through the strength that God provides. * **Cry Out to God in Prayer:** "When temptations and trials rush in upon us, let us go to God, and agonize with him in prayer. He will give us grace and strength to overcome, and break the power of the enemy." (2SG 290.1) * **Cast Yourself on Jesus:** "Cry unto the Lord, tempted soul. Cast yourself, helpless, unworthy, upon Jesus, and claim His very promise. The Lord will hear. He knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and He will help in every time of temptation." (5T 177.2) * **Believe in His Help:** "Let the eye of faith see Jesus standing before the Father's throne, presenting His wounded hands as He pleads for you. Believe that strength comes to you through your precious Saviour." (SL 90) ### 3. Take Practical Steps Faith and prayer should be accompanied by wise actions. * **Avoid Temptation When Possible:** "Avoid running into temptation. When temptations surround you, and you cannot control the circumstances which expose you to them, then you may claim the promise of God, and with confidence and conscious power exclaim: 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.'" (3T 45.2) * **Know Your Weaknesses:** "He who understands well his own character, who is acquainted with the sin that most easily besets him and the temptations that will be most likely to overcome him, should not expose himself needlessly, and invite temptation by placing himself upon the enemy's ground." (GW92 371) * **Verbally Resist:** "When assailed by temptation, steadfastly resist the evil promptings; say to your soul, 'How can I dishonor my Redeemer? I have given myself to Christ; I cannot do the works of Satan.'" (SL 90) ### 4. Do Not Be Discouraged by Failure Past failures do not mean you cannot be victorious in the future. * **Hope After Being Overcome:** "Although you may have been overcome, although moral debasement may have marked your course, it need not always be thus." (CTBH 147.2) * **Don't Lose Heart:** "Be not discouraged because your heart seems hard. Every obstacle, every internal foe, only increases your need of Christ. He came to take away the heart of stone, and give you a heart of flesh." (SL 90) * **Persistence is Key:** "Again and again they will be almost overcome... again and again they may fall; but do not, because of this, cease your efforts." (MH 173.2) In summary, the path to victory involves recognizing your weakness, crying out to God for the strength only He can provide, and actively choosing to resist evil in His power.