How the Holy Spirit Helps Us Overcome Temptation
Every believer lives in a world saturated with temptations and trials. The Lord, having given us new birth and faith in Yeshua, did not leave us here by accident. He knows that we can overcome everything and stand firm, passing through any difficulty. To be effective overcomers in this world, the Lord Yeshua called us “more than conquerors.” We are destined not merely to endure temptations, but to triumph over them.
Scripture reveals the key to victory over temptation: “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18). To receive help in temptation, we must fix our attention upon Him who is the Messenger of God. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1).
Every time we turn our gaze away from Him, we begin fighting temptations in our own strength. And every time—whether it’s the desire to smoke, to drink, to view impurity, to become prideful, or to fall into doubt and unbelief—we must look to Him. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Around us are not only visible witnesses, but an invisible heavenly host observing our lives.
Interestingly, when Peter walked on water toward Yeshua, he did not sink as long as he kept his eyes on the Lord. But the moment he looked away and focused on the waves and the storm, he began to sink. The same thing happens to us in our spiritual lives. As long as we look to Yeshua, we walk upon the waters of our circumstances. But when we begin staring at our problems, at the “waves” surrounding us, we start going under. The secret to victory is simple yet demands constant practice—never take your eyes off Yeshua.
It’s crucial to understand that there are two types of deliverance. On one hand, there are moments when God delivers us instantly from certain temptations. On the other hand, there are processes we walk through gradually. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Some things God removes from our lives immediately; with others we struggle continually, yet in these too God grants us freedom. Do not stop trusting God and communing with the Holy Spirit, receiving His instruction and counsel. One of the Holy Spirit’s ministries is precisely counsel and guidance.
To become free, a person must first acknowledge that they are enslaved. When the Jews told Yeshua, “We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man,” they demonstrated the pride that prevented them from receiving freedom. If there is something hidden in your life, some temptation, you must honestly admit that in this area you are in bondage. The free cannot receive freedom—freedom is received by slaves. And if you are honest with the Holy Spirit, He will be able to help you. You are not a slave by nature, that much is clear—you are a child of God. But there are specific spheres in your life that need liberation, where bondage exists.
Until you acknowledge this, the Holy Spirit cannot help you, because He does not violate anyone. Notice that Yeshua told the disciples, “Tarry in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes.” He did not force them; He gave a command. One hundred and twenty people agreed to believe and remained in Jerusalem, and then the Holy Spirit burst forth. He burst forth only into that house where they were waiting. Where there is no expectation, He does not break in. If you want the Holy Spirit to burst into any particular sphere of your life and make you free, you must wait there. And to wait, you must acknowledge that you need this.
Some people think that if they marry, the temptations in their lives will pass. This is a delusion. If you marry to overcome temptation, you will not overcome it—on the contrary, temptations will only multiply, because one person will not be enough for you. If you are under the temptation of sexual immorality, you must ask the Holy Spirit to set you free and acknowledge that you are enslaved to this sin. Someone wants to marry because they don’t want to be lonely—but this too is bondage. If you still haven’t understood that you are not alone, because Yeshua said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18)—then you need to reconsider your theology of faith, in what and in Whom you believe.
There are various addictions and various forms of bondage in people’s lives that come through temptation. When you are under temptation or have already sinned—God forbid—self-flagellation will not help. It will only worsen the problem in your life. And there you need the Holy Spirit, to whom you must say: “Holy Spirit, I have sinned, but I believe that the power of Yeshua’s blood is sufficient to free me from these chains and from this bondage. I make the decision, I repent and ask forgiveness, I am coming out of this condition”—and begin the path of faith anew.
In the Psalm it is written of the Messiah: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness” (Psalm 45:7). To hate temptation and hate sin, you must love righteousness. You cannot hate temptation, hate sin without loving righteousness—you lack the strength for it. When you love God’s righteousness, truth, when you love the Word of God, love God’s righteousness—then you have the power to resist lawlessness. People often do the opposite: first they try to hate lawlessness, then love righteousness. This doesn’t work, and that’s why there is no joy.
Every time you stop rejoicing, it indicates that you are fighting temptations in your own strength, and it becomes harder and harder. But when you surrender to the Holy Spirit and begin praising the Lord and thanking God, saying, “Lord, I trust You that You will bring me out, I will not remain there”—and you glorify Him, then suddenly you are filled with power and you have the strength to say “no” to temptation. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Through joy, freedom comes into your life.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:34-36). The Holy Spirit points us to the Son, so that we may be truly free—here and now, there, everywhere and always. The Holy Spirit did not come to play games with us or with our feelings. The Holy Spirit does not accept our manipulations. Many people cry, but their tears mean nothing, because it’s manipulation. The Holy Spirit says, “All right, are you finished? Good. Now let’s begin, let’s talk.” There is godly sorrow that leads to true repentance, and there is worldly sorrow—don’t use that. The Holy Spirit says, “Are you done? Good. Now let’s talk. I can help you, I want to help you. You will get through this, you will overcome, you will succeed. Why? Because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
It’s essential to understand that the true root of all temptations is the ancient serpent. Many think the problem was the fruit itself that Eve ate, but it’s actually much deeper. There was the ancient serpent, from whom the temptation came. If we don’t understand where it comes from, we will toy with temptation. If we don’t understand what the source of temptations is, we play around with them. But if we understand the source, we keep our vessels pure. And keeping them pure is possible only by trusting in the Lord, only by communing with the Holy Spirit—this is why He came.
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:12-15). Do not be deceived, beloved brethren. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth” (James 1:17-18).
“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:19-22). Here the apostle speaks of the New Covenant and how when the word from the Holy Spirit sounds forth, it is truth. We receive this word, and through it we lay aside all malice, all anger, everything that was against us. Through what we receive from the Holy Spirit, we lay aside all evil.
We cannot, without receiving from the Holy Spirit, lay aside anything on our own. In this world, there is a certain logic—various seminars teach you to take five steps, go there, then turn here, then say this, then do that, then lift your leg, then your arm, then do something else. No, first you must receive from the Holy Spirit the word of truth, love righteousness, and then this will displace everything else from you. Because when you receive from the Holy Spirit, there is power present. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). This power liberates, instructs, counsels, helps and not only fills—He does not leave the liberated sphere empty.
The path to victory over temptations lies through living communion with the Holy Spirit, through honesty before Him and constant looking unto Yeshua. Not by our own strength, not by our own methods, but by the power of God working in us through the Holy Spirit, we become truly free and more than conquerors in all circumstances of life.
Pastor Oren lev Ari