Remember when you were a kid and you got your hand caught in the cookie jar? Mom or Dad had said no, but you slipped and got one or two or three anyway. When they asked you what you had done, you lied, but the chocolate chip smears on your mouth and the crumbs on your T-shirt were a dead giveaway.

Guilty, as charged.

We have far more temptations than staying out of the cookies, but sin is sin, and this world is steeped in it. Plus, we think we can handle it, because it’s just a little cookie snack! 

Jesus Himself was tempted, most notably documented in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and through His example, we see the way to battle our own temptations. 

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin.”

Hebrews 4:15

How did He do it?

He didn’t debate Satan. There was no long, drawn-out argument. They didn’t engage in a MMA battle in the Judean wilderness.

Jesus used Scripture. The incident is recounted in Matthew 4:1-11:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put your Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

The most effective way to battle temptation is through the Word of God. If it worked for Jesus, it will work for us. 

But I hope you noticed that Satan tried to get in there and use it too. He might be the devil, but he knows Scripture. He’s not beyond twisting it to turn our hearts away from following God.

That gives us even more reason to know the Word of God and to study it for ourselves, especially concerning our own most common temptations. I’m not going to give a laundry list; as you are human, I imagine you’ve got a list of top battles you face, 24/7.

What I battle might not be the same thing as what you battle. Overindulging in alcohol is not a temptation for me, but I guarantee you if there were a pack of Oreos available, especially late at night, I might mow them down like Cookie Monster. Both are sins of excess, and both would be mistreating the body, which is “a temple of the Holy Spirit,” for those who believe (I Corinthians 6:19).

I’ve started a list of my usual temptations, along with Scripture for each one to help me in my battle. I’m putting them on sticky notes, on my bathroom mirror, and in my notebook. Keeping them front and center will help me internalize them and bring them to mind when I need to throw down with the devil.

Take some time today to prayerfully consider your temptations, and then make yourself a battle plan. Scripture works, and God will help you:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

I Corinthians 10:13

You might start by getting rid of the cookie jar.