E“Lead Us not Into Temptation but Deliver us From Evil” (Matthew 6:13)
With the commotion of moving away from home for the first time, the one thing that always remained constant was and is Christ. Once you have found a sound and truthful church at home it is hard to move away from that. I know being away from family and friends is hard but you will never be away from Christ and that is the beautiful thing about God. There is no separation. Every new chapter in life brings new temptations. College is one of those new chapters and it brings many tests and trials.
There are ways to deal with the temptations in college and you never have to do it alone.
“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand (Psalm 73:23)”
Know what your temptations are.
Every college campus you go to there are temptations waiting to capture you. The things that our sinful bodies desire the most seem to be most accessible in college. Most temptations are disguised in a form of peer pressure but do not let that fool you. College is the prime time of all desires such as a wife, husband, children, sex, drugs, jobs, money, food, jealousy and good grades. Knowing how to identify your temptations will allow you to step confident in your decisions and not fall into peer pressure. Everyone encounters temptations but fear not and trust in God and he will always provide an escape. Some of these things are not bad to desire as long as you are desiring them for the right reasons.
When you desire to have or do these things ask yourself this: ‘How will I be glorifying my Father?’ and 'Is this sinful?' Once you have examined yourself, make your decision.
“I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
The efforts we make to resist our own temptations will be hard to bypass unless we do it in the power of the Holy Spirit. For “there is no other weapon against temptation except the 'sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17)
You must pray to stray clear of these inclinations that cloud our minds.
Pray.
Prayer is vital to your relationship with Christ. Jesus taught us to pray so that we would not be led into temptation but delivered from evil. James 4:8 says this: “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” God wants us to be close to Him at all times and prayer is one way to draw closer to God.
In college, you may find that friends may be too tired or too busy with school to listen to you. “The amazing thing about our Father is that he is never too tired or busy to listen to us because he is the most perfect Father. (Trevaris J. Tutt)”
Try to find a quiet place to isolate yourself from the rest of the world.“When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”(Matthew 6:6) Like all relationships, there is a need for intimate time or time alone. In the Old Testament, God calls for prophets to come to him alone like Moses and the burning bush and David communicating with God while on the run from Saul. Following the steps of these prophets allows for us to have a personal relationship with Christ away from distractions.
Always remember when you pray to not be distressed by His answer but to be thankful for whatever answer He gives to you because it is the most perfect answer. Pray not only when you have concerns but also pray when you are thankful. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!" (1 Chronicles 16:34).
As Christians, we speak and fellowship with sisters and brothers to build a stronger relationship or friendship. If we don’t continue to speak and fellowship with sisters and brothers the relationship won’t be very strong. Our daily prayer to God is our fellowship with Him. By praying daily we are able to withhold a strong relationship with our Father in Heaven.
Read.
Whether you are a believer or non-believer you will always have questions about life like these:
Where did I come from?
How do I know I have found the right spouse?
What is my purpose in life?
The bible has the answer to all of these questions and every question that crosses your mind. The bible has no errors and is a way to communicate God’s word. While relationships, friendships, and our society is changing, the word of God stays constant.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)”
While reading the bible, branch out and read other books to deepen your understanding of scripture. Whether it is a commentary or devotional literature, read to deepen your faith. Find multiple ways to build your knowledge and never stop at the bare minimum. In one of my favorite books, The Attributes of God, A. W. Tozer says this: “Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”
Many Christians are called to do something by God. God has called people to paint, to barber, to preach, to be a doctor, to sing, to write and many other jobs. All of these jobs require additional reading from other books. Some people ask the question 'Is it okay to read other books outside the bible?' Yes, it is okay in this case because you are showing a sense of obedience by furthering your education in God's will for you. Reading these kind of books to further your educations will allow you to encourage and serve others through your work.
Reading is a way to strengthen our walk with Him.
Never hesitate to reach out to peers and ask them to read with you. Let God guide you and never fear that you are alone. “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” (Matthew 18:20)
Get Connected.
In school, many teens are affected by peer pressure. Peer pressure leads to alcohol and drug abuse. Most teens do it because they think they have no other option or because they don’t want to feel left out.
It is okay to say no.“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.” ( Psalm 118:6)
Finding the right group of people that will encourage you and hold you accountable is a battle but it is possible. Seek friendships that are rooted in Christ. Almost every college has either a ministry or an organization that allows for believers to connect with each other. If your school doesn't have either I encourage you to start one. I encourage you to reach out to people and start a conversation. Reach out to non-believers and start a fellowship and encourage each other to grow in your faith together.“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Find people that will encourage you to be distracted from your distractions and doubt your own doubts.
Fellowship comes from the Greek word, Koinonia, which means “to share in common.”
If you know a brother or sister struggling with something you have once overcame, encourage them and aid them in cleansing themselves from that same sin. Encourage one another from past testimonies.“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)
Do not fear. College will bring you many challenges and trials but stay strong with your trust in God and do not worry. No matter what tests, temptations, and trials are thrown at you, the Holy Spirit is far more powerful than any evil. Once you have accepted Christ as your Savior, you are fully equipped to take on anything thrown at you.
You are not alone. Do not deal with temptation; overcome temptation.
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but the heavenly Father already knows all your needs.Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:31-34)
