Saying no is among the most useful skills you can possess, especially as it pertains to pursuing and living an abundant life.

Saying no to unnecessary distractions allows you to concentrate on what is important to you. And saying no to temptation helps you accomplish your goals and stay on track.  So how do you do it?

Temptation’s Goal – Separate You From God

Temptation feeds off our own tendency toward self-reliance. The serpent, Satan, tempted Eve by getting her to doubt God’s goodness. He implied that God was strict, stingy, and selfish for not wanting Eve to share his knowledge of good and evil. Satan made Eve forget all that God had given her and instead focus on the one thing she couldn’t have. We fall into trouble, too, when we dwell on the few things we don’t have rather than on the countless things God has given us. The next time you are feeling sorry for yourself and thinking about what you don’t have, consider all you do have and thank God. Then your doubts won’t lead you into sin.

Temptation Does Not Play Fair

Temptation often hits hardest in our areas of weakness. For all his wisdom, Solomon had some weak spots. He could not say no to compromise or to lustful desires. Whether he married to strengthen political alliances or to gain personal pleasure, these foreign wives led him into idolatry. You may have strong faith, but you also have weak spots—and that is where temptation usually strikes. Strengthen and protect your weaker areas, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If Solomon, the wisest man, could fall, so can you.

How Do You Resist Temptation