Winning the War Within: Fighting Temptation and Sin

Every man feels the pull: a thought, a glance, a little justification—and before we know it, we’ve crossed a line we swore we’d never cross. In this episode, we unpack how temptation really works in our minds and hearts, and why naming our “signature sins” matters if we want real change. Then we walk through practical strategies from Scripture—when to flee, when to stand and fight with God’s Word, and why a true Band of Brothers is essential if you’re going to win in the arena of everyday life.

Check out www.reallifeministry.us for more info and the 2026 Holy Land Tour 

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SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to Real Life Ministry, where we are dedicated to teaching and encouraging Christians to live free and live strong. Your host today is Ryan Rice, a Bible teacher, a pastor, entrepreneur, and a writer. Join us as we dive into various topics and how they relate to faith, values, and making a positive impact in America. Let's dive into it.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

I am in the studio home studio once again. And welcome. Glad you're here. A few moments later. Yes. So we are back, and we're gonna do part two of today. Last time we were talking to you about lions and fighting the good fight, and so we're back at it today. An update on the Israel trip. We got more and more folks signing up, so make sure you do. It would be really awesome. There's a payment plan if you want to be able to do that. Remember, it covers all your round trip airfare and top-notch flights, top-notch experience, top-notch hotels, food, uh, unbelievable time with good people from northvalley.org. Check it out. You can find out more information at real life ministry.us. And by the way, when you do sign up, uh, we've got a book for you that we're gonna hand out and send to you. Get in your hands a verse-by-verse kind of journey through the Holy Land. So you can look at Bible verses as you're exploring the itinerary of what we're going to do. So I'll tell more about that next time. And hopefully you will check out reallife ministry.us, scroll down to the bottom of the page and get signed up for that Holy Land trip. Would love to have you be a part. Okay, we're talking about the pool of temptation, the challenge of temptation, and then how to fight with sin and actually win. And so we're gonna be looking at that today. And so, man, first thing you need to know about temptation, temptation typically starts with a thought. And you know, like I'm not sure, you know, how many thoughts you have a day. Like, um people have more than others, you know. Like, I've got a busy mind and it's hard for me to sleep, but researchers actually estimate that the average person has a little over 6,000 thoughts per day. Uh, 2020 study using brain scans uh estimated about 6,200 thought transitions per day. That's roughly six to seven new thoughts per minute while awake. Popular claims that we have sixty thousand or seventy thousand thoughts per day were widely repeated, um, but not well supported research. Huh. So, I mean, we're off by uh a multiplier of 10.

unknown 3:23

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Well, still 6,000 is a lot. Whether you want to, whether you want to say 60,000 or 6,000, 6,000 is still a lot. Um, neuroscientists estimate the average person, again, has around, let's just say, on a very moderate level, 6,000 thoughts per day. So the devil works through your thoughts.

unknown 3:48

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

The thought might be like, I need that, or I deserve that, or man, that'd be fun if I could only do that. Or man, nobody would know. I mean, these are thoughts working through your thought life. So it's incredibly important to understand how the devil works. Like, what is your strategy? Temptation typically starts with a thought, and again, temptation in itself is not wrong, um, but it when you give into the temptation and you feed that thought, that's when things go wrong. The next phase in the temptation is the phase of imagination, that's where you're feeding that thought. So um, I don't know if you remember me talking about um the the white dog uh versus the black dog and in native uh American kind of uh teachings or whatever. But it's this kind of idea that there's an in the biblical terms, it would be called the uh old nature and new nature and how they fight against each other. It's kind of a well-known kind of two dogs or two wolves story is told by Native Americans and in kind of wisdom literature, uh origins and details are murky, but there's lots of different versions. The frequent version is like um in uh an Indian or an Eskimo elder says, Inside of me there are two dogs, one black and one white, always fighting, and the black dog is evil. The white dog is good, the one that wins is the one I feed. That's good. Again, uh I I've I've said that multiple times, but the one that wins is the one that I feed. And so the two wolves version is very similar. It's like a tale circulates as a Cherokee um says two wolves um story. It's like a grandfather explains a battle between the two wolves inside each person. One represents evil and traits, and the other good, and asked which one will win, and the answer is again the one you feed. And so scholars note the exact origin is unknown of this kind of story, but it has a a moral and adaptation to been shaped by missionaries and modern writers uh to help you kind of understand that. And so there is this fight, yeah, and so of your of your thoughts, and that was my phone going off, and I'm sorry, I'm gonna have to mute that baby. And um it's it's interesting though that temptation and you what what you feed your thoughts, you feed the good or you feed the evil. And so you have a spiritual nature to yourself, you have a physical body, but you have a spiritual nature as well. And so this next phase of temptation really starts in the imagination. When you start to think about all the things that you could have, that you might just have one more drink, or you might just take these pills the last time, or you might click and just look for a second. Again, um the imagination of it, envisioning it, usually leads to this next stage, and that would be the justification. And that justification is you know you shouldn't, but you come up with a reason why you should. You say stuff like it's not that big a deal, you say stuff like no one's perfect, you say, what's a little fun going to do? Um, just say maybe just once. But finally, we all make the choice, and you choose to sin or abstain from sin. And sin is violating anything of God's moral and law is revealed, law, his plans and purposes for your life. It's going your own way, it's doing your own thing, it's choosing your way versus his way. And and his way always leads to life, true life, life and experience in the present and uh life in the future, eternal life. And it's the better life. It is the best life. It is the best life. It's not the easiest life, but it is the best life for sure. So that pool of temptation, again, it starts with a thought, it moves to your imagination, and then it comes to justification. Well, just do it just once. Nobody's perfect, who cares? Come on. Who am I kidding? And you justify it. And if you have to justify things, you can pretty much bet that it's wrong. If you have to justify something, you you pretty much if you're trying to convince yourself into something, then you pretty much know it's wrong. That that was something my dad told me a long time ago. It's like if you find yourself rationalizing, like trying to justify why you should do something, and probably it's wrong. I was like, that's pretty good advice. I mean, it's really good advice. So so the question comes now is okay, that is kind of these layers of temptation, the pool of temptation pulling you into sin. Um, but how to fight sin and actually win. Number one, the first step is to identify your sins, like identify what it is that would tempt you. And so, you know, I mean, I think that there are a number of things that guys would struggle with. Some would be like seeking pleasure, you know, so that could be pornography, that could be drugs, alcohol, that, you know, there some could be seeking fame, um, or power, or um I can't remember if this was um idols by Tim Keller. Do you remember that? Do any of you guys remember Tim Keller and his work on idols? I think it was pleasure, money, um, power, image. Man, there's some good stuff there. But the first thing you've got to do is you have to identify your sin, you, your challenge. Um Keller he had a go-to list. And again, uh here it is. It was in counterfeit gods. That's right. I read that book, it's really good. Tim Keller talks a lot about modern idols, and you remember um he, if you've read the book, he he talks about it in counterfeit gods, especially highlights money, sex, pleasure, power, success as core cultural idols. And underneath, he talks about the deep idols like power, approval, comfort, control, all those kinds of things. And so um money would be like uh security control. Like that's your idol. You have to be in control or have to have security about something. And that can substitute, step in line with who God is calling you to be and trust in Him. And uh another one is sex or pleasure, and so that's comfort or escapism, and you see that with drugs, alcohol, and you know, whatever. And the other is power, it's influence or control, an idol of power, of control and influence. I mean, this is true of anybody that wants to be used greatly and do a great work. It's gonna be a very strong temptation. Image, success, approval, identity. And here's what I would have to say about me, to be honest with you. I I'd struggle and temptation in all of those areas. I have a ton uh a temptation to control things, I have a temptation to find comfort and escape, I have a temptation for influence, I have a temptation for approval and identity. Every single one of those things. And so, but if you can name it, then you can dominate it. Because if you can't name your enemy, then you can't win the fight. So you gotta know who you're fighting. Like you gotta figure that part out. You gotta know your opponent. And those are just huge categories. I'm gonna say them again for you that I listed out, and it's not quite the Tim Keller list, but it's like my own money, sex, power, image. Money, sex, power, image. Those are the idols, those are the contenders, those are the things that are really the ones that will be your enemy. Temptation. So, first, number one, if you want to fight the fight, you have to identify your enemy. We can't defeat our enemy if we can't name our enemy. We we need to call out our weaknesses in order that Satan might not outwit us, for we are not unaware of his schemes. Um He uses our weaknesses, our temptations to exploit us and to make us vulnerable and to attack us. What temptations pull on you the most? Which sins do you tend to give into? Money, sex, power, image. So you could just call it pleasure, find a comfort, escape. I think that that that might be easier to s to to to digest because I think alcohol and drugs could be in them. Um I think as well there could be some level of I don't know, escapism there with just hobbies, you know, just leaving. I don't know. You tell me you know. So lean into that. Don't dismiss those idols. Second step would be this is so you need to call, well, you need to call out your weakness. So the first step was to identify it. And and then, but you got to call out those weaknesses. And then the second step would be this is to create a winning strategy for dealing with your sins. So whatever that may be, I don't know, like if you got a money problem, get on a budget. If you've got a money problem, spending problem, you know, debt problem, like get help, like get counsel. Like you got a sex problem, like you're you're a sex addict, you know, you go to strip clubs, you spend all your money on porn, like you need help. Like, it's not healthy for you. So, I mean, the good news is that God deals with all these kinds of people all throughout the Bible. He deals with the greedy and turn makes them generous, he deals with the the adulters and transforms them. And so, like he offers redemption, but you you gotta fight the fight. You gotta fight the fight. So, I don't know, maybe your struggle's power and influence and control. Well, spend time with humble people, not arrogant, prideful people. Like, you have to figure out a winning strategy of dealing with your sin. You've got image success issues. Well, get off Instagram, get off Facebook, get off, I don't I don't know what it is, approval identity issues. You have an eating disorder, you have you're a bodybuilder and constantly look at yourself and find your approval and what other people say about you. You pray, seek the praise of man versus just the approval of God. Like all of that is normal temptations in our world today. And you need a winning strategy. You you need to find strength in the quiet. And so the scripture tells us flee, 2 Timothy 2.2, 22, flee the evil desires of youth. Like you gotta run from them. 1 Corinthians 6, 18, flee from sexual immorality, you gotta run from it. Uh, you think in Genesis, Genesis 39, 11, Joseph. But one day when he went into the house, Potiphar's wife, to do his work, and none of the men were in the house, and they're in the house, she grabs him, Potiphar's wife, by his garment, his jacket, and says, basically, sleep with me, lay down with me. But he runs out. He he runs away. So, dude, you you gotta like you walk with the Lord, but you run from the devil. That'll preach. Listen, you walk with the Lord, but run from the devil. I mean, that's just how it goes. I mean, our weapon is the word of God. We need to fight with a weapon that has divine power, can take our thoughts captive and make them obey Jesus. What is that weapon? We we remember we learned our weapon. It's the sword of the spirit, it is the word of God. Romans 12, 2. God tells us we need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. When we renew our minds with the truth of scripture, we come to our senses and escape the trap of the devil. And then we yield to the truth of the Bible rather than to the lies attacking us. Jesus says, When you know the truth, the truth will set you free. And that's what we're about. Live free and live strong. And you can't live free if you're not living in truth. Truth and freedom go hand in hand. The source of freedom is truth. That'll preach, my friend. Third step is to enlist the help of encouragement of other godly good men. So, I mean, you have the pull of temptation, temptation starts with a thought, the next phase is in your imagination, next comes the justification, and then the question comes is how do you fight the fight? Well, number one, you identify the enemy, you name your sin, the the idols, you know, make that idol conversation. Read that book, Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller would be a good one. The great late Tim Keller. The second step would be create a winning strategy of dealing with your sin. Do whatever it takes. Run from your sin. Toss your phone, get a flip phone, don't get on your phone past 10 o'clock. Come up with a game plan. 90% of porn is viewed by phones. So get a different phone or don't have online. Like, do whatever it takes. Blessed are the pure in heart. Do you want to be blessed? Be pure. Be renewed by the transforming by the be transformed by the renewing of your mind through the word of God. Do you want to be free? Then know the truth. And then the third step, enlist the help and encouragement of good men. That's good stuff. Man on man. You know, like it's important to have a lot of friends in your life. But how many guys are gonna be carrying your casket? How many, how many people? It's just gonna be a handful. So think about it like that. Like, have a number of good friends. Have have two hands fulls of friends. Godly men that got your back, support you and care for you. Godly men. Like have an army. Have a platoon. You know, have a have a squad, whatever you want to call it. Like have a brotherhood of fellas that you can talk to.

unknown 21:16

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

I'm telling you. It's good to have other good men in your life. So anyway, you gotta enlist the help of other people. Every man needs a band of brothers in his life to provide support and accountability. Brothers that are gonna ask hard questions, brothers that can help us stand up when we fall down. Bible says James 5 16, therefore confess your sins to one another. And here comes the question is like uh, how many times do you think uh is the word one another? Uh in the Bible. I mean, fifty, a hundred, two hundred, a thousand, five hundred? I don't know. I'm just asking. So the New Testament mentions the word one another in the Greek language, alion, alion. Sounds like alien, but it's not alien. Uh, it appears about a hundred times with roughly 50 to 60 of those that are explicit relational commands. Um of those, about 59 are generally counted as direct one another commandments, like love one another, encourage one another, bear with one another. But different lists group them slightly different. Um some count 52, 59, over 50, you know. So it's safe to say the New Testament uses one another about a hundred times, and over 50 of those times are specific commands on how believers are to treat each other. And so what's the point? The point is, is you can't fight the lion alone. I mean, I don't know if you've ever fought a lion, but have you have you ever fought a wild beast? Because if you haven't, let me tell you about it real quick. One time we went out and we did a razorback hunt out in Arkansas, and we went out and we have hog dogs. Hog dogs are like uh well, you have catahulas, and then they they bay up the hogs, they find them, scenting dogs, tracking dogs, you put trackers on them, and then you got the and then you got the uh you got the pit bulls. The pit bulls go in for the kill, they they lock up the hog. And in Arkansas, you got these razor backs, these massive, like sharp teeth. And most of these javelina uh hogs that you see, feral hogs, I mean they they all got sharp teeth, but Arkansas pigs got some really sharp ones. Anyway, we unload the dogs, let out the cattle hulas, and then locate the hogs, and then they find one, or two, or three, or four, or herd. Then they bay them up, and then we go in because we can follow them on the tracker. And then when you get closer, you you know, drive in like a side-by-side or something, then you stop and then you let out the pit bulls, and the pit bulls come running, charging. I mean, these dogs are not bred for, you know, just uh like ice cream cones and pretty little picnics. I mean, these dogs are bred for killing. And so these pit bulls get charged, and then they just run and in there. They've got like some of them got like Kevlar vest on, others don't. They go in there and they pound these hogs, like go after them, latch onto their neck, and just barking is going on nonstop. You got a bay of catahoulas barking to make sure the pigs don't break loose, then you got guys moving in with guns or knives, and then you got these pit bulls charging in to lock down a huge hog, and these hogs are like thrashing their head with their teeth gnarly, squealing, and then blood shoots out when the hog slices the side of a dog. Dogs go yelping, and then the dogs come back in, and you see blood, and you don't know if it's pig blood at that time or dog blood or what kind of blood, and then it's just gnarly. And then you go in, and you could go in with a gun, but the problem with a gun is you don't want to shoot and that bullet go through that hog and then hit a dog or yourself. So you get in with a knife, and you put a knife right through the pig's heart, and that pig just goes out, lights out. I mean, that just made this whole podcast probably another level of maturity to listen to it, but I'm telling you, that's killing a beast. And if you want to kill the beast, here's my point. You ain't killing that beast all by yourself. You need other guys. You need other people, and you need your weapon the sword. I'm telling you. Don't do life alone. You need other men. You're gonna have to figure out how to fight this fight. And some of you, you're afraid to confess your sins to one another, but yet God's word prescribes it. Well, the problem is if you don't, guess what? You won't find healing. Because it says when you pray for one another, confess your sins to one another, pray for one another, you you you will be healed. There's healing in that. Sometimes that might just be going to seeking a counselor and asking for wisdom and guidance and sharing with him your struggles and your pain points and your sin. And then he just prays for you. And you just feel this healing because God uses people to heal people. And you can't do what you need to do, and you can't fight the fight, and you can't do it all by yourself. And I guarantee you, on that hog on, I couldn't have killed a pig all by myself. Now, maybe I could, if I practiced a long time, like sharpened up a stick and jumped out like you know, Tarzan on a hog and went all crazy on it. But dude, I don't have that time, and I'm really not that guy. And here's the deal, even with the Tarzan illustration, even then, somebody else showed them. There's this mentorship that happens in waging war and becoming the hunter instead of the hunted. And so flip the script. Don't let the lion just be tracking you down. Go demon hunting, man. Go kill those those evil uh pursuits that are after you. Like cut them off. Figure out a way to cut them off, to starve that black dog, the wolf, the black wolf. Um, starve him out. Don't feed him, cut it off. It's that difference again between vivification and mortification. Mortification is the idea that you kill something uh of sinful nature. Vivification is the idea that you feed on Christ and His Word, and He strengthens you and brings life. And so that third step, though, my friends, you need somebody else in your life to bring vivification, to bring vitality, to bring health, to bring goodness and wholeness and hope and healing. Two are better than one. If either of them falls down, one will lift up his other companion. Brothers can strengthen us in our walk, in our temptation. Galatians 6, 2, bear one another's burdens. You need each other's help. Fulfill the law of Christ. You do it together. Proverbs 27 17, as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. You need the help of other men that brings strength into your life. So band up, brothers. Band up. Live free and live strong. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 30:27

Thank you for listening to Real Life Ministry. If you found any of what you heard today helpful, please share it with others who may benefit. And if you would like to support the content that we put out, please consider making a donation at reallifeministry.us. While you're there, check out some of our episodes. And together, let's continue to educate and encourage Christians to live free and live strong.