All of My children are strong enough to avoid temptation, but you must first accept that it will test you.

Temptation began with Adam and Eve, and it has continued to haunt my children to this day. The contexts have changed drastically, but the concept is the same. You will always want what you can’t have, and the allure of sin is glistening in the moonlight, much like the apple was at the time.

I am always in control, but, I also know that my children need these temptations to grow stronger as individuals and closer to me as a result. I want you to depend on me, therefore elevating you closer towards me and farther from Satan, the ultimate tempter.

My Children are Leaders

These temptations are not simple lessons to bring you closer to me after you pass on to the heavenly realm. Instead, I want you to get the most of your experience while you’re on Earth. I am always fighting your battles for you at the end of the day, but you need to learn how to navigate certain situations gracefully, too.

No mortal enemy shall prosper against you if you learn the lessons I am teaching you with temperance.

Picture a bully on the schoolyard. He chooses his victim carefully, knowing he shouldn’t really treat his peers this way. Yet, he is fixated on power and control. It’s not enough to simply be mean to someone for the thrill of it. No, he wants the victim to know he has more power.

However, what the bully doesn't realize is the victim he wrongfully chose had been tempered by me before, many times over. He had harnessed the skills he needed to overcome this situation long ago.

Patience is Powerful

So, temptation arises to fight fire with fire. But the bully’s victim, tranquil in the face of danger, defeated his enemy without lifting a finger. If he yelled or fought back, he would have been suspended. But he didn’t, so he walked away with a clean permanent record.

“It is better to be patient than powerful,” according to Proverbs 16:32.

But, patience can be powerful. Think of how many arguments you’ve won simply by exercising patience with the people involved.

Reflect on these words today