There are numerous ways to deal with temptation, but none any more effective than fleeing. At times we can feel that spiritual maturity calls for us to go toe to toe with worldly temptations. But that can be lethal. That’s because temptations never grow weary or disheartened. They will keep coming at you, wave after wave, until they find a weak spot. It is foolhardy to keep yourself in a place where temptation is prevalent.
Conversely, it is not enough to merely flee from evil. We must just as actively pursue that which is godly. Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness are noble qualities worth our best effort. The Holy Spirit working within us will be striving to produce these traits in our character. But we must likewise make every effort to work with the Spirit so we experience a bumper crop of spiritual fruit.
Don’t take your spiritual life for granted. Godliness happens on purpose. Those who yield to temptation are generally people who did not flee when an escape was available. Likewise, those who fail to develop a godly character are people who did not make the required effort to build it into their life. From what are you fleeing, and what are you pursuing?