There is an old Greek legend that gives us an interesting insight into our fight with temptation! According to the legend, two famous travellers skirted a rocky coastline where seductive Sirens sang. The Sirens sat perched on the rocks singing ever so sweetly in an attempt to lure the sailors to their doom. The first of our famous travelers Ulysses fought the temptation by ordering his men to put bee-wax in their ears and to lash him to the mast with ropes. This was resistance by compulsion and prohibition. The second of our famous travelers Orpheus had a very different approach. Being an accomplished musician, he began to play and sing to himself and his crew with a surpassing sweetness that cancelled out the allure of the damnable Sirens. His method was not one of simple prohibition but of answering the appeal of seduction with a greater appeal. He fought fire with fire; he fought wrong desire with a right and greater desire. In the actions of the first traveler you have a “simple no” in the face of temptation, while in the actions of the second traveler you have a “greater yes” in the face of temptation. Orpheus and his men where able to say “no” to the seductive call of the Sirens because they had first said “yes” to a greater joy and pleasure!
The temptation to sin and the destructive allure of the world is a clear and present danger to any Christian (1 Cor. 10:13; Rom. 12:1-2). The world, the flesh, and the devil constantly conspire to have us seek satisfaction outside of God, which is the essence of sin. Eve was tempted to seek a greater good outside of God (Gen. 3:1-7)! That is the heart of temptation and we must fight it, but the question is how? One way to fight temptation is prohibition! We fight it with biblical warnings, threats, and commands to desist (Ex. 20:1-17; Psa. 19:11; Titus 2:11-12). We remind ourselves often that some things are forbidden and dangerous to our holiness, health, and happiness.
Another way to fight temptation is with pleasure! While denying ungodliness is right and necessary, it is insufficient. Prohibition is not enough in the long run! Why? Because sin is pleasurable; and consequently the pleasure of sin must be fought with a greater pleasure. According to the Bible pure pleasure, rich reward, and deep delight are discovered and developed in trusting God, knowing God, obeying God (Psalm. 16:11; 19:11; 37:3-5). Pleasure in God is the power behind purity and the destroyer of sins hold over us. Pleasure in God provides a superior joy that fuels our fight against temptation. It was a superior joy in God that helped Moses fight the temptation to enjoy the passing and sinful pleasures of Egypt (Heb. 11:24-27)! It was a superior joy in God that caused Paul to count everything loss that He might gain present and future blessings in Christ (Phil. 3:1-10)! It was a superior joy in God that enabled Christ to endure the cross and the temptation to pass on the bitter cup the Father had assigned Him (Heb. 12:2-3)! As Sam Storms notes, “The decision to say ‘No’ to sin must itself be energized by the assurance of a delight in an alternative ‘Yes.’ We must fight sin with a massive promise of superior happiness. We must swallow up the flicker of sin’s pleasure in the forest fire of holy satisfaction”
To that I say, Amen!