“And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season” (Luke 4: 13)

The night had been pretty cold in Nairobi and I was all alone in my room at the guest house where I had lodged. My thoughts drifted to the beautiful girls I had encountered earlier in the day who seemed to have a soft spot for a tall, dark and handsome Nigerian guy like  me. It may sound like self-gloating trip but I sure received a lot of attention from most of the women I had encountered closely in the course of my tw0 weeks training at a Medical Research Training Institute in Kenya. I tried to fight the thoughts but they lurched at me with greater intensity and became more ferocious as the days went by. I was amazed that a Holy Ghost-filled and tongue-talking Christian guy like me could ever entertain such unclean thoughts. It was as though an advocate from hell had been sent to convince me to yield to the pull of temptation and the girls seemed willing accomplices if only I would just make the move. Just a little sweet talk; some drinks together; an invitation to my room to spend the night and the pressure would be gone. “After all you have no undercover agent here in Nairobi to watch you and no pastor to report to…so feel free and enjoy the thrill while the moment lasts”, -a voice had intoned to the ears of my mind!

I had wanted to spend the two weeks as a time of personal spiritual retreat and had bought a new Nelson Study Bible and journal to record lessons from my inductive bible studies I intended to have. But here I was on my bed, rather than feed my mind with the pure thoughts from the Bible and pray as I had planned; I had become a victim of my own inpure thoughts. My Bible was lying open at the far corner of the wide bed, yet my fingers would not flip through the pages, let alone let my eyes scan them at least. This continued for days and I knew I was being set-up for a major crash of faith, and yet I felt helpless to help myself. I knew I can only get help from outside, and an idea came up;” Why not put a call through to one of your accountability friends back home in Nigeria and bare your heart’s struggles to him and see how things will go. My friend, Vince is an upwardly mobile young executive with a business consulting firm in Victoria Island area of Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos. Though a very handsome and wonderful guy, Vince is still single and has remained a virgin since I knew him couple of years ago.

“Hi mate, how are things over there in Lagos?” I greeted as my friend’s phone beeped.

“Everything is cool man. I’m about rounding up the project with the Telecoms firm that recently applied for a GSM license in Nigeria. So I have been pretty busy since you left for your course. By the way, how things with you over there in Kenya? You sure must be having some swell time dude…?”

I wish Vince would know how much I had struggled with sexual thoughts that seem to badge me like a bulwark these past couple of days. But being a close and accountability friend, I felt it was best I open up to him. “Boy it’s been crazy out here. I just can’t figure out what has gone wrong with my head. All that I think of now have been just about girls, and there are too many of them around here…and they seem to have stepped out from a modeling class with the right curves and sexy figures that will make a monk to renounce his chastity vows…and I seem to be losing it cos all I want to do is just have a girl spend at least a night with me in my hotel room…period!”, He could feel the tension in my voice and he must have been shocked, as we have held such ideals of not straying away from our Christian values especially our resolve to live sexually pure.

“Common Felix! What do you think you up to?” he said with a tone of concern. “What do you think you’ll gain from having sex with any of those girls? Ok…maybe it’s the few minutes of sexual thrill and the relief of sexual tension that you will gain but will that be enough? How about the values we’ve always stood for as single Christian guys…are you just gonna throw them away in a flash? Please, you need to think twice before you plunge into that pool of pleasure.”

I just didn’t care and was ready to stick to my ground. “Vince you don’t understand what it is like to spend a cold night all alone in a hotel room. I just need a cute girl around me, and you know even if I let down my guards and do it just once, God won’t cut my neck off.Morever, he understands how weak we can be and I guess he won’t banish me to hell either”. I was actually shocked at how I was rationalizing this whole issue.

But Vince won’t just give up.” Felix”, he said, “I kind of feel your struggles but try and hold on to your resolve. I can’t imagine you locked up in a hotel room with some strange girl all alone. You know premarital sex is not worth all the sorrow and regrets you’ll most likely experience after the thrill is over. Please, I beg of you, don’t try anything crazy that will make you feel guilty before God whom you love so much. But be sure to know that I’ll be praying for God to help you till you’re done with your course.”

Good friends! What can one do without them? Vince and I talked at length and after a while, I began to reconsider my plan to have sex with one of the Kenyan girls. We shared some jokes together, teased me a little more, and we laughed it over and I felt so relieved after unburdening to my friend. So I resolved to not do anything stupid again and made efforts to avoid some of the girls I felt posed some threats till the end of the course.

Nevertheless, on the last day, one of them walked up to me and said “Felix, I won’t be happy if we don’t spend sometime together before you leave for Nigeria tomorrow”. She was beautiful and the body-hugging dress she wore that morning had accentuated her body frame and curves. My eyes roved over her sensuous frame as I mulled over the irresistible offer over and again; it looked more like a good deal from a girl who seem to have a crush on me but…

“Thank you so much dear, but am sorry I wouldn’t be able to accept your offer” I replied with much courtesy but with a degree of firmness. “You see, I am a Christian and it wouldn’t be proper for me to get into something that is against the ideals I hold unto. I’m really sorry if I’d hurt your feelings but do bear with me” , I pleaded, while her eyes were riveted on me.

I didn’t know where the strength to say NO came from, and we ended up talking about God and eventually became good friends without any romantic or erotic involvement before I left Nairobi two days after the encounter. It’s possible my accountability friend in Lagos had prayed as he promised; a such a time when I was too weak to pray for myself. And this made me know that we need such kinds of friends as bulwarks against the enemy when seasons of temptations buffet us as God’s children.

NUGGETZ CORNER:

-          Seasons of temptations will always come; so anticipate them

-          Temptations don’t recognize position, your anointing or spiritual depth

-          We often seem helpless and alone during those moments

-          They always will challenge the values and ideals that define your life

-          The battle will always start from the mind; images are played to convince and weaken your resolve and ability to resist

-          The battle will be between your emotions and reason, and your conscience and commitment to God

-          Circumstances around will make it easier for you to yield easily

-          Crying out to God and dependable friends can be sure a defense

-          The decision to say NO will always depend on you and you MUST decide fast before your mind wavers

-          If you steer through unscathed, you’ll feel good about yourself and would learn a lesson or two about yourself that will help in the future fights

-          God’s grace always triumphs when we reckon that we are vulnerable and can’t fight temptations by our strength alone

Robot  Villager

# 1 Temptations do have a cycle, and they come often times when we areleast prepared to overcom...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 07.04.2008 09:22

Multioption  Villager

# 2 =Robot;4295002494>Temptations do have a cycle, and they come often times when we areleast prepared to overcom...Read the full article. Interesting...Can I ask you some questions? You obviously don't sound like a minor, so I am here wondering why this matured Christian brother is still single? You could have called your fiancee at home for prayers or to while away time; or is there no sister on the radar? What is your handle on NVS? I know some educated born again sisters who would make a good wife. Born Again sisters, oh, not wuru wuru ones. Anyway, Bible says in Mathew 4, that Satan left Jesus for a while. The devil showed up repeatedly until it reached the climax when he almost persuaded Jesus to forsake the cross (Luke 22:42-44). So, temptation will come again and again, and it is only a matter of time before "the law of sin and death" catches up with Christian brothers if they remain unmarried. Flesh and blood is a barrier in this race - wetin man for do? Go get married, bro; and thanks for the article. Posted by Multioption| 07.04.2008 11:04

datuouwadaberechi  Villager

# 3 brother felix, indeed there are seasons of temptations. and thank God u scaled through the last season. it is well with u. your hardwork will never go unnoticed or unrewarded. prayers, prayers and more prayers are required in the race. and a great one is to have a "mentor" as u reported in your VI friend. its a hard race, but its do-able. and like u and we all establish after each GREAT near-miss, u get stronger by resisting. however, its not by power nor by might....His Grace is sufficient for us....... keep your eye on d goal and Godbless Posted by datuouwadaberechi| 07.04.2008 14:37

10Kobo  Villager

# 4 Ooobi, my dude, u just allow correct Kongo to pass you by? Wetin be sin sef? especially, when does sex become a sin? I no be Pastor and l have no-claim to the kind of OBJ-Born again that christian profess but l know that the Bible says YOU have sinned, even if you just LOOK LUSTILY at a woman thats not your wife Now Brother Obi, let me quote you: "She was beautiful and the body-hugging dress she wore that morning had accentuated her body frame and curves. My eyes roved over her sensuous frame as I mulled over the irresistible offer over and again" Well, its obvious that God looks at "the mind" which is where we hatch all our motives! Thoughts, our thoughts says more about us than what we really say or do. In essence, Brother Vince or not, "We have all sinned". Q.E.D. You know, sometimes l even wonder why God gave me this "acute sense" of appreciating women, especially black women! :D I just cant stop looking and each time l look, l sin: I just hope say hell is not as hot as they say and good God himself will oblige sinners with a Glass of Lager if it becomes hotter than what "NEPA" subjects us to every nyte! Me, l have surrendered my soul to the Good Lord, only HE can deliver me from SIN, l just dey look- dey go. Even if l am blind, l will still 'sense' and look at a well rounded bum, neatly packed in a low-waist jeans and.....meeen, these babes can pack.. I guess the fear of HIV is more like it than fear of sin :D :twisted: Look and shine, before marriage, na sin Look and shine during marriage, na sin Look and shine, after marriage or divorce (once your former spouse is still alive), na sin....... l weak O! 10Kobo Posted by 10Kobo| 07.04.2008 19:43

employlawone  Villager

# 5 Dear Brother, The 'brutality' of your honesty in your article is very humbling. In the midst of the temptations you draw out some valuable lessons on how to overcome. Prayers and an accountability structure. The building up of an accountability structure tends to be easier for younger Christians, its the established names that may find challenges in setting this up. The point is everyone needs an accountability structure of some kind. Thank you for you have challenged me. With high esteem, Olu =Robot;4295002494>Temptations do have a cycle, and they come often times when we areleast prepared to overcom...Read the full article. Posted by employlawone| 08.04.2008 10:25