For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit — Romans 14:17

Here’s a little experiment you can try: don’t sin for 72 hours. It’s OK to be tempted, but as soon as you notice you have to rebuke it. Also, ask the Holy Spirit for an alternative. Like, temptation is a reminder to pray, or something like that.

If you’re like me, within 3 days this intense, deliberate righteousness will lead to a sense of peace that isn’t based on circumstances, and then joy will begin to well up for seemingly no reason.

This is a good way to tackle your main temptation, the one that could really destroy you if you gave in to it. At least that’s how I read these verses….

If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. — 1 John 5:16-17

If you can’t conquer it for 3 days, then maybe you don’t just need prayer, you might need deliverance, counseling or other help.

If you do get 3 days of victory, keep going.

I don’t want to underestimate our struggle against sin, but sometimes it’s as simple as stopping. May you be at peace with God and sense his joy as you sacrifice your comforts for his presence.