This is one of the things I really like about God's Word: it is practical. We are not admonished to simply avoid temptation, we are actually told HOW. Scripture just does not provide precise definitions of the terms it uses, but illustrates the greater concepts with the very actions needed to be taken to address them. The odds are that if we are experiencing a recurring problem with a particular temptation, we are neither praying about it nor keeping watch for it.

We seem to understand this as applied to people with chemical dependencies. The recovering Christian alcoholic is ever vigilant to stay away from those situations most likely to introduce drinking situations, and never ceases to make mention of their problem in prayer. I do not know why we do not see this as the model for our own particular addictions which might not make a list of criminal activities, but are personally debilitating nonetheless. In an age when it is no longer unusual for someone to be married three times, I wonder if they EVER prayed about it or even looked up long enough to consciously assert, "This always leads to the wrong result."

I would offer that the average Christian who does pray about their weaknesses, omits the part of the equation to consistently "keep watching". The repeated biblical example of people who keep watch is that just as soon as the enemy appears on the horizon, the alarm is sounded and either war is initiated or a hasty retreat. You do not "keep watch" for any other purpose than to avoid the oncoming problem at the very earliest opportunity. Your feet are supposed to react and do something._††_†

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