Retreat in battle is often considered the epitome of defeat, the hallmark of loss, and the product of cowardice. The saying goes that "Offense is the greatest defense" among man's various competitive endeavors, be it sports or war.
Conditioned, perhaps, in this culture of "just do it" and "no pain, no gain," countless ranks of souls go head on against the enemy of their souls, suffering constant defeat from the temptations of the adversary. These all forget that there is a time and a place—a strategy—in retreat.
This was exemplified in the Lord of the Rings when the overwhelmingly powerful Balrog—a giant, fiery demonic creature—nearly destroyed the main characters. In a pivotal moment, Gandalf has to sacrifice himself to give his friends enough time to escape. The friends look back to Gandalf as he is about to fall to his doom and he urges them to continue running, saying, "Fly, you fools!"
Gandalf's plea in that moment is instructive toward the futility of standing against an overpowering enemy. Where a way of escape exists, retreat from an otherwise unconquerable enemy is the wisest course of action.
Inasmuch as this post is about running from sin and temptation, the question is this: is running from sin and temptation cowardice or wisdom?
First let us consider the nature of the enemy. Is satan and his tempters the equivalent of an opposing sports team or an unconquerable Balrog?
The scriptures answer this for us: "The devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually" (Moro. 7:12). Other scriptures describe satan as the devil as "the master of sin" and "the evil spirit...an enemy to all righteousness" (Mosiah 4:14).
Someone whom the scriptures considers to be the adversary of God himself is definitely a Balrog-level entity.
So now that the odds against us are clear, the only question that remains is: is escape from this enemy possible?
Again the scriptures answer this for us: "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13, emphasis added).
There it is! Gandalf's wisdom applies to us when facing off with temptation: Fly, you fools! Do not linger and attempt to tough it out—such a course is foolhardy, and though the devil may try and tell your mind that it is cowardice to flee from him, it is actually reliance upon the power of God to run for the hills.
An example of a prophet in the scriptures who heeded Gandalf's wisdom was Joseph in Egypt when tempted by Potiphar's wife. Note his reaction to the temptation she embodied:
"Joseph was well-built and handsome, and Potiphar's wife soon noticed him. She asked him to make love to her, but he refused and said...'The only thing [Potiphar] hasn't given me is you, and that's because you are his wife. I won't sin against God by doing such a terrible thing as this.' She kept begging Joseph day after day, but he refused to do what she wanted or even to go near her.
"One day, Joseph went to Potiphar's house to do his work, and none of the other servants were there. Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of his coat and said, 'Make love to me!' Joseph ran out of the house, leaving his coat there in her hands" (Gen. 39:7 – 12, CEV, emphasis added).
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