Your personal temptations

[Vic]

(12-30-2009 07:11 PM)YYZ Skinhead Wrote:  You and your site (ministry) are a blessing from God, Vic. When you are in heaven He will show you how many souls you have led to Him so they could be saved by Him. For every one person who writes to you or posts here, God only knows how many who haven't written but have gotten saved through reading something on this site. As you told that false "rabbi", these pages are loaded with the Word of God and God promises that His Word won't come back void. Incidentally, I love Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

I was thinking precisely what you posted, that the devil is attacking me, but I was afraid to post it because it would come across as "the devil made me do it". Evil spirits like taking advantage of people who are suffering. For months I've kept getting a thought in my head, "is there a God?" Of course I know there is, but that thought is constantly popping up in my brain like every other day.

Thank you, my friend. But you know, anyone who is helped or comes to Christ is because of Him. I am glad those things are in God's hands. I have always believed if just one person was helped, then all the time I have felt I should put in, has been worth it.

You know, saying you felt like the devil was attacking you is not the same as 'the devil made me do it. If we give in to a temptation proffered by the devil--because he is used to tempt us---is different than allowing that to turn to sin and go ahead and sin. That's our decision.

That said I was thinking about a couple more things. Each verse you read and reread becomes part of the arsenal we have for our defense. Meaning the Sword of the Spirit which follows us taking the shield of faith. So we believe Christ and we believe His Word and that is part of the faith He gives us. The Word is the sword and in that analogy, we swing it to cut down anything that is an attack.

So...lets talk resist the devil and he will flee. Resist is by making the decision to not sin-not give in to the temptation, whatever it is. Knowing that the battle is Christ's, but also knowing by making that decision to walk in faith and abide the Word of God, the devil will flee. He doesn't walk away, slither away quietly, he 'flees'.

Look at what that means>

flees G5343
φεύγω
pheugō
Thayer Definition:
1) to flee away, seek safety by flight
2) metaphorically to flee (to shun or avoid by flight) something abhorrent, especially vices
3) to be saved by flight, to escape safely out of danger
4) poetically, to flee away, vanish
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: apparently a primary verb

In other words, when we make a decision to not sin, to not give in---the devil

Think about that.

Now think if we resist him and by taking the whole armour of God onto us---we are able to stand, withstand and stand firm, unmoveable. I was thinking about this imagery.

stand G2476
ἵστημι
histēmi
Thayer Definition:
1) to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set
1a) to bid to stand by, [set up]
1a1) in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin
1a2) to place
1b) to make firm, fix establish
1b1) to cause a person or a thing to keep his or its place
1b2) to stand, be kept intact (of family, a kingdom), to escape in safety
1b3) to establish a thing, cause it to stand
1b3a) to uphold or sustain the authority or force of anything
1c) to set or place in a balance
1c1) to weigh: money to one (because in very early times before the introduction of coinage, the metals used to be weighed)
2) to stand
2a) to stand by or near
2a1) to stop, stand still, to stand immovable, stand firm
2a1a) of the foundation of a building
2b) to stand
2b1) continue safe and sound, stand unharmed, to stand ready or prepared
2b2) to be of a steadfast mind
2b3) of quality, one who does not hesitate, does not waiver
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: a prolonged form of a primary stao (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses)
Citing in TDNT: 7:638, 1082[/b]

Now think of standing firm in context of these verses:

Colossians 2:6-7 [b]As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Ephesians 3:14-21 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Think of a big tree rooted with deep roots, and it cannot be moved, or uprooted, no matter what comes.

Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

And the result of being rooted in Christ and standing firm in Him, using the shield of faith, and applying the Word of God?

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Hebrews 5:13-14 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Knowing Christ and His Word makes us stand fast and not be moved. Because it's about Him.

The Word of God is the Sword and every verse is part of the arsenal we have at our disposal to resist and eliminate the darts the enemy sends our way.

You said one of the thoughts that has been bothering you is, "is there a God"

So how do we deal with those annoying little popups on our computers. We have a program blocker that takes care of most of them and the ones that sneak through, we manually block them.

Same deal isn't it? Spiritually. Is there a God? Of course...and I know that Almighty God created the heavens and the earth and His love for me is beyond comprehension. I know He loved me so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sins so I might be with Him for all eternity... oops...what was that doubting question to start with ....its gone...

Because the focus is on Christ. You need to use the defense of the Word of God.

Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

When you read and reread verses this is what you are starting do. And once it becomes not just head knowledge but heart knowledge---it keeps you from sinning.

LM, when you started this thread I believe it was because God has gotten you to the point of being tired of that repetitive stuff you listed. You want the peace and to get off the merry-go-round. That's where I was when I finally was able to have victory over that scenario. I didn't want it anymore. I didn't want to sin. I just didn't want to go through it anymore. So I didn't.

You asked how long God would let you keep going back to those temptations and falling for them. I do believe He wants you to let them go, if you haven't already. I believe He is saying To day, deal with it. Just like I had to dump the ouijii board and other junk I had, I think He is calling you to take a huge step forward and get rid of those things of the occult and physical things that cause you to sin.

You know the occult inside out and backwards. You can spot it in things in a minute. You have known it since a child. And you know how evil and destructive it is. And how against Christ it is. And I believe you want to fully live for Jesus Christ. And I do believe God is wanting you to get rid of the tarot cards, porn and other things that are used to try to lure you into sinning. Look at it all, as Christ does. Allow Him to deal with these things with you.

No one can surround themselves with things that are temptation and resist all the time. It's like waving a red flag in front of a raging bull. Our flesh says yes, even when we are saying no. As Paul described. Getting rid of those physical things doesn't mean you won't be tempted. But I suspect if you do get rid of them, God is going to do an amazing change in what is allowed to tempt you. And I suspect God is going to give you a deep sense of freedom and peace that you have never had before.

I was just reminded of a testimony of a guy who smoked a pack a day. One day he was feelign quite guilty about it. He said he had been praying about it, and then one day he simply went and put the pack in the garbage and God graciously removed all desire for them from that moment on. It isn't always like that when dealing with these difficult things. But, I am praying that God would remove those desires from you and they would be replaced with the desire to thirst after His Word, and you would no longer have any difficulty reading it. After all, He calls us to have it, so it is not in His will to keep us from it. That's the enemy that does that.

Run the race my friend. Press toward the high calling of Christ. You have the victory in Christ already. You just need to claim it.