so how do you prepare for temptation? how do you get ready for it? by understanding how it operates. 2 corinthians 2.11(msg), we don’t want to unwittingly give satan an opening for yet more
mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!
GOD wants you to know how the devil operates, how he
tempts. the only thing you can say about
the devil that’s good is this: he’s consistent.
he’s been using the same old bag of tricks for 2000 years and
longer. it’s very easy to discover his
process. temptation is a process, never
just a one time act and james outlines the four steps the devil uses in order
to tempt you.
1. james 1.14a
(niv), each one is tempted when, by his own evil desires… the first
step of temptation is desire. desire. it’s an inside job.
now most desires are ok. you couldn’t live without desires: a desire
to eat, drink, sleep, the sexual desire, to accomplish. GOD gives us these desires. those are good desires. they are good gifts.
but any desire out of control becomes
destructive. satan loves to take routine
desires and turn them into runaway desires.
you are consumed. obsessed by it: food, work, having fun, sex.
money. legitimate desires but when they
are out of control they become a problem.
temptation is like a steel magnet. there’s an inward and outward part. there’s a outward circumstance but there’s an
inward drive, desire. if it weren’t for
the inward desire you wouldn’t be tempted. it starts on the inside and it’s often the
fulfillment of a legitimate desire in the wrong way at the wrong time. it always starts with a desire.
just a thought from the front porch…
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