How Can You Face Satan's Deception?

Deception has been an intricate part of the human experience since the beginning. Satan deceived Adam and Eve with daunting questions and shrewd dialogue.

Listen to Satan’s question in their conversation: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Eve replied, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden; you must not touch it, or you will die.’” Satan responded, “You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat it, you will be like him knowing good and evil.”

Most individuals know when they are being deceived but become vulnerable to evil by hesitating to react. Listen to Jeremiah 7:4, “Do not listen to deceptive words.” Turn and walk away or the consequences will  become a lifelong burden. 

Remember this promise from God, “Resist Satan and he will flee from you.” When facing deception, call upon Jesus Christ, for he is your source for deliverance from evil. 

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And forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Don’t bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.

~Matthew 6:12-13 The Living Bible

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Temptation's Objective

What basically defines temptation? Temptation is a craving or desire for what is out of bounds because it doesn’t conform with what is righteous or healthy. The objective of temptation is to stifle the voice of the Holy Spirit while destroying a clear conscience. Resisting temptation is not easy, for its lure appears to be an acceptable option.

The cutting edge of temptation is desire and craving, for the moment you consider a temptation, your imagination appraises the possibilities and costs it offers. However attractive the imagination may construe temptation to be, submitting to its appeal can result in a lifetime of regret.

Resisting is an essential first step in defeating temptation’s traps. God's word encourages you to accept resisting as your only option. “Resist Satan and he will flee from you” is a promise from God's word. Resisting under the banner and power of Jesus Christ is a sure way to fight the appeal of temptation.    

 

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In conclusion be strong – not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless strength. Put on God’s complete armor so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s craftiness.

~Ephesians 6:10-11 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English

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Temptations! Fight or Flight

What value is there in fighting temptations that are ever-present? The other option is to be submissive to whatever life presents. Listen to Albert Camus’ rationale: "There are so many strong temptations, why not accept them as virtues." This attitude of nonresistance is dangerous, and the consequences can be devastating.

The cutting edge of temptation does not discriminate between the strong or weak, the deserving or undeserving, but God without fail provides an escape from its power. The apostle Paul gave this warning, "If someone is caught up in temptation, make every effort to rescue them, but keep on guard so that you are not tempted as well."

The value of fighting temptation is so you can keep a clean heart before God instead of guilt and anxiety pressing in on you. Winning the battle to defeat temptation is important because you can sympathize with others struggling to overcome its power. Fighting strengthens your commitment to Christ by building courage to face temptation’s next assault. 

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Be self-controlled and vigilant always, for your enemy the devil is always about, prowling like a lion roaring for its prey. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, remembering that the strain is the same for all your fellow-Christians in other parts of the world.

~1 Peter 5:8-9 Phillips – New Testament in Modern English

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Hate Consumes and Distorts

Everyone has hated something or someone. Timothy McVeigh symbolized how hatred can so consume a person that their moral character and values are diminished to the point of rejecting any sense of godly responsibility. Most people were relieved when McVeigh was executed for killing 168 people by bombing the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

There wasn't much press about McVeigh’s mental condition because he so precisely acted on his passion to punish the government for all the injustices he believed were orchestrated against certain groups of citizens. The recipients of the hate that possessed him had no recourse but to be murdered innocently by his bomb. 

Hate distorts the values of those who allow it to permeate their lives. Hate starts with a thought that begins to saturate the body, mind and spirit like yeast. Satan is the epitome of hate and evil, so resist Satan and the impulse to hate. Active faith and trust in Christ Jesus diminish Satan’s power to control you.

Don't Dance with the Devil! - Part 1

The story of Balaam in Numbers 22 tells of a person who believed in God, yet moved to the edge of inappropriate moral judgment. He apparently enjoyed balancing the tantalizing effects of dancing with evil and pursuing God’s purpose for his life. Ambivalence permitted him to explore evil and become captivated by it.

Balaam yielded to temptation by considering evil proposals made to him by people of influence and power. To convince himself it was OK, Balaam may have asked childishly, "Why can't I do it? What will it hurt?" The permissive will of God allowed Balaam to choose, but God’s anger was provoked when He observed Balaam’s eagerness to participate in evil.

Balaam made a grave error in judgement by allowing himself to dance with unrighteousness, including an agreement to place a curse on the Hebrew people. This act of defiance hardened his heart toward God. A warning for God's people is, be aware of the allurement of evil. Accept God’s escape from temptation so your heart can remain clean.  
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To coordinate with KHCB’s “Five Days of Christmas” programming, I will post special Christmas thoughts on my blog Wednesday-Sunday, December 21-25. On those days, KHCB will air only Christmas music and short thoughts from the programmers. 

On Monday, December 19, and again beginning December 26, my blog posts will coordinate with the radio broadcast schedule of Attitudes/Answers that airs at 5:45 PM on KHCB radio at 105.7FM in the Houston area. To stream it live or for a listing of sister stations in TX, OK, LA, and FL, you may click on the KHCB link in the "About Me" section of this page.

Half-hearted Prophets and Compromised Faith - Part 3

Compromise can be seen as positive or negative.  Every soul has had to cope with its implications. Lawsuits are often settled by compromise. Without compromise, legislation would not become law. A popular song a few decades back had this haunting line, "I've done a load of compromising on the road to my horizons."

Balaam, an Old Testament personality compromised his belief in God on the road to his horizons. The book of Jude issues this warning. “Woe to those who blindly pursue wealth while disregarding God’s will and purpose for their lives.” Balaam needed power and recognition in addition to wealth. He flirted with evil by thinking he was above reaping evil’s penalties.

God's word tells you to resist compromising your faith, to resist Satan so he will flee from you. God sends warning signs when you begin to consider compromise and temptation.  God sent an angel to rebuke Balaam, but tragically his heart was unwilling to heed the angel’s words. Compromise can be resisted when you love God with all your heart, soul and mind.