Pastor's Corner: I resist the devil

I preached a sermon this past Sunday. Here are some of my notes:

Temptation lures us into wanting, craving something that we shouldn't have - for fame, fortune, wisdom, or pleasure. Temptation never delivers on its promise. Rather, it deceives you and gives you something else.

Most often the state you are left in after succumbing to temptation is worse than the state that you were trying to escape. If you are not careful, the vicious cycle will continue. So let's learn what leads to temptation and how to stand against it, or better yet, how to avoid it from the start.

By studying us, the devil is able to create a customized plan of temptation based on the most effective way to trip us up and the best time to do so. The devil knows how to tempt.

Is there a struggle in your life that keeps presenting itself over and over again? That is the area of life the devil knows to tempt you in. In the Garden of Eden the devil knew how to tempt Eve. Adam had the privilege of hearing directly from God not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve may not have had this benefit, which may be why she particularly struggled with doubt. Maybe she doubted God's goodness and wondered, "Is God trying to hold something back from us?" That's why in Genesis 3:1 the devil asks Eve, "Did God really say...?" The devil knew how to tempt Judas the disciple. In John 12:5-6, Judas complained, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" He was not concerned about the poor. Judas was stealing money from the ministry for which he was the treasurer. In Matthew 26:14-15 the devil uses Judas' weakness to tempt him. In keeping with his weakness of greed, Judas asks, "What will you give me if I betray (Jesus) to you?" The devil knows when to tempt. The devil looks for the moment when your guard is down. In Matthew 4:1-3, at the moment when Jesus was at His weakest - the devil came with his temptations. If the devil believed he could win in Jesus' moment of weakness, how much more does he believe he can win in yours?! The disciple Peter tells us it is important for us to stay alert. You must be aware of the various attacks the enemy uses against you, as well as the times that he is likely to launch them. Here are some moments of weakness when the devil is bound to appear:

Stress - Stress keeps the body and mind in a state of tension and unable to think clearly. So the devil offers 'stress relievers'... They end up being stress creators in the long term. Stress is one of the greatest influencers of food, drug, alcohol, and tobacco addition.

Disappointment - these critical times that make people highly susceptible to the devil's lures. We can become disappointed or upset with God. Then almost anything goes. We will take the devil's bait out of sheer rebellion or to fill the void for the "happiness" that we believe we aren't getting.

Anger - Anger is just one letter away from "danger." Paul warned the Ephesians to be especially careful when angry because anger can "make room for the devil." - Ephesians 4:27. Anger is a highly emotional state that clouds godly judgment and reason. Anger causes us to behave based on what feels right at that moment. And what feels fight when a person is angry is often destructive behavior, including judgment, vindictiveness, violence, or even various means to soothe yourself.

Exhaustion - During sleep our bodies restore and rejuvenate ... grow muscle, repair tissue, and synthesize hormones. Exhaustion dramatically impedes decision making. Sleep deprived minds can't properly process consequences. Sleep deprived bodies don't have the energy to withstand certain offers. Exhausted people are said to be more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol or to fall into sexual temptation.

How do we resist temptation? 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that we are never tempted beyond our abilities to overcome. With each temptation, there is a way of escape. In James 4:7 God gives us the power to resist every one of the devil's lures and to make him scurry away. The word "resist" in this verse means to stand against. Just as the devil did with Jesus, he presents his temptations more than once, from different angles with different tactics ...

When you maintain your stance against his lures, the devil realizes he is wasting his time, and he decides to move on. But Luke 4:13 tells us that the devil was waiting for another opportune time with Jesus. So don't ever let down your guard. The devil always looks for another opportune time to attack - for another moment of weakness. The key to escaping or avoiding the devil's temptations is to live in a constant state of resistance. Here are some certain ways to help you do so: Guard your mind. Because thoughts are forerunners to actions, if the devil can inject wrong thinking, he will eventually trip you up. Junk like depression, fear and temptation almost always begin in your thoughts. The devil wants to use your mind as a garbage dump for all kinds of terrible thoughts ... When we entertain these thoughts for too long, we eventually act on them. Where the mind goes, the person follows. Since the bulk of our spiritual battles begin in the mind, that is where we should begin our resistance. We need to counter the junk that the devil attempts to throw into our minds. How? By activating the power of God's Word to counter it. In ROMANS 13:14 the Apostle Paul says "I clothe myself in Christ, and I stop thinking about indulging my flesh and its desires." King David wrote in Psalm 119:11 that he hid God's Word in his heart so that he wouldn't sin against God. Practice guarding your mind with God's Word. The practice of meditating on and declaring God's Word builds up a wall of protection around your mind that impure thoughts cannot easily penetrate. Consider your signature struggle and find Scriptures to counter it. Keep these running through your mind and your mouth at all times. You can't always control the thoughts that enter your mind, you don't have to entertain them, and your life doesn't have to be controlled by them.

The devil's influence in your life will diminish when he realized that your mind is ruled by God's Word and no longer open to his trash. Watch your step. The best time to beat temptation isn't during temptation, but before temptation. If you know that you struggle with a particular issue, then it is wise to avoid whatever or wherever causes it. To live in a state of resistance, it is crucial for you to watch your step so that you don't enter places and situations that tend to trigger temptation. If the devil can't get you into a place of temptation, he will try to get you close to one - Genesis 13:12. Living just outside of Sodom kept Lot within reach of its influence, which eventually lured him in - Genesis 19:1-3. The devil leads people into destruction through three steps: dabble, deceive, and destroy. We are deceived to believe that the end justifies the means, and we move into what will later destroy us. Watch your step!

Draw near to God - James 4:7-8. The importance of the presence of God is the ultimate means of protection against the devil. Psalm 23:4-5 - When you enter God's presence, you enter the custody of the King of Kings. Who or what would dare to come against you here and incite the full force and fury of the Almighty? In God's presence you have the freedom to feast without fear. In God's presence the devil can look, but he can't touch! Time with God is essential for victory in spiritual battles. Spending time with God is not difficult. Jesus opened the way for anywhere and anytime access into God's courts. Enter boldly and frequently. Whenever and wherever you draw near to God, be assured that He draws near to you. And when He is near, you have the full power and protection of His presence, which keeps you ready and able to resist any of the devil's devices. So, why not declare with me today: "I Resist the devil.

I guard my mind with God's Word and I stop thinking about indulging my flesh and its desires. I submit myself to God, I draw near to Him, and I know that He is near to me. Therefore, in the power and protection of God's presence, I stand against temptation, and the devil must flee from me!"

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The Rev. Edroy "Curt" Curtis; president of the Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association; Northern Montana Care Center chaplain; lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church