October 26th

OCTOBER 26th 

We have talked about armor and weapons and what keeps us fully protected, now let’s talk about what makes us vulnerable and weak.

Obviously disobedience and sin is bad, but it isn’t just wrong, it wages war against our soul, it gives the enemy a way in, as the saying goes, “when we sin we let him in.”

1 Peter 2:11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

But there are some things that we don’t think about that make us vulnerable to the enemy’s schemes.

Ephesians 4:25-32 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Of course lying and stealing are problems along with any other obvious sin, but what about anger that you let fester, what does this verse say? Get rid of ALL bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander and malice. ALL anger. When we hold on to anger it damages our brains and bodies and affects our very life, and the longer we hold on to it the more it festers into bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness. Anger is rooted in pride and is a secondary emotion, it is rooted in something else that is bothering us. When something makes us angry we need to immediately talk to the Lord about it and ask the Holy Spirit to show us the root of the issue and how to deal with it.

What about unwholesome talk? We don’t have to explain what that is, we know very well whether what comes out of our mouth is wholesome or not. The verse says, “do not let ANY unwholesome talk come out of your mouths…” That eliminates the “oh its just a little white lie,” or I was just “sharing” with her so she would know how to pray, gossip, discouraging words, cussing etc. Everything that is NOT WHOLESOME falls into that category.

What about quarreling and fighting? What about selfishness? What about love of this world, “friendship” with the world? Meaning, being of one heart and spirit with the world, being in agreement with the world. What about pride?

James 4:1-8 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Perhaps these are things that we have not thought about as things that open the door to the enemy and basically give him permission to mess with us. These are some things that we have grown accustomed to allowing that give the enemy a foothold. Let’s evaluate and eliminate.

Lord thank you for your Word that brings wisdom. Forgive me for allowing actions, words and thoughts into my life which give the enemy a foothold. Holy Spirit make me aware of everything that does not line up with you and help me to abandon those things and replace them with your fruit and the Truth.