We all know the person that will laugh and smile when someone’s around, then change their tune later. You say, “I didn’t know you were friends with them” and they respond with, “I’m not, I don’t like them but they won’t stop talking to me”. Those are always difficult people to connect with. You never know if their feelings are true or which statement to believe. Take a second to ask yourself, is that how you are when the devil speaks?
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7
Resisting Sin
The key word from James is resist. When the temptation you’re struggling with infects your mind, do you resist in that moment? Or do you wait until the end of the day, your next church visit, or the next time it comes up in conversation to speak against it?
Until you are able to rebuke these thoughts in the moment, progress will be slow. We are smiling in the face of the devil and talking about him to God behind his back. Satan thinks you’re his best friend.
“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ”
2 Corinthians 10:5
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:11
The verse from Ephesians is such a powerful verse from Paul, but in this context I have a different takeaway. If we wait until we think the moment is right to put on the armor of God, we can’t be fully protected. You don’t go to sleep with armor, you go to war with armor. As soon as you’re under attack, take captive and cast down those thoughts so he can truly flee (2 Corinthians 10:5). Letting unholy thoughts run without having control is like getting out of your car with the car still in drive and expecting it to be in the same place tomorrow morning.
Someone close to me said that the devil cannot read your mind, he can just implant thoughts and gauge your reaction. So in that case, I will leave you with these questions. How do you think he’s interpreting your reactions? Does he know you will not conform to temptation or is your mind a warm landing spot for his unholy guidance?
