Something I have noticed recently is that many of my friends who are making major decisions for Jesus are struggling. I have seen this to be true in my own life. Whenever I have made a serious spiritual decision that was a serious leap of faith, from salvation, to deciding to change a sinful life pattern, temptation has come into my life like a house on fire.
It seems that our enemy, Satan just cant resist coming after people who are making major life choices to follow Jesus. In fact, if you feel major opposition to something you know is morally right, chances are that is the best validation you could ever receive to stay the course. Temptation that I have seen come at me have been in the following areas: an impossible obstacle, ridicule, lust (the desire to go outside God’s boundaries sexually), or just plain reluctance to be motivated.
If you are feeling resistance from outside forces as you pursue God, I offer the following advice. Pray and push through. Pray, asking God to help you by his mighty hand, and secondly push forward as hard as you can. God will show you a way through that hardship. Do not waver because God is for you. He wants you to follow him and he will give you the means to overcome temptation.
Here is a cool passage of scripture to think about:
1Peter 5:8-11
8 Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world.
10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 To Him be the dominion forever. Amen.
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1 response so far ↓
ke4juh // March 29, 2009 at 4:54 am
Amen.
This is a constant in the Christian’s life, especially for those in ministry. Two books I think are helpful addressing this subject are Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. The enemy will do whatever he can to drive us off course and everyone struggles but God will not allow us to be tested beyond what we can handle.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
So, as long as what we are doing is for God’s glory we will succeed because it is really being done by His power. Where we must be most cautious is when the enemy is most subtle and allows us to think everything is going wonderfully, it is then that we let our guard down.