How many people do you and I know who have simply worn themselves out over some sin that defeats them again and again and again? I've been there, have you? The enemy has achieved great success in luring us into battle. We seem to think we can muster up enough faith in our resolve, enough knowledge and enough strength to get the victory, only to find ourselves flat on our faces in the mud one more time; now a little more exhausted, a little deeper in the mire. But isn't that what we are supposed to do; "if at first you don't succeed try, try again?"
We have, not one, but two enemies in our battle with sin. The first is obvious---that would be the devil, the master deceiver and father of lies. He wants us to fight him, you know. He awaits with great anticipation our unspectacular efforts. If he can get us determined enough to get the best of him, he is assured of getting the best of us--- no matter how good our intentions.
When in my teens, I was taught that if I fought hard at overcoming temptation, Jesus would join my efforts and make up the difference---but I had to do my part. I believed this interpretation of scripture for a long time, but I found the fight didn't work for me. The more I tried to be "good," the worse things got. How about you? Now you see who the second enemy is---self. We can't seem to accept that there really isn't anything we can do. The question becomes "what is our part?" "Surely, there is something I have to do."
When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, do you suppose he planned some strategy for fighting off the ravenous beasts? I think, probably not. He knew without a doubt that strategy or physical prowess, or any kind of effort on his part wasn't going to master such ferocious felines. 1 Peter 5:8 tells me the devil goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Hello! Is now the time to put your dukes up and start flailing away at the devil? Look at what the verse says again. "whom he may devour." It looks to me like there are those whom he may not devour. Who would those be? How do I become undevourable? There is One who is now fighting, and will always fight, and has already won the battle with our enemy. My part---give up the fight! Quit trying to be good. God, and God alone can win this battle. It's not even our responsibility to fight the devil, Jesus took that responsibility on Himself, because He knew we could not win. When temptation comes knocking, take a deep breath and confess, "this problem is yours Jesus, I cannot fight it, I will lose." "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe" Proverbs 18: 10 [KJV] Fill your life up with God. Focus your attention on Him, not on the temptations. It's kind of like going on a diet. More often than not the focus is on food, and before we know it, oops, we gain rather than lose. When learning to drive our vision is directed to the center of the lane we are in. If we look at the line at the side of the road, the tendency is to turn in that direction, and in no time we are in the ditch.
There is great relief in giving up the fight. Temptation only becomes a problem when we take up the fight again. The work in the Christian life is to fight against taking up the fight; that's the good fight of faith.
copyright March, 14, 2014
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