devil | Revelations From The Road

Temptations

February 13, 2021 by Bill Leave a Comment

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

The devil and his demons spend a lot of their time tempting us. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” (John 10:10). They know that if they can get our attention away from God’s plan, they can lead us astray into evil doings. They will try to distract us, get our mind off of God’s word and cause us to lose focus on what we’re called to do. The battlefield is in our minds. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 what we should be doing: “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”. But the devil seems to know our weaknesses and he will exploit them to his advantage. He’s watching to see when and on whom he can present that temptation. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). He can’t deceive everyone with the same lie, so he prowls around until he finds someone in a weak moment and says, “Hey, there’s one, let’s get ‘em.” It may be anger, fear, porn, substances, food, things, procrastination, people; whatever he can get our attention with.

Joyce Meyer said in her book, “The Battlefield of the Mind”, “The devil will give up when he sees that you are not going to give in.” We know that in Luke 4:1-13, Jesus was tempted three times by Satan in the wilderness. Jesus was hungry and weak but each time he had an answer for each temptation, “It is written!” (vs. 4,7,10). He knew The Word! And verse 13 says the devil, “left him until an opportune time.” Satan gave up when he saw that Jesus was not going to give in. Again, he knows our weaknesses and if he can’t get us on one thing, he’ll try another or another time. With me, sometimes I get aggravated easily. One day, I was going to the store. I got halfway to the car and realized I’d left my phone, had to go back to get it. Then I forgot the grocery list, GRRR! Going back out the door, my coat sleeve got caught on the door handle and here ya go. But I knew what was going on and I rebuked the devil, laughed and said he wasn’t going to get me this time. Peace came over me.

So, what do we do when temptations come our way? FIRST: Realize what’s happening, we’ve seen it before. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.” (2 Corinthians 10:13a). SECOND: Tell the devil it’s not going to work this time. “Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). THIRD: Use scripture as Jesus did. “It is written.”.” And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13b). The Word is the way out…but we have to know it and have it ready to use, “The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17).

Here is a battle prayer we might use in times of temptation: “Devil, I’m not going there! I have submitted to God and I resist you and you’ve got to flee! (Notice the exclamation marks.). I’ve been given authority to trample over all your power and nothing you do is going to harm me! (Like 10:19). I’m fully dressed in the full Armor of God and I have the Sword of the Spirit in hand! My God is with me and in me and He’s backing me up! So, get outta here and shut up, I’m not listening to it! In Jesus’ name I declare it!” You may find some other verses to use in you battle cry. Be blessed!

Who Ya Listening To?

August 29, 2020 by Bill Leave a Comment

I must not be a very good student. Time and time again, I have to be taught a lesson that I should have already learned and put into practice. But my Teacher, my Master, keeps working with me. I thank Him for that!

My wife and I were planning a trip to visit her aunt and uncle who have a house on Claytor Lake in Pulaski County, Virginia. The quarter mile road down to their house is gravel and has several bumps, hills, sharp turns and ruts that are difficult to navigate in a car. So, we thought we might take my old 4×4 truck. I asked my mechanic, who knows my truck inside and out, if it would be okay to take it on the two-and-a-half-hour trip up Interstate 81. He said, “Oh sure, it’ll be fine.” So, we decided to take it. Then, the anxiety began to set in and that “voice”, you know which one I’m talking about, the enemy, started talking in my ear: “That truck’s not going to make it. You’re gonna break down and be stranded on the side of the road.” Blah, blah, blah. Oh no!

Well, this continued for a few days and, on the day we were to leave, I asked God to take care of that truck and us as we traveled. “Lord, be with us on this trip. Help us to arrive safely at our destination, on time and without incident and return us home the same way.” I pray this every time we go on a trip and God or His angels have been with us every time. But you know, that nagging fear was still there. Well, we head out for our destination, made it over the winding roads of Wise, Russell and Washington Counties and got on Interstate 81…with no problems. I began to feel pretty good about the trip and thanked God for His protection. Then, here comes the lesson: “Son, I want to ask you. Who are you listening to, who are you going to believe and who are you going to follow?” Oh my, it hit me! I was listening to that little demon instead of my friend and mechanic! I was listening to that lying voice instead of my God! I was allowing my fears to direct me instead of following God! OK, lesson learned.

We made it to the lake, in and out of the bad road, had a wonderful visit and boat ride and made it home, “safely, on time and without incident”. I was thanking God repeatedly and repenting for my fear. Lesson learned. But that’s not the end of the story. I teach a class at our local college and was meeting with an IT person the next day to be sure all the technology was working in the classroom. I HAD been stressed out worrying that something would go wrong, (same lying voice in my head). But this time, I remembered the lesson I had just been taught, had a peace about it and had my meeting. All the technology worked fine and actually was going to be easier than I had thought. Thank You again Lord!

Who are you going to listen to? “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2). “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:6 MSG).

Who are you going to believe? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved,” (Acts 16:31)

Who are you going to follow? “Jesus said…follow Me,” (Matthew 16:24).

What will be the result? “Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him rest from the days of adversity,” (Psalms 94:12-13)

Be Aware!

July 25, 2020 by Bill Leave a Comment

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

I have quoted this verse quite a few times when I feel like I’m being tempted in some way. I know that the devil is always out there trying to draw me, and all of us, off the narrow path (Matthew 7:14). He’s always, “seeking who he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8), so we have to be aware of his tactics.

As I was declaring this verse one morning recently, God gave me an encouraging revelation; God, the Holy Spirit is inside me and the devil is outside me or “in the world”. Now, we read in the Bible that sometimes, demons are inside people. Jesus cast out demons seven times from various people, but we don’t hear much about that today. So, I was encouraged with the reminder that all-powerful God is in me and my demonic enemies are outside, around me in the world. My enemies out there can only tempt me and try to coerce me into doing, saying, or thinking something sinful but it is my choice to listen or resist it. (James 4:7).

However, we know that, since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, sin came into the world and into us. The Bible speaks of it as, “the flesh”. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” (Romans 7:18). We have a sin nature that is in our “flesh”, but we also have the Spirit nature in us that battles against it. It is an on-going battle. Sometimes our flesh wins and sometimes our Spirit does. Being a former coach, I see this likened to our muscles. The ones we exercise and feed properly are the ones that develop and become strong. Those that are not exercised or fed deteriorate. We have to feed and exercise our Spirit by reading our Bible, praying and doing good and starve our flesh. So, when the devil comes around with his temptations that are designed for us, we can declare, “Greater is He that is in me than you are. I have submitted to God and resist you, get out of here!” Be aware!

But there’s something else to be aware of. We may have more than one thing that the devil knows he can temp us with: our weaknesses. He knows what they are and that’s what he uses against us. But have you noticed that when you have gotten a weakness under control that the devil will attack you with something else? He’ll keep trying because his desire is only to, “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). So, when these temptations come, we need to have our Spiritual armor on and our Sword ready so we can say, “IT IS WRITTEN!”. Remember, in Luke 4: 1-13, how Jesus was tempted three times in the wilderness? (Notice that Luke said Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” (v. 1), He had exercised His Spirit to the full.) The devil tried one thing, that didn’t work. He tried two more things that didn’t work either because Jesus was ready with the Word. Finally, the devil gave up, “until an opportune time”, (v.13). That’s what the devil does to us. He tempts us with one thing and, if that doesn’t get us, he tries the next thing. But if we keep exercising our Spirit faith and declaring the Word, the devil will leave us for a time when, maybe, we’re weak.

So, remember that the devil is out there on the road of life and be aware of his tactics. Remember that God is in you, submit to Him, have your Word-of-God sword ready and resist the devil. Be aware. Be ready.

Don’t Feed It!

June 13, 2020 by Bill 1 Comment

A very wise friend of mine once taught a lesson called, “The Black Dog”, in which a pet began as a cute little puppy but grew into a big, mean, dangerous animal. He likened it to sin in our lives. Sin, if we allow it, will grow and take over our lives and put everything else aside. The phrase I remember from that teaching is this, “Don’t feed it and it will die.” That’s what we need to do to the things in our lives that threaten to take over, don’t feed them! “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15). “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13:14).

Let’s say there’s this little demon that has been harassing you for a long time. He messes things up for you and you can’t seem to get control over it. Finally, however, you get this demon in a cage which gives you control for awhile. But occasionally, he breaks out and causes you trouble again until you can get him back in the cage. Do you have anything in your life that you can identify with this? We all do and some have more control than others.

But here’s the thing, how absurd would it be that you’ve got this demon under control in the cage and he’s not bothering you but ever so often, you go and give him some food! And when you feed him, he gets stronger and eventually breaks out of the cage. Anyone would say, “Why in the world are you feeding that thing?” I agree, don’t you? Why do we feed these things? “Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].” (Ephesians 4:27 AMP).

Now, here’s a personal lesson that I have learned recently that relates to this. I’m trying to eat healthier and avoid too many carbs in my diet. I love chocolate and cookies but I have made a pact with myself to not indulge in these things. We have chocolate and cookies available for our grandkids when they come over and they are sitting right there in view as I walk by the kitchen tempting me to take one. I have not done it for a couple of months. But what I’ve found out is this: It was really hard to avoid at the beginning but, the more I didn’t feed that temptation, the easier it got. Now, I can walk by them, see they laying there, but have very little desire to grab one. I haven’t fed that desire and it has died!

I propose that this method will work for any addictive temptation we are subjected to. However, it takes strength and fortitude but the Holy Spirit in us will help with that. Some addictions are harder than others to kill but, with God’s help, we can be victorious! But we know, that when you give in and feed it, you will be back at the beginning and have to start all over again. Ask for God’s help, be strong and determined to beat it and fulfill God’s plan for your life. Don’t feed it!

Submit Then Resist

August 31, 2019 by Bill Leave a Comment

Most of us know that, as we read God’s word, He will show us different things time and time again. It’s not a matter of, “Oh, I’ve already read that, I don’t need to read it again.” No, don’t say that! Following our church’s Bible reading plan, Project 345, I have read through the Bible numerous times and there’s always something new that God shows me from a very familiar verse. Recently, it was from James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We’ve all read or heard this verse but this time, God gave me a vision to go along with it. Picture this:

A child of God has been trying to resist the devil WITHOUT first submitting to God. They think they can win their battle on their own but, as we know, that’s not going to happen. Well, they get beat up! As they stand there, all bloody, bruised and defeated, the devil stands there laughing at them. The child of God backs off, dejected, then turns and sees God standing several feet behind them. They remember this verse, realize their mistake and move toward God. As they draw near to Him, He draws near to them, (James 4:8). They face God, all bloody and bruised, they bow down to Him repenting and asking for forgiveness. God raises them up and puts His hands on their shoulders. (Can you picture it?) He says, “I forgive you. Now, do you submit to Me?” They exuberantly reply, “Oh yes Lord, I do!” And then they salute God as a military person would show respect and submission to their superior. God, says, “Okay, now turn around.” As they turn around and see the devil still standing there, looking worried now, suddenly they realize they have on the armor of God and the weapons of warfare, (Ephesians 6:10-18, go read it and be strengthened). God says, “Now take a step toward the enemy then STAND.” As they do, the devil realizes what’s happening, turns and runs away. The child of God turns back to look at God who smiles and nods His head at them. Can you see it? What a great picture!

We all have and will encounter battles from the enemy. We are God’s children and the devil hates us. So, be sure to first submit and then resist.