What is momentum?

Spiritual Momentum

In the realm of physics it is P(momentum)=M(mass) x V(velocity).  Mass along with the force of speed equals momentum.

But what about spiritual momentum?  The Christian life should be active and growing.  But many times we are not.  We are stuck in a spiritual rut having lost our momentum.

When this happens we need a revival, a re-awakening to a growing life in Christ.  Revival is about starting anew and then moving forward with God in greater mass and with a more urgent velocity.  It is about regaining our spiritual momentum.

Spiritual momentum comes when we take our life that God is transforming, by the power of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit, and we get it in motion, we move forward with Jesus.

But here is a helpful question…

How do you create physical momentum?

Imagine you are on your bike and at the top of a hill.  How do you increase momentum?  You start that bike down the hill, you tilt your weight forward, you reduce your resistance against the wind by tucking inward, and you peddle like mad.  Now you are mass times velocity and you have momentum.

How do you kill momentum?

There are a couple of ways.  Either you can put on the brakes or you can wipe out.

This has application to the spiritual momentum all of us should have.

There are people, the Lord comes into their lives, they are revived, start moving with God, building up spiritual velocity, but because they do not respect the laws of spiritual momentum they fail to do things that increase spiritual momentum with God and instead they do the very things that slow or completely stop the spiritual momentum in their lives.

Sometimes they will put on the brakes!

They get excited about the Lord, but they sense that others are uncomfortable with it and so they succumb to peer pressure and put the brakes on.  They say things like…

“I’ll be more committed to God, but I won’t go all out.”

“I’ll pray more, but I won’t tell others about Christ.”

Can I encourage you?  Don’t put the spiritual brakes on.  Don’t allow the pressure of this world to rob you of your zeal.  That very zeal will drive you ever deeper into the riches of a relationship with Christ.  Refuse to abandon that.

Sometimes they will altogether wipe out!

This is when people spiritually self-sabotage.  They will dive into some sin that just blows up the new tracks with the Lord that they were on and to some measure derails their life.  They wipe out.

Let me encourage you again!  Don’t spiritually wipe out.  If you are contemplating making a sinful choice, STOP!  Don’t do it.  Your spiritual momentum is infinitely more important.

Of course, maybe you have already done one of the above:  put on the brakes or wiped out.  It is not too late.  God is calling you to confess that sin, repent or turn from that direction of living, and return to the things that produce spiritual momentum. (Acts 3:19)  His grace and forgiveness are sufficient to wash you clean and get you back on track.

In fact, if as you are reading this you are feeling conviction over your lack of spiritual momentum then God is already working to bring you back.  To this mass of God’s work in you, all you must add is the velocity of your own obedience.

Obedience is the key to re-establishing spiritual momentum.  Get back to the things that God first called you to do.  Obey him in your thoughts.  Obey him in your actions.  Draw near to God. (James 4:8)

Challenge:  Today, regain your spiritual momentum by turning from your sin and returning to a posture of obedience in all things.

Question:  What are specific things we can do in obedience to God’s Word that will result in the regaining of spiritual momentum?  Share them with us.  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

If you are a Christian, you know you should read your Bible every day!  Your Pastor tells you this.  Your Bible Study Leader tells you this.  You have started the practice countless times only to drop off, feel guilty, and then quit altogether.  But what if I gave you easy steps to getting started again and keeping at it?

Get Into Your Bible

It is not difficult to develop a daily habit of Bible Reading.  Just follow these easy steps…

1. Confess to the Lord that you have not made a priority of his Word.  The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Drifting from God’s Word is to drift from God.  When we confess our sins we are acknowledging the drift and drawling near to his grace.  We are making a return to him and displaying a commitment to hear and obey his commands.  This can be the beginning of your personal revival.
2. Let go of guilt over past failures.  It may sound strange for me to tell you to confess your sin and then follow that by telling you to let go of your guilt.  But it is not strange.  There is forgiveness in the blood of Christ.  He died to pay for all sins.  When we confess our sins, he forgives us and we need not live in that shame any longer.  Maybe you have failed in your daily Bible reading habits in the past.  Be forgiven and leave those failures in the past.  Neglect in your past need not define your future.  Whatever you do, don’t start a new Bible reading habit out of guilt.  God wants you free from guilt.  That is why he gave us Jesus.  Be free and stop beating yourself up over the times you didn’t follow through.
3. Shift your motive from legalism to one of love.  One sure fire way to sabotage your effort is to pursue Bible reading just so you can say you did, or just so you can somehow fulfill your religious checklist for God.  Why should you read the Bible?  Because through the Scriptures you come to know God more deeply.  You learn of his love for you.  You are inspired to grow in your love for him.  Set love as your motive, love for God.  Love for the God who loves you beyond any measure your mind can comprehend.  When I approach the Scriptures to know God I am drawn to the pages with a reverence and awe.
4. Stop believing that you can’t understand the Scriptures.  Sure, lots of parts of the Bible are challenging.  Usually this is due to our ignorance about some cultural or historical reality of the ancient world.  But the truth be told the Bible tends to be rather plain in its’ meaning.  If you are stumped by something, seek the answer.  Then you will know more than you did before.
5. Find a plan that works for you.  Perhaps you could choose to read a chapter of a book of the Bible each day.  For instance, read one chapter of the Gospel of John until you are done.  Then you could read a book in the Old Testament, such as Genesis.  Others want to read the Bible in a year.  The One Year Bible Plan is a great way to do it.  For more information on that plan, check out my other website, www.disciplecast.org.
6. Change the plan when you want.  There is nothing that says you have to stick with the plan you started with.  If you start with the read through the bible in a year strategy, but then determine that is too much for you, then change your course.  Read just one chapter a day out of a book, or use a devotion guide to help you through various passages of Scripture.  It is ok to change your path.
7. Think of ways the Bible relates to your life and world every day.  Get in the habit of thinking about what you read throughout the day.  Today I read a parable of Jesus and have been looking for ways it applies to my life and the lives of others throughout my day.  This makes God’s Word come alive.
8. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day.  Seriously, so you miss a day once in awhile.  Let me tell you a secret.  Sometimes I do too.  Beating yourself up about that only makes it harder to get back on track.  Just start where you left off and get back on track without tormenting over it.  You are much more likely to keep at it if you are good to yourself along the way.
9. Let the Scriptures shape your prayers.  When you read God’s Word let what you learn set the direction of your prayers to the Lord.  God often speaks to me most powerfully when I let the subject of his Word shape the substance of my petitions to him.
10. Share want you learn with others.  This is when you really see God’s Word work in power.  You were never meant to keep all of these treasures to yourself.  Look for opportunities when you can encourage another with the Words of God that encouraged you.

Challenge:  Start working these steps and get yourself in the habit of daily meditating on God’s Word.

Question:  Do you have any other helpful hints to developing consistent Bible reading habits?  Share them with us.  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Lately I have been struggling over what to do in a matter that is important to me.  Should I do this or that?  Should I go that direction or the other?

Seeking Guidance

That got me thinking.  What do you do when you don’t know what to do?  Of course you try to figure it out.  You weigh the pros and cons of any particular option.  You ask for advice from people you respect.

All this is good and it should be done.  But what about the most simple and straightforward step…Asking God.

The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5)

By asking God, you are not saying you won’t brainstorm the pros and cons, nor does it mean you won’t seek the advice of others.  The Lord often uses those paths to guide us and Scripture suggests such things (Luke 14:28; Proverbs 20:18).

But ultimately we need to be asking God to guide.  The Bible promises us that he “gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

So often when we are at a crossroads we become anxious.  It can be stressful when you don’t know what direction you should take.  Sometimes either course seems attractive.  You might even want to do both, but in that situation you can’t.  You have to decide.

Bringing the decision to God can bring peace.  After all, doesn’t God know exactly what he wills for your life?  Isn’t he perfectly capable of leading you into the things he wants for you?  Of course he is!

When you come to God, you can lay the conundrum at his feet.  You surrender the options to him and express your willingness to do whatever he wills.  You continue pondering the options and maybe even the seeking of advice, but this time it is different.  This time you are trusting God to lead.  In some sense the pressure is off because you are not depending all on your own wit, but on God’s guidance.

Why ask God?  Well sure, it is because you want answers.  But God doesn’t always give quick answers.

Why ask God?  Because more important than the guidance is that you would have a deeper dependence on the Lord.

Think about it.  Either direction you go don’t you want to go it with God?  Fellowship with the Lord is always more important than direction with decisions.  Direction comes naturally when communion with God is nurtured.

Are you wrestling with a decision of what to do?  Have you begun asking God, really asking God?  Have you surrendered your will to his?  Have you weighed the pros and cons, read scripture, and sought the advice of others for the expressed purpose of seeing what God would reveal to you in it all?

If the answer is yes, then trust that God will lead, in his timing.  If the answer is no, then why not begin asking today.  Be patient.  Trust him to reveal in time and even more than seeking guidance, nurture your relationship with the Lord.

Question:  Have you wrestled with a decision, sought God’s wisdom, and in time received your answer?  Share it with us.  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Your experience of life is largely determined by your perspective of it.  Life is a mix of good and bad, easy and hard, fair and unfair.  What you focus on is what defines your experience.  Focus on the good and life seems good.  Focus on the unfair and your life seems like miserable injustice.

Gratitude Is Key

In other words, you have a significant influence on your experience of any given day simply by the perspective you choose.  Focus on the bad, you feel bad.  Focus on the good, even if you are experiencing bad things, you still see the blessings that fill your life.

So what is the key to seeing the blessings, even when difficult things are in your path?  The key is gratitude!

When you are thankful to God, you recognize the things he has given you in your life.  When you do this, you see that he has not left you.  You see that he is active and cares.

Do you want to perceive with greater clarity the blessings God has already put in your life today?

Then thank God for these things:

1. The people he has given you to love.  There is no gift like the gift of relationships.  We are the sum total of the relationships we have forged.  The gift of people in our lives is rich.  When was the last time you took inventory of your relationships?  When last did you choose to express how much you valued those people?  And sure, I know relationships can be tough.  You might be struggling with a spouse, a teenage child, your parents, a rift in a friendship.  But what if you thanked God for those people you get to love.  Even when I have been challenged in a relationship, when I thank God for that person I feel differently toward them.  I appreciate them and love them.
2. The grace to make it through challenges.  In the Book of Philippians, in the Bible, Paul writes to the church of Philippi encouraging them.  These people were experiencing a measure of persecution and social pressure.  It was hard.  But he called them to rejoice with gratitude.  He said, “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:4-6)  Maybe you are going through something difficult.  But God offers you the grace to make it through.  You can call on him, count on him.  Many of you can recall a difficult time that you didn’t think you would survive, but God got you through.  Thank him for that, right now.
3. The wisdom to know how to live.  God has given you his Word, the Bible.  It is rich with insight and instruction on the wise way to live.  No doubt you have a Bible believing church you can be a part of where the Scriptures are preached and where wise people lead.  Having these influences in our lives helps us navigate the winding roads in front of us.  Thank God for the wisdom he makes available and the potential it has to bless you.
4. The ability to give.  You know, even when we have little, if we look closely we can find we have something to give.  Look around at the things you have with which you can be generous with others.  It may be money, or something that you can share, or something you can do for someone.  Be thankful that you have been given the ability to give today.
5. The perspective to live contentedly.  Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11)  When my wife and I first married, we were poor.  Our jobs didn’t bring in much money.  We had a small apartment and no savings.  But a couple times a week I would walk around the apartment and thank God for everything I saw.  The used furniture, the pots and pans in the kitchen, the clean clothes, and the food in the fridge.  I felt rich, very rich.  Why?  Because I was grateful.

So stop now and start thanking God for everything you have and see that he is powerfully with you today.

Question:  What are some things for which you are grateful?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

The greatest hindrances to a life yielded to the will and ways of God are pride and envy.  When we are gripped with pride, or plagued with envy, our eyes are not on the Lord, but on ourselves.

Humble Before God

It is easy to fall into prideful envy.  Why is this? Because usually we have a very difficult time losing the spotlight or having someone else get the glory.  Think about it…

Someone else gets picked for the team, gets the promotion you wanted, or displays more talent than you.  Perhaps they get the girl or the guy you always had an eye for.  Maybe someone else gets the big break, or has the same idea that you have, but goes farther with it and becomes more successful than you.  Or maybe, someone else gets the dream salary, car, clothes, or house.

Usually these scenarios are the birthing ground for pride and envy.  The problem with these emotions is that they make us think we should be the focus, the center of attention.  But for the person growing in Christ’s prevailing life, Christ must be central.

God calls us to a different posture.  He calls us to employ humility and contentment rather than pride and envy.  No one displayed this posture better than John the Baptist in relationship to Christ.

He said of Christ and his role before him, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30, KJV)  John knew that for Christ to be powerfully displayed in a life, a person must be submissive and humble.  We cannot expect God to be active and central in our lives if we are more concerned with ourselves and our wants than what God gives and wills for our lives.

John the Baptist accepted that his ministry would decrease as Christ’s increased in influence.  It is the same with us.  If we want God to be more in control of our lives we must accept what he has for us, where he has placed us, and what he has called us to do.

Think about it…You can only have according to God’s provision, purposes, and perimeters.  In other words, God has a plan.

Maybe you have not been content with the circumstances of your life.  Sometimes that is a good thing.  Sometimes it is an indication that you need to strive for better, push for more.  But sometimes it is important to accept the life God has given you and allow God to work through those circumstances.

Sometimes I get frustrated with my life.  I dream of having better circumstances with less stress and with more rewards for myself.  I imagine having a bigger career opportunity, more money, or for there to be more spotlight on me.

When I get like this, I find my fellowship with God strained.  My focus is on what I want, rather than on God.  But there is a sweet release, an entrance into peace, when I assume a different posture.

When I say to God, “O’Lord, may my wants and desires decrease as I invite you and your will to increase in my life.”  When I say that I am deciding to be thankful for the circumstances I am in and my opportunity to allow God to use me in those circumstances.  I am decreasing as I invite him to be central in all things and as I accept his specific plan for me.

Today, I challenge you to follow this principle of humility and contentment as you invite God and his will to influence you in ever greater ways.

Question:  What helps you remember that Christ must increase as you decrease?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

After church on a Wednesday night I got my kids in our van and began to back out of the parking space when…”Crash!!”

Car Damage

“Oh no!”  I had backed right into someone’s car.  I pulled the van back into the space, got out and assessed the damage.  The car I hit had some paint damage on the bumper.  My bumper was damaged a bit worse.  Nothing huge, but I knew I needed to find the person who owned the car.

I entered the church and began asking people whose car this was.  It was embarrassing.  Why?  Well it would be embarrassing anyway, but it was especially embarrassing because I am the Pastor of my church.  Finally I found out who owned the car.  It was someone I had known for nearly a decade.  She and I had worked together on several committees over the years.  I knew her well.

She could tell I was upset that I had damaged her car.  I asked her to look at it and insisted that she get an estimate so that I could pay for the damage.  She assessed the damage and said it wasn’t bad and that she wouldn’t want to worry about it.  I argued and said I wanted to make it right.  She explained that the car was ten years old and she didn’t want to worry about some scratches.  She let me off the hook.

I was humbled by her kindness and left having experienced an expression of grace.

Just the other day, a young sophomore girl hit my son’s parked car at their high school (see the picture above).  The young girl was upset and crying after causing the damage.  My son comforted her and said it would be alright.  That afternoon I looked at the damage.  It was only some scratches (nothing serious, especially on a 16 year old car that has a few other wrinkles in it, if you know what I mean).

I called the father of the girl and said, don’t worry about it.  It was only a scratch.  I let him off the hook.

It felt good.  Someone had shown me grace and now I could do the same.  It was good.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Many times it is the right thing to exchange insurance information, get estimates, and expect someone to make things right.  Nobody should feel bad about that.

But sometimes things are not really that serious and it just isn’t a big enough deal to make a big deal about.  Sometimes it is just easier and better to let someone off the hook.

Is there someone in your life that has crashed into something of yours (figuratively speaking)?  Is it something that you could easily let them off the hook for?

Sometimes we make too much over little things.  Maybe today you can have the privilege of letting someone off the hook.

Question:  Can you think of a scripture that challenges us to let people off the hook?  Share it with us.  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Do you want to know the ONE factor that can most significantly spur you on to greater levels of growth in your spiritual, occupational, educational, or relational life?  Mentors!

Mentors

A mentor is someone who has already done or been doing what you want to do.  From them you learn how to do it, be it, and live it.  This is the way parenting works.  We live as examples before our children and, for good or bad, they model after us.

When I was a little boy, I wanted to be just like my dad.  I watched his mannerisms and I emulated them.  I tried to walk like him, talk like him, even spit like him.  We learn from watching others.  We learn from mentors.

Truth is the mentoring relationship is the essence of discipleship.  We learn how to live for Christ by watching people who either are walking or have walked with the Lord before we have.  The Apostle Paul said to the early believers, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)

Paul was saying, I am going to live it.  Now watch me and do what I do.  He was mentoring them into spiritual growth.

So I ask you.  Do you want to grow spiritually?  Then find spiritual mentors.  Do you want to go to the next level in your job?  Then find mentors who have achieved what you want to achieve.  Do you want to become a more loving spouse or parent?  Then find mentors who have done such things well.  Learn from these people.

How do I find a Mentor?

I am glad you asked!

1. Find someone who is ahead of you.  It is difficult to be challenged by someone less mature than yourself.  Find someone who is living the kind of quality life you desire to live.  Learn from them.
2. Realize a mentor doesn’t have to be your best friend.  True, it is wonderful when you find that person that takes you under their wing and mentors you.  They spend a little time each week imparting their wisdom into your life and advising you as you determine your directions.  This is rare.  I have only had a few of these people in my life.  But I have also had many mentors who I barely even knew and some of them didn’t know me.
3. Know that your mentor doesn’t even have to be alive.  I know that might surprise you at first read.  But think about it.  A mentor shows you how it is done, by living it for the world to see.  This is what every hero of scripture did for us.  Those saints of old are not living in our generation, but every time we read of their faith, courage, and even mistakes, we learn.  There are many men and women that continue to inspire me and advise my path who have long since died.  E.M. Bounds inspires me to be a man of deep prayer.  He has been dead for over 100 years.  But his power to mentor me in my prayer discipline still breathes life.
4. Find mentors in your church.  If you are a member of a church filled with people who want to follow Christ, you should be blessed with people from whom you can learn something.  Get to know these people.  Serve with these people.  Pray with them.  Do life with them and learn.
5. Find mentors in your field.  Students, do you know what you want to do after your education?  Find people who are doing that and get to know them.  Perhaps you are working in a particular occupation.  You want to advance in the field, but are not sure how to get to the next level.  Find someone who has and learn from them.
6. Be humble.  You can never fully benefit from a mentor unless you are humble.  The people least likely to learn are people who are more concerned with looking smart rather than being smart.  Don’t try to impress a mentor, humbly learn from them.

Join the Conversation:  What are suggestions you have for finding and learning from mentors?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

I spoke the other day to a young woman who said something was changing with her relationship with God.  For years her faith in Christ was mere ritual, but now it was becoming personal.  She had gone through a season of life shaking experiences and realized she didn’t merely need to know the Lord existed.  She needed to know the Lord.

Personal Relationship with God

Many believers today live their faith as ritual rather than relationship.  What about you?  Is your faith relationship with God personal or ritual?

James 1:26 says, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” (NIV)  James is implying that a true relationship with God will change you, will result in your life being molded into the likeness of Christ.  If it doesn’t than it isn’t worth much.

Truth is you can be religious and not have a personal relationship with the Lord.  You can come to church regular.  You can give money in the offering plate.  You can try to be fair and good to people.  And you can deceive yourself into thinking that this means, in and of itself, that you have a strong relationship with God.

The real question is this…Are you growing in your prayer life?  Are you reading the scriptures, seeking to apply them obediently out of a deep love and affection for God?  Are you praying for your friends and family who do not know Christ and are you seeking ways to share your faith with them?  Are you giving, not out of compulsion, but out of genuine gratitude?

Or are you simply going through the ritual motions?  Are you going to church, listening to sermons and Bible studies, only to be generally unaffected personally?  Do you do the religious thing by going to worship on Sunday, singing the songs, listening to messages, only to leave there to gossip, complain, or lie with your tongue?

I had a Christian Philosophy professor who once told me, “Saving grace is always changing grace.”  A true saving relationship with God will never be mere ritual.  It will be a relationship that will change you fundamentally.

So I ask you again, Is your faith ritual or relational?  God wants to have a personal relationship with you that transforms you.  His will is to shape your character into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  He wants your faith in him to drive you into a rich acceptance of his grace and love.  This love motivates you to live true to his nature and will.

Our lives are meant to live in communion with God, close to him.

Often I put my youngest son to bed at night.  When I tuck him in I often give him a hug.  I hold him in my arms, press my cheek to his and just pause.  I don’t hug him quick, but hold him close.  That warm closeness with my son is what life is all about.  It is beautiful.

That is what God wants our relationship with him to be.  Close, so close that we walk together in harmony, so close that we work together as one.

God loves you my friend.  Draw close to him, really close to him.  Make your relationship with him personal, not mere ritual.  And let him change you into his likeness.

Question:  What are ways you suggest we turn ritual faith into personal, life changing faith?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Praying is to our relationship with God what breathing is to living in our bodies.  You do not breathe once in a while.  If you did, you’d die.

Prayer

We breathe continually and we must do the same with prayer.  God is our life and praying is to invite the Lord into the core of our lives.

For many people, prayer is like their AAA card.  They don’t really plan on using it, just in the case of emergencies.  Or for some, prayer is like a spare tire…

Recently, I was traveling across the country in a van I had purchased a couple of years before.  On the way one of the tires blew out.  There I was along the road, in need of a spare.  I looked in the back hatch.  No spare.  I looked in the storage compartments in the floor.  No spare.  Finally, I read the owner’s manual and discovered the tire was stored under the van.  Before that time, I never bothered to learn where the spare tire was stored.

Is that like you?  Is prayer something that you save for emergencies, but never actually practice enough to know how to do it?  God doesn’t want you to be passive about praying.  He wants you to be active and continuous in your communion with him.

Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)  Jesus is showing us three actions we are to take to actively pursue the involvement of God in your life.

1. “Ask” for God’s involvement.  Don’t expect anything from God, if you don’t ask him.  Bring him the things that are little and large.  I shake my head when I hear people say they only bring the big things to God.  As if God is too busy or cares too little to be involved in the small things.  The truth is, to God, all things you bring him are small.  We think they are big things, but God is infinitely more powerful than any problem we might face.
2. “Seek” for God’s activity.  After asking for God’s wisdom, or help, or guidance, start looking to find ways God is answering your prayers.  Recently I asked God to bring a renewal to both my prayer life and level of ministry passion.  Immediately, I started looking around me for the things God might be sending me to encourage me in these areas.  I was blessed to find things in my life that did just that.  Don’t just ask, look as well.  God is already at work around you.
3. “Knock” on doors of opportunity.  Especially when you are asking God to lead you to the right opportunities, be sure to explore the possible opportunities before you.  Are you asking God to use you in the lives of others?   Look around to see if there are people around you that you can help.  Then when you see someone you might benefit, venture to them and see if there is an open door.  If you are praying for a new job, knock on some doors to see if anything opens that is meant for you.

Active praying is beautiful.  It recognizes that God is an active God and loves to interact in your life.  Ask the Lord about everything, look around to see what God is up to in your life, and test every possible opportunity to see if God has something there for you.

When you pray actively, life is an adventure.

Question:  What are some active prayers you will be praying in the days to come?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.

You are at War!  If you are committed to living devoted to Christ, then you have an enemy who wants to disrupt that commitment.  The Apostle Peter said, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV)

Temptation

Temptation is the devil’s tool to lure you off your course with God.

No one is exempt from experiencing this alluring attack.  Even Jesus was tempted by the devil, though he never yielded.  We can learn from Jesus the principles to follow for successfully fending off temptation’s allurements.

1. Live a life filled with God.  In Luke 4 we read of the devil’s temptation of Jesus at the beginning of his public ministry.  The Bible says, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit.” (Luke 4:1)  He was full of the Spirit of God.

Temptation to sin is a temptation to leave God and his ways.  The remedy is to be so preoccupied with God that you don’t have the time or energy to be distracted by the devil.

It is like having a girl friend or boyfriend when you are young.  You think about them all the time, talk on the phone for hours, text 100 times a day, and spend all available free time with them.  What are the chances, when you are living by that kind of devoted love, that you will have wandering eyes for another when you are in that state of mind.  Chances are slim.

2. Know the devil is behind the temptation.  When Jesus was tempted, he knew it was the devil tempting him.  He knew that it was not simply his appetites crying out.  There was a sinister enemy who wanted to steer him away from his divine purpose.

When we fail to recognize the author of the temptation, we get lazy and forget that we are in a war.  Then we let our guard down.  The disciple of Jesus is always strongest when they remember that they are in a battle and must remain vigilant.

3. Know your vulnerabilities.  The devil is not stupid.  He does not attack you where you are strong.  He targets your weaknesses.  He attempted to trip Jesus when Jesus “was hungry.” (Luke 4:2)  He will do the same with you.  You can expect it.

He will target you when you are tired, stressed, lonely, hurt, or disappointed with others.  Learn to recognize when you are vulnerable and address those issues before the evil one can capitalize on them.

4. Know God’s Word.  Jesus resisted the devil through his knowledge of Scripture.  It must be the same with us.  There is no substitute for learning and applying the Bible to your life.  God’s Word prepares us to identify sin and shows us how we can flee from such sin.

The Psalmist said, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  (Psalm 119:11)

5. Resist the devil and run to God.  James said, “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.” (James 4:7-8)  When temptation strikes we must simultaneously cling to God and resist the temptation.

Have you ever seen a parent holding a small child when another adult comes up reaching for the child saying something like “oh I’d like to just take you home with me”?  More often the child will cling to the parent while simultaneously pulling away from the other adult.

We must push away from the temptation as we pull close to God.

6. Stay alert and expect the inevitability of future temptations.  Jesus successfully resisted the temptation used on him, but it is worth noting the devil did not give up.  Scriptures say, “he left him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13)

Don’t be deceived into thinking that you can become exempt from temptations.  Successfully resisting one temptation does not mean that others are not coming.

Remember we are at War!

Question:  How will you apply these principles in your life?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.