Praise the Lord!I'm so blessed to have run into this Christian art site. I pray indeed for the prosperity of it and that it will continue to be a safe haven for Christian artists to display their tallents and help each other.Here is a topic I believe will be beneficial to someone on this site, and I do pray that they will find victory in this journey of faith with Jesus Christ.Victorious Christian livingSubtitle: Overcoming Temptations… Part 11. There is no temptation if there is no tempter.The devil doesn’t know everything that is in our minds, but he does know if we have accepted a thought that he suggested… Satan doesn’t know all things so he presents different situations to us to get us to fall. There are times that he fails, because what he thinks might be a temptation to us may not be a temptation at all. But when he finds something that he can hook a person with he’ll use that one thing as best as he can until he destroys the individual with that thing (and for many it’s multiple things that he uses). If stealing isn’t a strong temptation to you, when the devil realizes it he’ll try to tempt you with something else. He’s trying to hook our heart to something that is against the will of God to pull us out of righteousness back into sin. The hook can develop in us if we entertain the temptation long enough. The hook can already be implanted in our soul, or he can even use the hook he has in our sin natured body if we haven’t denied or spiritually crucified our selves- Rom 7:22-25, Gal 2:20, Luke 9:23. The hook the devil will try and use to pull us can even be in the form of a demon/principality brooding/hovering over the atmosphere we are walking into or through on the streets or in a building/house, but this is where we need to know the scriptures that counteract the nature of whichever temptation the devil is using. This is why St. Paul tells us to be filled with the spirit- Eph 5:18-21, so that when the devil comes he has no place to put his hook, because your mind is preoccupied with the things of God. So now the power radiating in your atmosphere caused by the word and worship or prayer disrupts, disturbs and repels the sinful atmosphere trying to influence you to sin. Or there is a detailed word in our spirit that strengthens us not to give in to the devil.Atmospheric influence: -An extra part 1/28/07If there is a great influence of spiritual activity in an atmosphere, everyone and everything that comes into it’s territory will fall subject to it’s power unless something in your spirit is stronger than the spiritual activities happening in that place. Saul wanted to kill David at Naioth in Ramah, but the activity of the Holy Spirit was so high in that place that it caused Saul’s men to prophesy instead of arresting David three separate times. Saul himself fell subject to the Power of Gods Spirit and prophesied the entire night instead of laying hands on David to kill him -1Sam 19:20-23. You can be going to school to become a doctor but if the power working in your spirit isn’t greater than the atmospheric powers of Satan in that place you’ll most likely fall a prey to what ever it’s influencing the people to do. If it’s an influential spirit of failure you can become a dropout, if it’s to make fast and dishonest money then drug dealing may seem more appealing. You can go to a city to evangelize to prostitutes but if you’re not covered and empowered by Gods leading you can end up sleeping with them instead, because this is the influence of the atmosphere you’re walking into. In the same way someone can go to church with carnal intentions but end up getting saved. The great thing about atmospheric influence is that they all become subject to the Christian when he/she realizes the authority he/she has and WALKS IN IT…2. Eve wasn’t tempted to eat the forbidden fruit in Genesis Chap 3 until the devil opened his dirty mouth and said something to her… but at the same time she entertained the devil long enough to hear and believe his lies. So if you are tempted to do evil it’s also a sign that you’re in a better condition than what you’re tempted to do and God must have a better plan for you, otherwise the devil wouldn’t bother.3. If the devil has a hook in you the first step to deliverance is to confess it. If you don’t confess it you will always fall for it because you are in denial of truth. It’s the truth that makes us free St. John 8:32 even if it’s a confession of being hooked, so we have to be honest with ourselves… King David said “When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.” Psalms 94:18 . This is where you allow God to take over and become your strength in dealing with the powers of that or those temptations, it is then that you will have inner victory. Let go of your own strength now, and depend on God. This is how the believer lives, not by his own strength and abilities but by FAITH in Gods’ abilities… 2Cor 5:7, Zech 4:6 Rev 12:11Temptations will always come because the devil will always try, but some days will be much easier than others because the devil and his demons can’t be everywhere at one time and he’ll even go away for seasons as he did to Jesus - Luke 4:13. but remember that temptations aren’t designed to frustrate you but to build your faith and patience in God- James 1:2-4…Written by yours truly through the grace of GodPeter MitchellStay tuned for part 2
All thanks to our Lord and Savior 'Cheek', and thanks for your blessings and encouragement. and what you're saying is so true Robert. God bless you both.
Overcoming Temptations- Part 2
Why is it that we’ve wanted things that we know that we can’t have? It’s because there is a mind behind that desire (and it’s not your mind). – Quote from Bishop Linval Hendricks
Lust means evil desire, this is the purpose of the temptation. The devil wants you to want/desire what you shouldn’t have. He wants you to desire sin. If we are provoked to do good that’s not called a temptation because it doesn’t cause evil desire (lust), but if we are provoked to do or desire evil it IS a temptation…
Gen 3: 1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The woman Eve did not desire what she couldn’t have before the serpent persuaded her to. Sometimes we may find ourselves desiring what we know we shouldn’t have, lusting for what belongs to someone else, wanting what would naturally be destructive to ourselves and the thing or person we desire. It’s not your thought! It’s not your desire even if you feel it in your body. Remember the devil can impose emotional energies through the atmosphere on our soul so that we can feel depressed even though we really aren’t -Eph 2:2. So it is, we can feel desire for what we really don’t want if the devil gets his hook in our soul (not to mention this sin-natured body we also have to deny every day). By this he takes our natural desires and tries to *twist them BY accusing us of wanting something we really don’t want. And it’s so easy to believe him if we’re not grounded in the Word of God…
*See my readings in Chap 13 ‘Sexual purity’ titled Don’t get your God given passions confused Part-5. Which I may post here soon"
If it is destructive to my soul then I don’t want it… Ye are of God little children, and God doesn’t want sin…
St. John 13:2 : “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;”. Satan put the evil thought of betraying the Master Jesus Christ in Judas’ heart. Judas didn’t think of it himself, the devil suggested it, but Judas agreed… and since Judas agreed with the evil suggestion (like Eve) he now becomes responsible for the thought and the actions following the thought… But what we need to do when we hear or feel the temptation to do evil is tell the devil we don’t want his evil thoughts and send it back with him to hell! And don’t think twice or compromise…
The forbidden fruit is not a sin nether is it a temptation… The fruit by itself is innocent… the INFLUENCE to eat the fruit IS the temptation, and the act of eating it was the sin…
Let’s take this a little further:
Gold is not a temptation, it’s an element that was made by God and therefore is a good thing. But the influence to worship it is the temptation, and the act of worshipping it is the sin…
Every part of the human body and their functions were made by God, and therefore the body along with its various functions are very good things. This brings a sense of relief because if God made it then it’s not designed to make or cause us to fall… The body by itself is innocent… But the person that uses it outside of its purpose is committing what is called sin, and the NEGATIVE INFLUENCE to use it that way is called the temptation…
The upsetting thing is that the bate the devil uses to hook and trap us is Gods’ beautiful creation presented to our minds in a wrong way…
Wow....the Lord has blessed you beyond measure. I was browsing the forums and found this, after reading through the post I realized what God was saying to me through you, I have been struggling for some time, well, fighting the devil off if you want to call it that, especially here lately that the graphic novel is underway. This post is uplifting, encouraging and has definately helped me in the verification that I am doing something right, because like you said; God has something planned unless the Devil wouldn't bother, so I guess I am doing it right, lol. But you have also reminded me that I must rely on God and only God, not my own strengths or abilities, which often fail, Thank You for this post and may the Lord Bless your life in abundance and mercy!
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Overcoming Temptations- Part 2
Why is it that we’ve wanted things that we know that we can’t have? It’s because there is a mind behind that desire (and it’s not your mind). – Quote from Bishop Linval Hendricks
Lust means evil desire, this is the purpose of the temptation. The devil wants you to want/desire what you shouldn’t have. He wants you to desire sin. If we are provoked to do good that’s not called a temptation because it doesn’t cause evil desire (lust), but if we are provoked to do or desire evil it IS a temptation…
Gen 3: 1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The woman Eve did not desire what she couldn’t have before the serpent persuaded her to. Sometimes we may find ourselves desiring what we know we shouldn’t have, lusting for what belongs to someone else, wanting what would naturally be destructive to ourselves and the thing or person we desire. It’s not your thought! It’s not your desire even if you feel it in your body. Remember the devil can impose emotional energies through the atmosphere on our soul so that we can feel depressed even though we really aren’t -Eph 2:2. So it is, we can feel desire for what we really don’t want if the devil gets his hook in our soul (not to mention this sin-natured body we also have to deny every day). By this he takes our natural desires and tries to *twist them BY accusing us of wanting something we really don’t want. And it’s so easy to believe him if we’re not grounded in the Word of God…
*See my readings in Chap 13 ‘Sexual purity’ titled Don’t get your God given passions confused Part-5. Which I may post here soon"
If it is destructive to my soul then I don’t want it… Ye are of God little children, and God doesn’t want sin…
St. John 13:2 : “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;”. Satan put the evil thought of betraying the Master Jesus Christ in Judas’ heart. Judas didn’t think of it himself, the devil suggested it, but Judas agreed… and since Judas agreed with the evil suggestion (like Eve) he now becomes responsible for the thought and the actions following the thought… But what we need to do when we hear or feel the temptation to do evil is tell the devil we don’t want his evil thoughts and send it back with him to hell! And don’t think twice or compromise…
The forbidden fruit is not a sin nether is it a temptation… The fruit by itself is innocent… the INFLUENCE to eat the fruit IS the temptation, and the act of eating it was the sin…
Let’s take this a little further:
Gold is not a temptation, it’s an element that was made by God and therefore is a good thing. But the influence to worship it is the temptation, and the act of worshipping it is the sin…
Every part of the human body and their functions were made by God, and therefore the body along with its various functions are very good things. This brings a sense of relief because if God made it then it’s not designed to make or cause us to fall… The body by itself is innocent… But the person that uses it outside of its purpose is committing what is called sin, and the NEGATIVE INFLUENCE to use it that way is called the temptation…
The upsetting thing is that the bate the devil uses to hook and trap us is Gods’ beautiful creation presented to our minds in a wrong way…