Resist
By David Chadwick
Jesus resisted the devil’s three temptations in the wilderness. Finally, the enemy departed.
But he didn’t leave forever. Indeed, be began to look for another opportune time to attack (Luke 4:13).
Later, the enemy did return. Through Peter, he tried to keep Jesus from going to Jerusalem and facing the cross. After listening to Peter’s objections, Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23 NIV). Jesus knew the identity of the one who was really causing the problem.
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus wrestled with the Father for an alternative to the cross. Surely the enemy was behind this struggle. But Jesus submitted to the will of the Father. The cross was his call. Indeed, salvation’s victory occurred in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus said to the Father, “Not my will, but yours” (Luke 22:42).
In Jesus’s battles with the enemy, he gave us a proven way to overcome temptations: Resist. James wrote, “Resist the devil, and he will flee” (James 4:7).
God will not deliver you from your friends. If you continually coddle a sin, you will remain in that sin. But if you hate it, and really want to be delivered from it, you can be.
But only if you resist the devil’s temptation. You must persistently stand against him. You must hunger for the life of Jesus more than the life of sin. Learn how to say “NO!” to whatever beguiling lure crosses your path.
And you must do it over and over again. If you resist him once, he will come back again – looking for a more opportune time.
But if you continue to resist him with the fortitude of faith, he will flee.
And you’ll be free to live as Jesus intends you to live.
Stand strong in the attack
God’s equipped you with exactly what you need to defend yourself from the devil when he comes creeping into your life.
David Chadwick’s CD set, The Enemy, shows you how to use the tools God has given you to resist Satan’s advances.
In it, you’ll learn how to:
- Use God’s Word, the ultimate defense, to deflect evil
- Resist the Devil’s advances
- Pray to fight temptation
- Submit to God and let Him work it out for your good
The Enemy is our gift to thank you for your donation to give more reason for hope in Jesus. So request it below when you give.
We pray it helps you stand strong against your enemy!
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