Resisting the Devil

Today is one of those days that I "just don't wanna."  I don't want to walk on the treadmill, I don't want to get out of the house and face all the load of the day, I don't want to think about what to eat, how to eat and least of all, I don't want to BLOG!  Have you ever had one of those days?

It's a cold, rainy, dreary day.  I'd much rather sit with a huge bowl of popcorn, curled up in my favorite chair and read a book between naps.  That's all I want to do today.  But, instead, here I sit forcing myself to be obedient and fighting the kind of fight, spiritually with the devil, who gives me every reason to call off the day, as if I were wrestling with a dragon.  But, it turns out, the dragon is my own will and my will is that which HAS to be submitted to God!  So, I began with scripture, setting my mind on the things above so that I might be pulled out of this lulled and lazy place.  And, it never ceases to amaze me how God's Word does just that!  Take for instance this scripture for the day, from James 4:7.

"So be subject to God. - Stand firm against the devil; resist him and he will flee from you." (The Amplified Bible)

That's it.  That one small sentence.  It's one small sentence that is chock full of clear instruction.  And, can I just say, bummer!  I'd rather hear, "Sit firm, say a prayer and the God of the heavenly armies will swoop down and take up the fight for you.  And, before you know it, my child, you'll perk up and.'feel like it' again."  But no, that is NOT what it says.  Instead, the burden is on me before it's on God.  You see, I have to decide to stand firm, be unmovable in the quest.  I have to be resolute in the challenge.  I have to be wholly dedicated to the stand of obedience I've declared.  I've declared war on the enemy and apathy is his best weapon.  I've been pierced with an apathetic arrow and everything in me wants to give in to it.  But, I'm called to take a stand AGAINST the attack of the enemy.  But, it doesn't stop there.  I am called to resist him and the best weapon I have in my arsenal is scripture.  Resistance is best done by quoting scripture to the devil, such as, "I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me!" (Philippians 4:13).  Once, I resist, I am then called to flee.  Fleeing implies movement in the opposite direction from where the attack is coming from when what I would rather do is the opposite.  So, just the moment I am done with today's blog, I will get on the treadmill and be faithful to my daily mile, head downstairs for my shower and begin my day.  Never mind that I've wasted my morning, more importantly, that I grabbed ahold of the feeling and responded in faithfulness to my Temple Training.

Did you notice all those words?  Stand, resist, flee?  Those three words are my words for the day, the are all action words.  When you look at them don't they look like oxymoron's?  Don't they contradict themselves?  Stand and flee?  To me, the word "stand" is a static position that is fixed, unchanging; lacking in action.  While "flee" seems to be dynamic, moveable, not fixed.  And, I would be right if I were to look at this verse simply from the point of view of the English language.  But, this verse means so much more than that.  It's more of a command from God that says, "Stand up, get up and get out of this stuck place that holds you to failure.  Stand up and resist the urge to stay here, the place you've been, the place you hate, the place you've grown weary of.  And run like thunder away from it, in the other direction.  Do something, anything toward the goal and desires you've set."  And, friends when we do that, the devil doesn't stand a chance!  The devil has to flee!  Why?  Because, "Greater is He who is in me, that he who is in the world!" (1 John 4:4).

So, today I stand.  Today I resist.  Today I flee!  Let the Temple Training Challenge continue!!! 

Great, is the victory, great is the victory, oh glorious victory that overcomes the world!

Thank you Father God for reminding me of this verse and this song, for great is Your victory.  Thank you for helping me to overcome.  I surrender this day and my will to YOU!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Comment and let me know how God is speaking to you through this challenge, we're in this together!