Week 4, day 5: What kind of battle is temptation?

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“And lead us not into temptation” (NIV)

“Do not bring us to hard testing” (Good News)

Mark Wallace writes:

When I read this verse, my mind immediately highlights some flaw or ‘stronghold of temptation’ that I have been wrestling with over the past little bit. This week it would be endless procrastination (as a student knows too well) though from week to week, this varies.

Despite that, I would say that I don’t spend enough time praying into those areas of need. I can get caught in my struggle, and defensively, ignore it, which often doesn’t fix things. However, turning to Jesus is precisely what the Bible calls us to do in our weakness.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says:

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

We have the authority to dismantle the strongholds that keep us from a deeper relationship with Jesus. That’s an amazing promise!

I feel challenged this week to ‘appropriate my freedom’. We are saved, but we still follow the ways of the world in our temptation. Instead, we need to take hold of this promise of authority over temptation and live in the hope of the Bible, drawing near to Jesus.

Where do you need to be renewed?

This is a helpful prayer model from Karl Martin’s Stand for use against your Stronghold of temptation.

  • Ask god to make clear patterns of wrongdoing.

  • Confront and resist. Pray with authority. This is so tough!

  • Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Ask him for courage, for security and for healing.

  • Receive the Holy Spirit to fill you with His fruits

Amen

week 4Severn Vineyardday 5