"like striking sparks on water"

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Depleted

Guest
#1
#1
This helped me sort through my priorities again and really calmed me down. I just thought it could do the same for others.

It's Spurgeon's devotional "Morning and Evening," and this is today's evening one.

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
- Mat_4:1
A holy character does not avert temptation-Jesus was tempted. When Satan tempts us, his sparks fall upon tinder; but in Christ’s case, it was like striking sparks on water; yet the enemy continued his evil work. Now, if the devil goes on striking when there is no result, how much more will he do it when he knows what inflammable stuff our hearts are made of. Though you become greatly sanctified by the Holy Ghost, expect that the great dog of hell will bark at you still. In the haunts of men we expect to be tempted, but even seclusion will not guard us from the same trial. Jesus Christ was led away from human society into the wilderness, and was tempted of the devil. Solitude has its charms and its benefits, and may be useful in checking the lust of the eye and the pride of life; but the devil will follow us into the most lovely retreats. Do not suppose that it is only the worldly-minded who have dreadful thoughts and blasphemous temptations, for even spiritual-minded persons endure the same; and in the holiest position we may suffer the darkest temptation. The utmost consecration of spirit will not insure you against Satanic temptation. Christ was consecrated through and through. It was his meat and drink to do the will of him that sent him: and yet he was tempted! Your hearts may glow with a seraphic flame of love to Jesus, and yet the devil will try to bring you down to Laodicean lukewarmness. If you will tell me when God permits a Christian to lay aside his armour, I will tell you when Satan has left off temptation. Like the old knights in war time, we must sleep with helmet and breastplate buckled on, for the arch-deceiver will seize our first unguarded hour to make us his prey. The Lord keep us watchful in all seasons, and give us a final escape from the jaw of the lion and the paw of the bear.

(A little humor from a teddy bear lover with a sweet tooth: I thought we're supposed to embrace bear paws -- both teddy bear paws and bear claws -- the sweet pastry treat?
)
 
J

JesusIsAll

Guest
#2
#2
Great teaching, the need to remain guarded, with the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6). A super important realization about the ways of the devil and demons is that they require our cooperation, for the seeds of evil they plant to grow. If we didn't heed the devil in our minds, his power would be neutered. Look at all the evil and problems in the world. The devil's hands are our hands. As scripture teaches,

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
 
J

JesusIsAll

Guest
#3
#3
Was just thinking of the "tons" of teaching on keeping our minds over the years, looked at notes and there was way too much to post on subjects on the mind/armor of God, but found these paragraphs of good Bible teaching received, which somebody here may also find a useful reminder:

The battle for the mind is a deadly battle between God and Satan for your soul, we all caught up in this battle, "we do not war after the flesh," this battle a cosmic battle. The devil has declared war against your thought life and the citadel of your soul, your enemy not clothed in flesh, Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The devil has ensconced himself in high places to war against you, with a deadly array of demonic hosts to war against you which are invisible and under the authority of the prince of darkness, the devil. The battleground? "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Imaginations. Knowledge. Thoughts. The devil's desire is to enter and conquer your thought life, from which to war against God, "that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God."

Your mind does the thinking, your brain what you think with, like the piano your brain, and the pianist your mind. And when you get saved, you have the mind of Christ, have a different capacity for thinking, but the fact that you have the mind of Christ doesn't mean the war is over for you, Paul addressing the Christian, like also here, 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. The "simplicity that is in Christ" means the single-minded devotion that is in Christ. The devil, therefore, is working against your mind, to somehow corrupt your mind. Paul is trying to look after his flock as a father would a daughter, 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. Godly jealousy is not insane jealousy, rather wanting to protect loved ones from evil. So, Paul is saying he doesn't want to see the bride of Christ corrupted, sullied, rather wants us to go to the marriage supper of the Lamb as pure.

But the devil is after our minds, knowing that, if he can get our minds, draw us away from the Lord Jesus Christ, that he can corrupt us, can sully us. God destroyed the entire "civilization" over what amounted to evil thought lives, Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Teenagers listen to 10,500 hours of rock music between the 7th and 12th grades alone, this just 500 hours less than the total time they spend in school over 12 years, all this time spent filling their heads with garbage, many suicides rooted to the depression of fatalistic music, and death exactly what the Bible says results from such, Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...

We must keep our minds fastened on Jesus Christ, as the devil wants our minds, Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. We must maintain our single-minded devotion to Jesus Christ, as it is through our minds that God communicates with us, Ephesians 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. The word "heart" refers to the mind, and not emotions, as God doesn't communicate to us through our emotions. Some churches put the emphasis on emotionalism, emotions the shallowest part of our natures, but salvation the deepest work of God, some people going to services and the rhythmic music giving them goosebumps and liver shivers, and they think they're having an experience with God, but all they've really had is an emotional hiccup. Neither does God work with us by rationalism or intellectualism, rather reveals Himself to our minds. God reveals Himself through our minds and changes us through our minds, Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

You can change the way you live by changing the way you think, Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. We are to be transformed! God communications with, changes, and controls us through our minds. Our minds are the battleground between the devil and God.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#4
#4
JesusIsAll said:
Great teaching, the need to remain guarded, with the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6). A super important realization about the ways of the devil and demons is that they require our cooperation, for the seeds of evil they plant to grow. If we didn't heed the devil in our minds, his power would be neutered. Look at all the evil and problems in the world. The devil's hands are our hands. As scripture teaches,

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Click to expand...
Lately, it hasn't been the temptations of the world. It's been the temptations of giving up. Not in God. In hope that it will get better than it is. And not the world gets better. That my husband gets better.

Most of my life we've been battling the world. Now I battle my thoughts and fears.

As the famous Rosanne Roseannadanna used to say, "If it's not one thing, it's another."
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#5
#5
Power thread lay Armer down when the fight is over buckle on
 
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