Resist... don't persist!

When temptation comes how do you respond? I used to want "hear out" and entertain the offer, you know weigh the possibilities, before "hopefully" resisting it. I wanted to see if it was worth it! Friends, there is great danger in entertaining temptations! We should not take a passive, friendly, "cuddle up" attitude to temptations. In fact, we should be vigilant and on our guard knowing we have an adversary who would love to shackle us in despair! I really want to bring this home tonight so we all understand just how serious this is. There are many saints of God that are in cells, shackled in addiction, in despair and hopeless because they fell for the temptation! Imagine if you were home alone and all of a sudden the front door handle starts to turn. The door is locked so whoever it is...can't open it. Then the door starts knocking, at first the knocks are less intense, then they get louder and louder! You run over to the door and yell - " who is it?" and a voice answers "I am here to take you away, to lock you up, and rob you!" Now, how absurd would it be to sit there and open the door a crack and say," really? What do you have in mind?" Or "come on in and let's talk about how you're gonna do it." ( I think calling 911 would be in order!) Yet, that's exactly what we are doing when we entertain, flirt, and negotiate with the temptation. The enemy comes to tempt, to get us off the straight and narrow path that God guides us on and rather get us lost, detoured on a dead end! So the next time you hear the "temptation" door knocking, send Jesus Christ to answer it for you! The Bible says in James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James is serving up some straight talk here! He is saying quit playing around with sin! Also quit saying " the devil made me do it..." Let's not forget that Jesus stared down temptation by quoting scripture and not even giving thought to the lies! We too are to "resist" not enlist, persist, or even coexist with temptation! Thanks for letting me share tonight, Randy Young