05/12/2010 - Our fight’s continuous

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“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.” (II Corinthians 5:2)

We won’t enjoy full peace while we’re in this world. We’ll only be free from the struggles we’ve got to face against sin and the evil forces after being clothed with our Heavenly habitation. Christ did already warn us that we’d be going through ordeals in the world but we mustn’t give up since He overcame the world (John 16:33). When we use our faith and the authority we’ve been granted in the Name of the Lord we also can overcome.

It’s neither easy nor pleasing to be tempted. The devil is ruthless and it makes use of all the means he has to get us out of our Father’s holy presence. That fight has been fought by all the saints of God through the ages; even Jesus was tempted.

Once the devil and his angels are thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone to burn throughout eternity, the saints of God will be clothed with incorruptibility and then there’ll be no more problems with the enemy; they’ll be free from him and his lies forever. However, whenever temptations come up, they must be dealt with according to the instructions contained in the Scriptures so that they can be prevented. The Lord knows how to keep those who belong to Him safe and sound.

Nobody should feel discouraged when tempted; that’s not a sin. What they have to do is to turn to God instead and confess what they’ve felt when tempted. If you have given way to temptation, you have to ask the Lord for forgiveness and, then, rebuke the devil in the Name of Jesus and he will flee (James 4:7). That’s what Christ did when Satan addressed Him to tempt Him in the desert and in other occasions. The Master didn’t sin for being tempted; He showed us how to react before any situation: by rebuking the devil and using the Word of God.

Temptation is the devil’s major snare so when you feel you’re being tempted, you must fear the Lord. The devil uses all his abilities; he never plays fair; You’ll only be able to cope with the evil traps by seeking help from the Heavens. So, in the “Our Father” prayer Jesus teaches us to ask God to set us free from temptations.

It’s pointless to tell other people you’re being tempted. Once it is spread out, there’ll always be someone to say you’ve fallen. Thank God that won’t happen anymore once we’re clothed with our eternal dwelling.

The secret is to stand firm in the divine promises and never yield to any temptation. When they come up, they must be rebuked at once. Those who let themselves be carried away by any temptation will seriously damage not only their faith but and also their relationship with God.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares