If or when we have fallen into sin, we have done exactly what Israel did in the time of the Judges. Through our weakness, we have given the territory back to the control of Satan, and he is now pulling the strings of our life. We do what he says, when he says it.
In these instance, we have some idea of what happened to Judas Iscariot, when “…Satan entered into him…”(John 13:27). Many alcoholics and other addicts know this feeling, when, suddenly, they find themselves completely committed to the ‘fix’.
Prior to that, they could resist, but there is a time when it seems like they have been taken over by another being, and seem compelled to carrying out their addiction. When it is all over, they return to reality — the spirit that drove them to do it seems to leave — and the shame and cries for help begin to set in.
So, how do we get conned into sinning? Le’s look a James 1: 14-15 a little closer: 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.
1. “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (Ok. so we are drawn away by our own lust for some thing/s, AND ENTICED. But how?
Well, Satan is into advertising and sales…the ‘enticements’. He has signs our all along life’s roadways, and they are specific to our temptations. He just keeps waving them until we say ‘YES!”.
Have you ever read through the catalogues that come into your house with the newspaper? All the advertisers want us to do is 2 things; open them and read them; for within we will find something to buy. They are glossy and colourful with a clear discounted price (and enticed). When we see that particular item we ’need’, we actually sell the ‘need’ for it to ourselves (drawn away of our own lust). We roll the argument through our minds, going back and forth, until we have convinced ourselves that we need it, and must have it now (the lust hath conceived). So, we purchase it and give away our money to some sharp advertiser (bringeth forth death).
Buying something from a catalogue is basically harmless, even if you now have two in the house. However, when we fall for Satan’s advertising, we are doing damage to our spirit. Proverbs 15:4 states, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.“
Were you aware that you develop a breach (fracturing) of the spirit from an unwholesome mouth? Imagine the size of the breach from an unwholesome mind and lifestyle?
The difference with Satan is that he knows what we like. He observes our habits and particularly our ‘purchases’. He knows when we are on a high or low, and keeps shoving his advertising under our noses.
Many supermarkets are now like this. They have Reward Cards, so they can monitor our buying patterns, with the aim of sending out brochures fitted to our individual lusts. Scary? Fact!
If you have entered a supermarket over the past few years, the entry is strangely into the ‘fruit & veg’ dept. Through observation & research in the USA, they have found that, by doing the fruit & veg shopping first, we actually buy more items in the middle aisles. We treat ourselves, thus spending more money overall.
Our job is to know and understand our own individual temptation triggers, if any, and the manner in which Satan entices us, and then ‘do all to stand’. Once he sees us standing on the Rock, he will flee away. That is a promise from the Father. Israel didn’t sustain it: we need to!
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