RESISTING EVIL

 

There are some specific areas in which resistance to evil is required to live victoriously. How to resist temptation, a bad environment, why it is necessary to resist the faithless opinions of others; and what steps to take to resist the devil himself and the evil attacks he brings.

 

If you will hear and obey the Lord’s instructions, you will be empowered to resist every evil temptation, deception and trick that comes your way.

 

IN Christ, you are more than a conqueror!

 

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD WILL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU TO ESCAPE EVERY TEMPTATION YOU FACE!

 

For resistance against the devil to work, there is something very important to do; SUBMIT TO GOD!

 

James 4:7 AMPC -

So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

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NIV – Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

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NLT – So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 

GOD’S WORD - So place yourselves under God’s authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you.

 

Young’s Literal Translation - Be subject, then, to God; stand up against the devil, and he will flee from you;

 

Hebrews 12:9

Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

 

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. Before you can resist the enemy, you must first submit yourself to God. If you try to resist the devil in your own strength, he will soundly defeat you.

 

The Word submit is a military term, which means to fall in line and find yourself ordered under the authority of God. Submitting yourself to God indicates that your spiritual life is in order. This includes repenting of any sin and making sure everything is right between you and Him.

 

Obeying His Word and submitted to His authority, which includes the authority He has placed over you.

 

In this position of submission to God, you can effectively resist the devil, and the Scripture says he will flee. The devil will move his feet as fast as he can and run away from you in terror!

 

Don’t let the devil push you around another day. Submit yourself to God and resist the devil and every evil temptation and attack he brings!

 

Today we face many forms of evil that open the door for attacks on our lives. Addictions, secular immorality, and warped political and moral philosophies affect the way we think as a society, and some of these mindsets have seeped into the Church.

 

Our culture is constantly pushing the envelope, substituting worldly cures for God’s prescribed answers that can be found in his Word. This morally altered society is throwing away timeless truths in exchange for ideas that don’t line up with scripture.

 

What is the Church’s responsibility and role in this hour in the lives of individual believers and as the Church as a whole?

 

We are to resist evil as we take a strong stand on the truth of God’s Word. We must demonstrate Christ's victory and satan’s defeat that was wrought in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

 

• We must learn to resist Temptation

• We must learn to resist Faithless Opinions

• We must learn to resist the devil

• We must learn to resist Bad Environments

 

1 Corinthians 10:13 AMPC

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

 

Common to man = common human problem or trial that has already been faced and overcome by others in the past. The enemy would like you to think you are the only one going through the struggle you are in, but that is not true. If you look at your problem and magnify it, you will only make it worse and reinforce its strength. However, if you minimize it by holding it up to the light of the truth, it will be easier to overcome.

 

Although God does not send problems to you, He will always make a way for you to escape them. (1 Cor. 10:13)

 

God has made a way for you to walk out of a difficult place or trap or to walk out of or away from. It also refers to the act of removing yourself in a tough place of temptation, looking for the way to escape, then once you see it, run!

 

1 Peter 5:9

Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

 

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

 

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.Ephesians 4:27NIV - and do not give the devil a foothold.

 

NLT – for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

 

ESV – and give no opportunity to the devil.

 

Smith’s Literal Translation – Neither give place to the accuser.

 

Aramaic bible in Plain English – Neither should you give place to The Slanderer.Worsley New Testament – and give not the devil room to ensnare you.

 

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

 

“Lay aside” – to lay something down and push it beyond reach so that it cannot be easily retrieved; THIS IS A DELIBERATE DICISION TO MAKE A PERMANET CHANGE OF ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR.

 

If we want to make a change in our lives, we must get involved and act.

 

“Weight” - a burden so heavy and cumbersome that it impedes a runner from successfully running his race

 

“Sin” - to miss the mark; a failure; a fault

 

“Easily beset us” - pictures something that comfortably stands all-around familiar environment that encircles a person’s life

 

“Run” - pictures one who has jumped into the race and is pressing ahead with all his might to reach a goal set before him; one running at such a pace that both feet never hit the ground at the same time’ with eyes fixed on the finish line, the runner makes a dhas for it, steadily moving forward toward the goal.

 

“Race” - refers to athletic conflicts and competitions that were famous in the ancient world; pictures wrestlers in a wrestling match, with each wrestler struggling with all his might to overcome his opponent in an effort to hurl him to the ground in a fight to the finish; used figuratively to describe a struggle of the human will.

 

RUN YOUR GOD-APPOINTED RACE!

 

Once we recognize and lay aside the weights and the sins that are besetting us, we are to “run” our race and overcome every obstacle and distraction.

 

The Word run pictures one who has jumped into the race and is pressing ahead with all his might to reach a goal set before him. He runs at such a pace that both feet never hit the ground at the same time! His eyes are fixed on the finish line as he makes a mad dash for it, steadily moving toward the goal.

 

The Word race refers to an athletic conflict or competition in which wrestlers were struggling with all their might to overcome their opponent. It could picture the intense struggle of human will in a fight to the finish.

 

When we get involved with our own life and future, it may be a struggle to remove ourselves from bad environments. The Holy Spirit will show you what to disentangle from and how to do it. As you fix your eyes on Jesus.

 

He will help you run your race at the proper pace energized by His grace. Now is the time to begin removing yourself from all that wights you down, all that’s causing you to fail, and all that contaminates your character.

 

IT IS A NEW DAY, AND THERE ARE NEW PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS WAITING FOR YOU TO WIN!

 

RESISTING TEMPTATION

 

God will make a way for you to escape every temptation you face!

 

1 Corinthians 10:13-14 NKJV

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

 

Hebrews 12:9

Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

 

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

 

1 Corinthians 10:19-20 NKJV

What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.

 

"Taken" – to seize; to attack; to grip; to take hold ofCommon to man - anything experienced by human beings; unexceptional; merely human

 

"Tempted" – pictures an intense examination; a fiery trial or experience.

 

"Escape" – to walk out, as to walk out of a difficult place; to talk away; to remove yourself from a person or place that is not good for you; to use your feet to exit a situation or environmentFlee – to run as fast as possible; to escape; to use one’s feet to move as fast as possible to get out of an unprofitable situation; it is the picture of one’s feet

 

“Flying” as he runs from a situation

 

Don’t stand around and allow yourself to become mesmerized or paralyzed by temptation. And don’t believe the lie that you need to stick around to prove how spiritually strong you are. If you know something evil is trying to suck you in, get up and get moving before it traps you.

 

Thankfully, all temptation can be conquered through the wisdom and strength of Christ. If there are certain people you have been spending time with that fuel the fire of your temptation, stop hanging out with them.

 

If there are instrumental in leading you away from God and into sin, find some new friends.

 

AVOID THE SCENES OF TEMPTATION

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God wants to build your life in such a way that you avoid places of temptation. Lightning bolts and angelic appearances are not likely to warn you and show you the way out, nor are they necessary to keep you from sinning. Just pray and reach for a practical, common-sense solution.

 

The answer may be as simple as putting space between you and the place where sin has ruled and temptation now lurks to draw you back into sin and bondage.

 

God will make a way for you to escape every temptation you face!

 

James 1:22

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

 

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

 

RESISTING BAD ENVIRONMENTS

 

Hebrews 12:1 AMPC

THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.

 

As Believers, we are called to live by the standard of Scripture. Regardless of what the culture around us dictates, the Word of God, not society determines our values of right and wrong, and we must choose to live by those values.

 

Believers in the First Century were surrounded by bad environments. The theater with its vulgarity, the pagan temples ride with demonic activity, and the bathhouses that hosted sexual immorality are all examples. Temptation abounded in these places, so Christians had to devise practical ways to build barriers between themselves and the negative influences around them.

THEY LEARNED TO RESIST THOSE BAD ENVIRONMENTS

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There are all kinds of things that negatively affect us and can hinder us from living a godly life. Specifically, God says to lay aside every “weight”. Anything cumbersome and heavy that slows us down in our walk with Him. This includes unhealthy relationships, crippling spending habits, and harmful entertainment choices.

 

God also instructs us to lay aside any “sin” we are tolerating in our lives. Anything causing us to fail to hit the mark of God’s standard. God wants us to actively get involved and work at disentangling ourselves from such things.

 

“Easily beset us” - Something that comfortably stands all around or a familiar environment that encircles a person’s life. It could picture something or someone we have been around so long and have become so accustomed to that we feel at home with this besetting situation. Yet as comfortable as we have become with it, it is negatively impacting our life and causing us to stumble and experience failure in our walk with God.

 

Whatever person, place, or thing you are tolerating that is dragging you down, it’s not worth the sacrifice of missing out on God’s will and purpose for your life. He wants you to begin the process of shedding any negative influence and of pressing toward the higher calling (Phil. 3:13-14).

 

First Century Believers had to make a conscious decision to avoid the bad environments that would corrupt their character, and so must you.

 

RESIST FAITHLESS OPINIONS

 

Hebrews 10:32-33 AMPC

But be ever mindful of the days gone by in which, after you were first spiritually enlightened, you endured a great and painful struggle, Sometimes being yourselves a gazing stock, publicly exposed to insults and abuse and distress, and sometimes claiming fellowship and making common cause with others who were so treated.

 

Once we have been “illuminated” about something, we are often thrown into a fight of afflictions, including a fight against the faithless opinions of others who don’t agree with our illumination.

 

Strangely, we are the “show” people bought a ticket for to sit and watch. They wait for us to make a mistake so they can scorn, ridicule, and make fun of us.

 

Rather than become a victim of the faithless opinions of others, you need to surround yourself with people of faith who will love and support you.

 

Turn a deaf ear to those who haven’t done anything for God with their lies but, rather, tune in to those who have done and are doing something with the illumination from God and His Word that they have received.

 

RESIST THE DEVIL

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John 10:10 NKJV

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

 

Jesus said the devil is a kleptomaniac who is bent on taking everything he can from anyone who will let him. It has become inherent in his nature to do so.

 

When satan still known at that time as Lucifer was in Heaven, he tried to take the worship and glory of God for himself.

 

When he was in the Garden of Eden, he tried to take Adam’s position of authority. Today Satan continues his thievery by attempting to steal our joy, our peace, our righteousness, and anything else he can get his hands on that doesn’t belong to him.

 

When the kleptomaniac shows up, he will start acting like a kleptomaniac. He will try to clean you out, take you to the cleaners’, and leave you flat broke. He is a pickpocket, a bandit, a kleptomaniac.

 

Once Satan has robbed you blind, he will come to “kill”. When Satan comes, he whispers thoughts that sound very religious. He sometimes even disguises his voice to sound like God. He will say things like, there is no hope of recovering, everything has been lost.

 

You should take whatever remains and offers it on the altar. Don’t listen to him. He is a liar who comes to steal, kill and destroy.

 

Learn to recognize and resist him!

 

The thief wants to get his hands into every good thing in your life. In fact, this pickpocket is looking for any opportunity to wiggle his way so deeply into your personal affairs that he can walk off with everything you hold precious and dear.

 

And that is not all, when he is finished stealing all your goods and possession, he will take his plan to rob you blind to the next level by creating conditions and situations so horrible that you will see no way to solve the problems except to sacrifice everything that remains form previous attacks.

The goal of this thief is to totally devastate your life.

 

If nothing stops him, he will leave you insolvent, flat broke and cleaned out in every area of your life. You will end up feeling as if you are finished and out of business! Make no mistake, the enemy aim is to obliterate you.

 

SEVEN THINGS TO DO EVERY DAY TO MAKE YOURSELF STRONG AND TO RESIST EVIL

 

The following are seven things you can do every day to ensure you remain spiritually strong in the Lord so you can resist every evil temptation, trap and attack of the enemy.

 

1. Spend time with God in the morning

 

Psalm 5:1-3

Give ear to my words, O Lord,Consider my meditation.

2 Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.

3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.

 

Psalm 27:4

One thing I have desired of the Lord,That will I seek:That I may dwell in the house of the LordAll the days of my life,To behold the beauty of the Lord,And to inquire in His temple.

 

2. Spend time feeding your spirit on God’s Word and other godly sources

 

Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found, and I ate them,And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name,O Lord God of hosts.

 

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

2 Timothy 3:16–17

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

2 Timothy 4:13

Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

 

3. Spend some time quietly

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Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth!

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Psalm 62:1, 2, 5, 6

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation;He is my defense;I shall not be greatly moved. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense;I shall not be greatly moved. He only is my rock and my salvation;He is my defense;I shall not be moved.

 

4. Spend some time with people who strengthen you

 

Proverbs 27:17

He only is my rock and my salvation;He is my defense;I shall not be moved.

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Hebrews 10:25

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

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5. Take time throughout the day to acknowledge God

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Psalm 119:164

Seven times a day I praise You,Because of Your righteous judgments.

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Psalm 119:165

Great peace have those who love Your law,And nothing causes them to stumble.6.Say no to the things you are not supposed to do

 

James 5:12

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

 

7. Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit anew

 

Ephesians 5:18

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

 

 

RESISTING EVIL ​ATTACKS SCRIPTURES

 

1 Corinthians 10:13-14

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

 

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

 

Hebrews 10:32-33

But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with suffering: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;

 

John 10:10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

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James 4:7

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

 

BELOVED, WE WISH ABOVE ALL THAT YOU WILL PROSPER; EVEN AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS!