Your Contemplation

2 Thessalonians 3:³ “Still, the Lord is true to His promises; He will hold you up and guard you against the evil one.” (The Voice)

The truth is, there are areas you will be tempted in for the rest of your life. For some, it is arrogance. God has delivered you from a pompous spirit, a prideful heart, and an arrogant spirit. But guess what? The enemy will still try to hit you at that spot. You need to be strong in God and keep overpowering him. It is not once delivered from temptation, forever delivered from temptation. For some people, it is depression or anxiety. God has set you free from depression or anxiety. You have to stay and stand in your victory.

The Word of God says in 2 Thessalonians 3:³ “But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One.” (NCV, emphasis added). God will give you strength, and He will protect you from the evil one. He will! So, when you think about it, you can only hide in God’s protection and deploy God’s strength every single time. You are not responsible for the thoughts that come into your mind. But you are responsible for what you do with the thought. You need to deploy God’s strength to overcome it.

The fact that a thought comes through your mind does not mean that you have to yield to it. If you do, then that is when you are responsible. What I am saying, in other words, is that temptation is just an idea. Temptation is satan giving you an idea; the enemy suggesting something to you. It is just a suggestion; it is not an instruction. When you have an idea that is not of God, note that it is not an instruction to disobey. No! It is an idea that the enemy is using to lure you. Martin Luther King said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”

Rick Warren said, “You cannot keep the Devil from suggesting thoughts, but you can choose not to dwell or act on them.” There are things you cannot control. But some things are within your control. The good news is it is not a sin to be tempted. But it is a sin to give into temptation. Jesus was tempted, that is not sin. Jesus was tempted in every way but without sin. It is not a sin to be tempted. It is a sin to give in. When satan gives you an idea, it is called Temptation. But when God gives you an idea, it is called Inspiration. What you make your contemplation will inadvertently become your reality or your action.

Prayer: Father, I receive Your strength and guard me from the evil one, in Jesus Name. Amen!