Stephen Anthony Ray

Lately, some events in my life have led me to some conclusions about Satan and his clever tactics that have apparently escaped my detection before. You see, in temptation, Satan’s victory isn’t really isn’t in sin. Sin is pretty much just the manifestation of his victory. His real victory comes in the fact that he, through temptation, distracts us from where our focus should be - God. You see, if he can get us to focus on anything but God, the rest is cake - because at that point, we have lost connection with the only thing able to save us. That’s what temptation is all about. If that snake can divert or distract our focus, he can do anything he wants from there (including stop the temptation and allow you to win, causing you to be confused about what methods actually work when it comes to defeating him - something he’ll use at a later, more strategic time to defeat you, seeing as you’ll be fighting with faulty weaponry). We lose our focus: how can I beat this sin? is this so bad? what’s causing this temptation? why is God letting this happen to me? These questions and others are good, necessary questions. But if we fight with them alone, then the battle has been lost before it has even begun.

In the midst of temptation, immediately renew your focus. Don’t be shaken. Don’t get frustrated. Don’t get logical or analytical. Don’t ponder on the effect of the sin (beginning of rationalization). All such things, by themselves, are distractions. Rather, as soon as you realize you are being tempted, renew your focus on the Lord. Then, through Him, launch your attack.

SRay

Today - it’s one of those days.

SRay

Lord, I tend to forget about your nature as a whole, embracing the single aspect of your character that fits me best and totally ignoring the rest of who you are because it doesn’t go well with my personal agenda. I, like most others, embrace that part of you characterized by grace and forgiveness. But, I overlook that part of you that challenges me and puts painful opportunities to grow in my path. I overlook the aspect that pays back calamity and discipline for my stubborn sins. I overlook the part of you that is majestic and powerful and transcendent. In so doing, I have accepted an understanding of God far less worthy than what the Truth tells me. Furthermore, God’s intervention in my life is limited because there is a solid progression concerning my understanding of God, my need for Christ, my transformation in the Spirit.

O Father, let me embrace the holistic landscape of you that scripture paints, not the selfish 5″x7″ that my personal agenda has created.

SRay

“…for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13

Though this indictment was written against Israel over 2500 years ago, it still holds true today. Interestingly, those of us who live for God still haven’t figured it out - thousands of years later. We trade his excellence and glory for things which pale in comparison - shallow things that provide immediate gratification at expense of one’s very soul and the life God intended for his children.

Rather than engage with the deep life of loving process and discipline (the fruits of which cannot be counted, for they are infinite), we instead seek a life of instant gratification and shallow thrills (the fruits of which cannot be counted, for they expire too quickly to be counted). According to the scripture above, rather than drink clean water from a cool, flowing spring, we rather endeavour to drink stagnant water from a man-made well.

But the question is: how can I receive the life that God has intended for me? The answer is that, with His help, I must seek it. You see, we give the sinful nature way too much credit sometimes, as though because of it we cannot make good choices. The redeemed can - and must. If you want the life God wants for you - trusting that it is better than the one you want for yourself - then go get it. Begin again, right where you are. You won’t reach it over night. But God is faithful, and he will train your trying. Go. Get it.

SRay