The Enemy Within: Chapter 9 (Pt 3)

I ended the last entry with the thought from Kris Lundgaard that every bit of "the deception and temptation we've been discussing [in previous posts] has one intent: to convince the mind that this sinful act is somehow 'good' for the soul so that the affections hunger for it, and the will chooses it" (103).

This is the scheme, the method, the procedure your flesh is working on you to do what it, not God, wants. Therefore, it fights like hell to keep you ignorant of what its doing--that's one of the reasons why true prayer and Bible study are so hard.

Now, what're some of the specific tactics the flesh uses to lie us into thinking sin is good for us?

1. Twisting Scripture -- The flesh has you focus so much on what the Bible says about God's love (cf. John 3:16; 1 John 4:8) that He becomes a doting grandfather who will always forgive, rather than a holy God who holds us accountable for our actions as an act of love.

2. Double Standards -- The flesh makes you believe you're case is special, you're sexual immorality is OK because "We love each other," and "What is marriage, but just a piece of paper?" and "If it makes me happy it can't be that bad." Your embezzlement is OK because "I can't pay my bills" or "Corporations are evil anyway" or "I deserve this for all the mistreatment."

3. Keeping You In The Dark -- The flesh fools us in the specific areas where we're ignorant of God's Word: the father who relinquishes teaching his kids the Bible (Deut 6:4-9) to the youth pastor. Therefore, study God's Word daily so that you obey the command to "find out what pleases the Lord" (Eph 5:10).

4. Don't Worry About It -- You should hate and repudiate the flesh when it whispers "This sin isn't that bad--you don't need to go to all that trouble against this little thing. Other Christians, even great saints in the Bible, have committed far more grievous sins than yours, yet God forgave them. Don't worry about it--everything will work out okay in the end" (106).

Bottom-line: What am I doing to kill this enemy within your soul? Am I apathetic to it's schemes? Do I care that it hates God and wants my actions to reflect that hatred more than anything? Am I indifferent to those treasonous desires against the Lover of my soul? Or, do I care more about the Super Bowl?