January1

Today is New Year’s Day, the first day of the year 2005. Most of us will write 04 on a few of our checks and other correspondence over the next few weeks. I guess that could mean we’re stuck in the old and not ready for the new.

We might consider today the biggest confession day of the year. Usually it is the day when we make up our minds to try to overcome some not so nice habit we have, or to try to make ourselves do something that we have been putting off far too long. Some of us make a list of the things we want to change in this New Year. We may write them out or just make a list in our minds. Some of those lists look like this. . . (I hung up two lists of common New Year's resolutions that were 4 sheets of paper long and contained about 20 things to stop or start).

Most of the old habits we would like to get rid of involve temptation of some sort or another. We want to stop smoking, stop drinking, stop swearing, stop eating, stop spending all that time on those not so nice internet pages, start exercising, start eating better, start paying more attention to others, start reading the Bible, start going to church more, start praying more.

Everything on our list usually involves temptation. We put away our cigarettes or drink and promise not to pick them up again. Then we see an advertisement or we see someone else light up or tip a beer and we are tempted. We are tempted to go back to our old habit. It was comfortable. We liked it. But we try to convince ourselves that we are strong enough to handle it. And we can usually walk away the first time we are tempted. We might even walk away the second and third time, but sooner or later, the temptation gets too strong and we are back where we started.

Then we get angry with ourselves. Guess we were not as strong as we thought. Guess we are really wimps after all. I really thought I could do it this time. But no, I fell off the wagon again. What a loser.

And that’s when Satan is back in control. He is a sly devil. He knows just how to push our buttons. He knows when to dangle the carrot of temptation in front of our noses. He knows when we are at our weakest. Temptation is Satan’s greatest weapon. He will be having a ball over the next month or two trying to make us all fail in our attempts to do better. This is his biggest and busiest season. He longs for these next few weeks. He’s jumping up and down for joy and ready to start his work. We had better be careful and ready to Shut The Door.

- - Shut De Do

God uses our weaknesses to build character. He uses our problems and habits to show us a better way to survive. Once we go through these bouts with trying to give up old habits, and we win, we become stronger and stronger and more and more Christ-like.

Remember Jesus went through temptations just like us. First there was the taunt. Satan said, if you are the Son of God, then turn these stones into bread. Jesus was surely tempted to show Satan that He really was the Son of God and could have easily turned the stones. But he did not yield to the cunningness of Satan. Then there was the dare. Satan said throw yourself down from this mountain and if you are the Son of God, He will send His angels to catch and protect you. That would have been easy enough for Jesus, but he did not play the game. Then there was the bribe. Jesus was offered the world and a kingdomship right here on earth. All he had to do was worship Satan and he could have had the whole world. But again, Jesus refused.

And all this happened after Christ had wandered in the wilderness and fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Jesus was at his weakest moment and Satan knew it. It’s the same with us. When we are at our weakest, Satan tries his hardest. Our resistance and fight are gone. We become easy marks.

Satan is very predictable. He started with Adam and Eve and has been doing the same thing since. First he finds a desire in us. It may be a sinful desire or a legitimate, normal desire to be loved and valued and want to feel pleasure. Satan then takes the sinful desire and suggests that you give in to it. After all it really isn’t that bad. Or he takes a legitimate desire and suggests a sinful way to fulfill it. He suggests a shortcut. Always beware of shortcuts. Satan is very good at whispering things like, “You deserve it!” “You really should have it now.” “It will be exciting.” “It will give you comfort.” “It will make you feel better.” “It will feel good.”

And before you know it, you’re caught up in believing that it is ok to go ahead.

The second step Satan uses is to make us doubt. He will try to make us doubt all the things we have heard and read about sin. He will whisper, “Is it really wrong?” “Didn’t God really mean that about something else or for some other time or for some other people?” “Doesn’t God want you to be happy?” “Don’t you think God would understand in this circumstance?”

Then comes step three. Satan is a master at using deception. He is incapable of telling the truth and is called the father of lies. He uses half-truths like the master he is. He began his lies with Adam and Eve. He told them they would be like God. He said that they surely would not die. And he whispers in our ear, “It will solve your problem.” “Every body else does it.” “It’s only a little white lie.” “It’s not really a sin.” “You will be able to get away with it.” “No one will ever know.” “You’ll never have to do it again.”

Then comes the fatal step, number four. That is disobedience. That is when you act on the thought you have been wrestling with. What began, as a passing thought, now becomes action. You give in. You commit the act.

Now Satan has an excellent tool to use against you any and every time you decide to get rid of an old habit or to start something new. That tool is guilt. Many of us including those who claim to be very Christian are frightened about tempting thoughts we have. We feel guilty because we should be beyond temptation. We are discouraged and we become weak. That gives Satan the chance to start his countdown all over again.

I need to tell you that it is not a sin to be tempted. It only becomes a sin if you give in to it. Even Christ was tempted. You cannot keep Satan from planting thoughts, but you can keep from dwelling on them and acting on them. That is the difference.

In his book “The Purpose Driven Life”, Rick Warren uses an example of a temptation that many of us try to avoid mentioning and feel embarrassed to talk about. Rick says that it is not a sin to look at some man or woman who is attractive, and become moved or excited, unless you begin to think about the person frequently and act out in your mind what you may want to do with your body. Then the thought becomes lust. Acknowledging beauty or handsomeness is natural.

Satan uses this one to work his wonders with guilt. Christian men are probably more open to this type of guilt than most. They believe that if they feel excited or moved when they look at an attractive woman then they are committing lust and lust is a sin. But, remember, that first feeling when you look at someone else and admire their beauty, is a natural, God-given feeling.

Beware. If you are having trouble in your relationship, Satan is sure to put someone in front of you who will tempt you to turn away. Turn away from your mate and turn away from God. This is one of his best tools. And when we look at the divorce rate in this country, he is doing pretty well.

So how do we overcome these temptations? Understanding how they work is the first step. Then we must keep ourselves from being frightened and from letting guilt settle in. We must refuse to be intimidated.

We need to recognize our own pattern of temptation. Each one of us is different. Satan knows how to push the right buttons at the right time to set you off. You must become aware of those buttons and stay alert so that they don’t set you off. There may be certain days of the week that you are weaker. There may be certain times of the day when you are more vulnerable. You could more easily be tempted when you are with a group of people or with a certain person or when you are alone. You may be more tempted when you are angry or lonely or bored or depressed or worried or even happy.

It takes a little work, but try to figure out when you are most susceptible to temptation. Then you can do some real work in avoiding it. The Bible tells us to anticipate. We need to remove ourselves from people, places and times where we are most vulnerable.

Another tool that Satan uses very slyly is to convince you that there is no way out. You made the mistake of starting to yield to his temptation and suddenly you feel trapped. He will be quick to show you that there is no way out. And if there is no way out, then you might as well continue down the path you started. The harm is already done.

Remember, there is always a way out. We just don’t want to think about it after while. It’s easier to continue than to fight.

- - - God Will Make A Way

This is one formula for defeating temptation and building strength and character. That is God. God wants to help. We need only ask Him. Too often we feel confident that we can handle things on our own and before we know it we are in over our heads. That’s when we need to cry out and ask God to help. Make your prayer a simple “Help me!” I call these prayer bullets. We don’t have time to chat and try to figure out what to do next, we just need help, right now, before it is too late. So fire a prayer bullet and ask for more time. Ask for help to stop this thing from growing and overtaking our lives. God will hear. He will help if we ask Him and let Him. Ask God to provide a solution, and then expect that He will.

Sometimes it’s very difficult to overcome a thought. The more we think about it, or the more we worry about it, the more worried we become. If you continue to say, “I will not smoke”, every time you get the urge, then the harder it will be to stop. Every time you think “don’t smoke”, the more your mind hears "smoke." You are reminded how it felt and how much you liked it.

So, try to redirect your thoughts when the urge strikes you. Try to think of God, a Bible verse, your favorite Bible story or think about how your friend will feel that has been trying to help you quit. Let God lead you on the path.

- - Thy Word

The Bible tells us time and time again to surround ourselves with people. Stay in touch with people who are Christian and your thoughts will become more and more like Christ. Go to them for help. God uses the people around us to help support us in time of need. But we must be around them in order for God to work through them. Don’t withdraw when you are having a problem, call and visit those who are just waiting to support you if you give them a chance. Fellowship with other Christian people is the strongest defense against temptation. Satan hates it when we all get together and try to hold each other accountable. As a group we can be very powerful in defeating any temptation.

A word of caution: It has probably taken a lifetime to develop some of our bad habits and we may have a long list. We must not try to get rid of them all at once. Go over your list and choose only one or two to work on first. Choose those that you believe will do the most to change your life, and then seek help. Look to God and look to those people around you that you feel you can trust and then get to work.

That way we can look at today as a day of new beginnings. We can say that this January first was the day that we began to change our lives for the better.