Ephesians 4:26-27
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
What temptations consistently create a foothold for Satan in your life? What negative emotions set you on a darker path?
Ephesians 4:30-32
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
To defeat temptation, we shouldn’t focus on our behavior. Instead, we can identify the thoughts we’re having and the feelings that come out of those thoughts. Feelings are real but they usually aren’t right. The enemy hooks us with our thoughts, not with our behavior. He is a master at manipulating our thoughts and moods to get us to trust our feelings instead of God’s word. As soon as our emotions are leading our decisions, we’re done.
How have your emotions led you in the wrong direction recently? Did they caused you to doubt, disregard or deny any of God’s word?
Proverbs 4:26-27
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
We can fight temptation in our lives by identifying the emotions that make us vulnerable and refocusing our thoughts on God’s Word to replace those negative emotions with God’s truth and love.
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through these scriptures?
