Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. James 1:14 (NIV)
What evil desires are you tempted by? Pride? Anxiety? Bitterness? Laziness? Prayerlessness? What pulls at you?
Satan baits the hook by presenting arguments to your mind to justify or rationalize sin. This is how sin entices you. You will recognize some of these from your own experience.
1. God will forgive you
He uses the grace of God to lead you into sin and to suggest that sin doesn’t matter.
2. It isn’t a big deal
He masks sin’s ugliness. He will tell you, “It’s just a little pride. No one is perfect.”
3. You’re different
He will say to you, “You are wired differently. You face unique pressures. You need a break.”
4. No harm will come from it
He will say to you, “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3:4). He masks sin’s danger.
5. You can repent afterwards
He hides sin’s effect on the soul, telling us that sin is like a stain that we can simply wipe clean.
6. Just this once
He masks sin’s power, but the pull that you will feel next time will be greater.
7. You know you can’t say “no”
He lies by completely discounting the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Sin entices us in so many ways, and the way to deal with its many faces of deception is to name the sin and confess it to God.
Where is the battle for you today?
