Monday, November 19, 2007
Resisting Temptation
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
—Psalm 119:11
Not only do many of us in the United States have more than one Bible, but we have them in every color and every translation. The question is do we read them? We need to read God’s Word and commit it to memory. The psalmist said, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). While it’s a good idea to carry the Bible in your briefcase or purse, the best place to carry the Bible is in your heart.
I would be embarrassed to admit how many dumb songs I know. I haven’t even attempted to memorize them—I have just heard them so many times that they simply get into my brain. We should be using our memory banks for the memorization of Scripture.
That way, when the enemy attacks, we will have the Word of God to call upon and to give us the strength that we need.
After all, one of the best tools to use when temptation comes knocking at our door is the Word of God. He modeled that for us when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Again and again, He answered the temptation with, “It is written . . . ” (see Matthew 4).
What shape is your sword in? Is it polished from daily use as you study the Scripture on a daily basis? Has it been sharpened on the anvil of experience as you have applied and obeyed its truth in your life? Or, is your sword rusty from lack of preparation? Is it dulled by disobedience?
Sin will keep us from the Word of God. But if we apply the teaching of God’s Word, it will keep us from sin.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.
Copyright © 2007 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions,