The devil made me do it and resisting temptation

“I grew up hearing that ‘the devil made me do it’.  I know that is just a saying but can Satan put thoughts in our head?

and

“How do you resist temptation”

By Pastor Stacey Weeks

I heard about the devil making you do things as I was growing up too.  Often it confused me, why did the devil care about that unauthorized cookie taken from the cookie jar or my yanking my little sister's braid and pleading no clue about why she was crying.  I knew it was me, right?

Well, to set this discussion into context, let’s talk about who is inside of you first.  If you are baptized believer in Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit inside you.  The Spirit serves as the voice of God in you and the voice of your conscience.  

Yet, we all sin.  We steal that cookie or harm others.  In doing so, we choose what our heart or or mind knows is not godly or of the Spirit but what seemed satisfying in the moment. That is the key here.  Sin is always a choice that we make.  Yes, sometimes we are overcome by the temptation to sin to feel better about ourselves, to ‘get what is ours’, or be part of the group, but the fact remains: sin is a choice.  

Your question asks if Satan can put thoughts in our heads.  According to Scripture, Satan uses all the tools at his disposal to deceive and lead people astray, so the answer is yes, he can.

In Acts 5:3. Peter asks Anaias why he withheld resources from the early church and in doing so asked why Satan had filled Anaias’ heart.

In 2 Corinthians 2-10-12, Paul writes about not being outwitted by Satan.  This verse gives us insight on how we are to treat Satan’s schemes.  Verse 11 reads, “ And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”   We need to be aware that Satan schemes against the followers of Christ, that is what he does and he is good at it!   

This thought is reinforced by 1 Peter 5:8 where Paul writes again, “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”

This is where the second question comes into play: How to resist temptation.  This is where the rubber meets the road in our Christian walk.  Just like sin, the temptation to sin is something we all face.  James 1:12 (NLT), tell us “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

So, how do we resist temptation?  Scripture guides us to pray about temptation.  In the books of Matthew and Mark, we are told to keep watch and pray (Matthew 26:41 and Mark 14:38).  The Lord’s Prayer, when Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, echoes this as well in that prayer when we ask not to be led into temptation (Matthew 6:13).   We have to armor up here people, that is our first line of defense!  Get those close to you to pray with you as well if it is an ongoing temptation or sin.  Your besties, your life2life group, your step group, the mature Christians in your life.

How else can you avoid temptation?  Practically, it means avoiding the environments where you are likely to sin.  Blocking that website, avoiding those certain situations, replacing that thought or word, even giving up your smartphone.  Did I really say those things?  Yes, I did because the Bible takes it even further.

Matthew 18:9  (NLT) says “ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

That sounds hard doesn’t it?  It is. Some temptations and some sins are easier to walk away from than others.  However, before you begin to fear the work of Satan and temptation, remember who you belong to!

Jesus Christ is our advocate, our shepherd and the one whose blood washes away all sin.  Christ forgave all of the sins of your life in those final moments on the cross, long before you took your first breath.  He also loves us like children and stands ready to hear our cries, our confessions and His love for us is unwavering.

Remember that God wins on the final day and the schemes of the devil will be no more.  Take heart, pray on your armor, stand strong and be of good courage!