There are times when people go through problems, and they put the blame on the devil. I smile and ask myself, “why is it that people put the blame on the devil, every time, even when he is innocently sitting in hell minding his business?” And just in case you are wondering, YES, the devil can be sitting still while we destroy our lives by our own selves. It is not every time that the devil makes us step out of God’s presence; sometimes, we play a huge role in choosing the wrong path.
Temptation and stumbling blocks are the works of the devil, but whenever the devil tries to tempt us, God always provides a way of escape from those temptations. We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:13, that “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (NLT) When the devil strikes with his plans, we always have the option to either give in to the Spirit of God or give in to our flesh. That is when our freedom to choose comes into play.
Our downfall comes as a result of our cravings. “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15 (NLT). Sin is not a foreigner to anyone. Making one mistake is quite different from making the decision to sin habitually. That is, we choose the wrong option time and again. This time, our decision-making is to blame, not the devil.
Samson, a man, set apart with supernatural strength from God, was a victim of his own choice. It might shock you to know, but it wasn’t Delilah or the Philistines that killed Samson. SAMSON KILLED HIMSELF! Even if the Philistine soldiers were 500,000 in number, Samson would still have killed them all. Why? Because he was given supernatural strength by God. His choice of a wife killed him. Despite being warned not to take a wife from the Philistines by his father and mother, he opted to ignore their advice. With the help of his own mouth, Samson’s enemies knew his secret. His life was supposed to be a life of promise, but he didn’t live up to that promise.
We are told in Proverbs 19:3 that “people ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.” (NLT). The story of Samson teaches us that we should always guard our hearts and follow God’s leading. “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NLT). Another lesson we can take from this story is that God will not let us escape from the consequences of our sin. Samson expected the strength to still be with him after his hair was cut off, but little did he know that God had left him at that moment. He thought he would get away with this sin again like he had always done with the other sins that he didn’t get punished for, but his continual disobedience had reached its limit. He faced the consequences of his actions.
As Christians, there are things we shouldn’t do and places we shouldn’t go. If you consciously agree to do those things or go to those places that would cause you to sin, you’re asking for trouble. Psalms 1:1 says “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” (NLT) If you know your weakness will jeopardize your walk with God, then a boundary needs to be placed between you and that path, if not death awaits.
No one can ruin your life and truncate your destiny except you give them the key to do so. You have the sole responsibility for your life. What you make of life is entirely up to you. No matter what the devil does, he can’t tamper with your life if you don’t give him the go-ahead. Take Job, for instance, the devil had to ask God for permission before messing with him. If God hadn’t given the devil the approval, the devil wouldn’t have been able to inflict any misery on him. When the enemy sees that he can’t kill you or inflict any pain on you, he lies in wait and allows you to be the cause of your own demise. Don’t let that be you, guard your heart!
Blazer designed by my friend, John @johnkross_couture
Shirt_ Jos. A. Bank
BowTie was made by me @bowtie_joe7
Pants_ Express
Shoes_ Zara
