What Makes You Vulnerable to Temptation?
By Rick Warren
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)
If you want to be able to fight the persistent temptations in your life, you need to know what makes you vulnerable to Satan’s efforts.
Ephesians 4:27 says, “Do not give the devil a foothold” (NIV). Don’t give Satan a place in your life to start leveraging your weaknesses and get you messed up.
What’s the most common foothold you can give Satan that allows him to push all these temptations? It’s any negative emotion. Anytime you have a negative emotion, you’ve just given Satan a foothold in your life, and you’re going to be more vulnerable than at any other time to temptation. That’s why the Bible says in Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV).
Your heart sits at the center of your emotions. But to defeat temptation, don’t focus on your behavior and what you’re about to do. Instead, identify the thoughts you’re having and the feelings that come out of those thoughts.
That’s how Satan hooks you—not with your behavior but with your thoughts. He plays with your emotions every day of your life. He hooks your feelings. He is a master manipulator of your moods. Satan gets certain emotions stirring by influencing your thoughts and causing you to doubt God’s Word.
Once he’s got you emotionally involved, you’re cooked. When your emotions have kicked in, the behavior is going to happen. Satan knows your negative emotions will lead you to sin.
You are far more vulnerable to temptation when you’re experiencing negative emotions. Satan knows what they are and will work them for your destruction. Shouldn’t you know what they are too?
The only way you’ll be able to fight any persistent temptation in your life is to identify the emotions that make you vulnerable. Then refocus your mind on God’s Word so that you can replace those negative emotions with God’s love.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Discover God’s Answers to Life’s Tough Questions!
What’s the best way to cope with stress? Rebound from failure? Defeat depression? Or have peace of mind?
Pastor Rick shares the answers to these tough questions and much more in his book God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions.
In it, Pastor Rick takes you to God’s Word for answers to twelve of life’s toughest questions, drawing from the examples of people in the Bible who faced the same challenges we face today.
God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions is our thanks for your gift to help reach more people through Daily Hope—so request your copy of this transformative resource when you give below.
Thank you for your support!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
