2001-06-11 - Diligence

Part 5

1 Chronicles 21:1 Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.

It is popular today to talk about the authority we have over Satan in Christ. It is less popular to speak about the ability Satan has to tempt us, afflict us (Job 2:7), and deceive us. "But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3 One of the ways to protect ourselves from the evil one is by exercising diligence in our walk with the Lord.

The more we find ourselves in diligent service and communion with Christ the less opportunity there will be for Satan to tempt us. There is the old saying that idle hands are the devils tools. The more we engage ourselves in doing things that are pleasing to the Lord the less likely we are to find ourselves about the devils work.

A minister was counseling a woman many years ago and she asked his advice on how to resist temptation. He replied, "Never be idle, but be always well employed; for in my own experience I have found this, when the devil came to temp me, I would tell the devil, 'I am not at leisure to hearken to your temptations; and by this means I did resist his assaults.'" Idleness tempts the devil to tempt us.

This is also the admonition to us in Hebrews 7:11, 12. "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Interesting here how diligence is a means to obtaining assurance of faith. It is an evidence that we are Children of the living God if we are diligent people.

I have worked many jobs over the years. I have worked in construction swinging a 16 pound sledge hammer and I have worked as a pastor. Physically I find that when I work jobs that require great physical effort I am in better shape. It makes sense that this would be true. However, when I work a job that is more sedentary I find it harder to remain in good physical condition. It is the same with our spiritual lives. By staying active in the Word and prayer we stay in better spiritual shape than if we ignore these Christian duties. It is also true that the more diligent we are in our spiritual duties the more "in shape" we are spiritually. So let us seek to deepen our walks with the Lord and diligently serve, worship and adore Him.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

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