Allow No Openings

We are sometimes tempted by our own lusts, but often we are tempted by satan just like Jesus was. But when we allow openings to satan, we allow temptation to dominate our lives.

Consider writing down where your openings are. Often they are from risky TV shows/movies, going to the wrong place, being with the wrong people, or allowing bad thoughts to swirl in your mind.

Next, realize that when you allow an opening it is basically inviting satan in. And once you invite him in, he has the right to work you over good. Let's say you decided to look at smut for a few hours. Now satan has the right to pound you all week. Ouch.

Instead, allow no openings. Run from risky entertainment, run from the wrong places, run from the wrong people, and work ruthlessly on changing the way you think.

Find clean entertainment, clean places to go to, Christian people be your new friends, and work ruthlessly on changing the way you think.

Jesus allowed no openings in his life. So when satan came around, he tempted Jesus for a while, and then he left. That's the goal. When we allow no openings at some point satan leaves. Sure, he will come back and try again later. But... he hates failure. Failure will cause him to try less and less. Make him fail and fail by allowing no openings.

 

Vampire films were the rage 20-30 years ago. In the classic version, you had to invite the dark one in. When you were in your sealed house you were safe unless you invited the dark one in.

When we repent and have a plan for turning from lust we are sealed. But when we look and don't instantly turn from lust we have allowed the opening.

Every day in every situation we need to focus on keeping our house sealed. We have 2 great reasons for keeping it sealed. #1 to avoid the destruction. #2 to continue to seek an increased blessing in our lives.

Any sin weakens our seal. Sin... takes us away from God's joy and it forces us to chase fun and pleasure like some zombie in a classic film.

Meditating on scripture strengthens the seal. I am currently up to 12 verses that I meditate on every day in the morning.

Preparing for temptation with prayer strengthens the seal. I have worked so hard on learning the skill of praying, “Father, help me to turn from lust,” that now it is virtually automatic.

A full commitment strengthens the seal. We spend time in Bible study and prayer because of that commitment. We commit to spending a block of time every day at this site because of a full commitment to Christ.

Change always involves sacrifice. God always gives us more than we expect when we make that sacrifice permanently.

 

When we are busy, there are no openings for satan to get in. I have started to pray daily over each of the 9 fruits of the Spirit. In addition, today I am focusing on faithfulness. Wikipedia said:

“Faithfulness is the concept of unfailingly remaining loyal to someone or something, and putting that loyalty into consistent practice regardless of extenuating circumstances. It may be exhibited by a husband or wife who does not engage in sexual relationships outside of the marriage.[1] It can also mean keeping one's promises no matter the prevailing circumstances. It is the state of being full of faith in the sense of steady devotion to a person, thing or concept.”

In the past, I have been very bad at this. Consider praying:

“Father, teach me about faithfulness.”

Consider meditating on each of the fruits of the Spirit every day. Then spend a few extra minutes praying about one of them. This is a great way to renew your mind so that you can start to think about other things.

Step one in having faithfulness is to make a firm commitment. Consider praying:

“Father, I am fully committed to obeying Your Word, and doing Your will.”

Step two is to have a great plan. Every day you can find ideas of what to do to change your thinking or actions.

Faithfulness is turning ideas into “Consistent practice regardless of extenuating circumstances.”

If I were a wife who was upset about my spouses' porn habit, the first thing I would look for was evidence of the new plan for change. If I found a worn-out list of “5 Reasons for not going back to P.” If I found a worn-out list of prayers for quitting, verses for quitting, verses about learning to praise, verses about being filled with love. If I found these things I would realize the effort being made to be “faithful.”

Is God also looking for evidence of a new plan for change?

Today, start to practice faithfulness by wearing out some lists. Why? Because the Bible says: In proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man shall abound with blessings.”

Get busy and allow satan no openings.

 

I sin and sometimes am too casual with how I repent. When I do that things like anger and other emotions get out of control. Yesterday I sinned, and decided that I needed to pray a lot more aggressively in that type of situation to turn from sin. I spent zero time mourning my sin, I went straight to planning how I would not do it again.
Planning how I would not do it again was the right move, it was just at the wrong time. First I needed to say how sorry I was for it. Second it would have been wise to acknowledge that once again I was underestimating the seriouness of my actions.
Then, it may have been a good time to plan how to avoid it again.
Yesterday I had a troublesome day. I thought it was because of the people around me. But it was more how I was way too casual making things right with God.
When we take time to mourn our sin, we allow God time to help us understand "why" the action was such a problem in the first place. Then we make progress.

 

Today, my daily Bible reading was 1st John 3. This chapter features some of the hardest verses in the Bible. If you don't want harsh verses, stop here.

1st John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.”

Rich Tidwell said, “Sins in this regard mean you just don't repent, and you keep on doing it. You don't ever dive into the Bible to learn how to get out of your addiction. You just say “sorry God” and keep on doing your addiction.”

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

In this verse, his “Seed” refers to the Bible. Why do I recommend 3 new verses for quitting every day in my 21-day program? So that “His Seed” will remain in you. If you get His Seed in you enough you can stop sinning. You can stop P.

How much is enough? If you have a 29-year addiction you need to pound a lot of scripture in to pound that lust out. But as you pound that lust out you will see glimpses of joy.

Rich Tidwell said, “I refuse to excuse my sin. I hate my sin. I repent of my sin.”

Rich Tidwell has chosen a life that allows no openings. One that leads to joy. We can do that also.