Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
3/7/2022
The Mole, The Lure, and The Rat
"The mole’s very existence hinges on one thing — staying hidden. His whole mission is compromised when his greatest strength is compromised — his cover. From my experience, beating my mole happens when I acknowledge his existence continually, pursue him diligently, expose him constantly, and manage him aggressively."
The Mole is sin! It is dark, deceitful, sneaky, a liar, and always lurking to spring on you in your weakest moment. He strikes like a cobra, lashing out, and coercing you to give up control of your sinful nature.
“Being Aware Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made”. Genesis 3:1a
The Lure: Definition: “something that tempts or is used to tempt a person to do something. "The film industry always has been a glamorous lure for young men and old with its sexuality and nudity." Watch me…I’m exciting and forbidden.
That is what the deceiver is. He lays out a decoy, to tempt us. Most of us are experts at circling the lure. Let’s take a closer look at it. Is it really so bad? But the more you look the more it seduces you. Yes, I said seduces. A lure is there to lead you astray from one’s true course. Lure even implies a drawing into danger, evil, or some difficulty through attracting and deceiving you. We even like to shift the blame, some even blame God for our struggles and failings. But scripture shows the pressure of temptation is from our own hearts. God doesn’t tempt his children! What loving father does that?
Temptation is part of life. We will always be tempted by the devourer. But what does your God filter look like? Do you filter life at large through God’s word? If you're not reading it…If you are not spending time with God, you might get the conviction of sin but you won’t hold the power to resist it. The truth is that every temptation is an opportunity to glorify God through the victory of overcoming your flesh. God’s word is our weapon, so we can resist. But of course, you know that don’t you? But what is keeping you from using what he graciously gave you to be an overcomer?
Temptation doesn’t become sin until you succumb to it.
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:14-15.
It is NOT "too hard". That is another lie from the deceiver. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13. Who do you choose to believe? Lean on?
The Rat: How do you catch a rat? Rat poison! It is 99% rat food and only 1 percent brodifacoum. It thins the blood so rapidly the rat begins to hemorrhage from within. You can’t just give it pure poison, you must dilute it. Just like the Mole/Satan does. The poison is masked by the appeal. The interesting part of brodifacoum it that it kills slowly, so they don’t associate the Rat Food with their demise. We are like those rats. Killed by our own desires and we are quick to accuse another for the fault. In Matt 7:1-5 Jesus teaches that “we are more likely to look at specks in our brother's eyes than the log in our own”. Ouch.
We can never get fully away from these temptations because we still have a sinful nature. We will always have these temptations. Apart from Jesus we aren’t wise enough to see the poison of sin. Even when we do, we too often rebel. Paul said, that by his nature we hate what we should love and love what we should hate. Roman 7:15 Isn’t it amazing that even someone as mature as Paul understood that just because we love God and delight in his ways, we are still lured by our sinful natures, by the mole/Satan who is always serving up this elixir that is part pleasure and part poison, slowly killing our spirit from the inside.
Apart from Christ, we can’t win. Through the Gospel, through the power of His Blood, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he helps us take every thought captive. He overcomes the death penalty. If it is not for Grace, we will continue in the thirst for poison. We will always be tempted but through Jesus Christ, it will continue to lose its attraction and we can walk in the freedom of a new life in Christ. Every good gift comes from the father. He has given you everything you need to overcome the deceiver. Lean on God and his word and not your own understanding.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Galatians 5:16-17.
Praise You In This Storm – Casting Crowns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAle3dI8NYM
