devil proofing yourself

                  The devil is so sneaky, he can take a Christian into captivity and they will remain in their church.  But they begin to oppose themselves and the brethren, and they think they’re doing God a favor.  They have ignorantly projected themselves into the forefront of everything, they want every thing to evolve around them.  
 
1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ our Lord, I die daily.
 
Paul rebuked the members of the church at Corinth because they were not serious about their relationship with Jesus.  They were taking too much for granted and putting themselves on a higher plain than what they deserved.  Paul had told them that he died daily, in other words he kept himself in the place of a servant.  He would not permit himself to become proud and arrogant.  This is exactly who the devil is looking for, a person who is full of themselves.  They are so easy to manipulate because they care so much for themselves.  A lot of Christians don’t know this but Jesus died to deliver us from the devil and ourselves. 
 
Mathew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto His disciples, if any man will come after Me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
 
This Word of the Lord has been selectively chosen as an option, not a commandment.  We must understand something here, if we deny ourselves the right to live in the flesh we are ultimately denying the devil.  The devil preys on human emotion, he manipulates our flesh and then takes advantage of us.  If we are willing to crucify our flesh by telling it “no” and walk in the Spirit, we can devil proof our lives.  The devil tried to manipulate Jesus with food after a forty day fast.  Jesus just told him that man does not live by bread alone, He didn’t need the food he offered Him.
 
Mathew 11:6 Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me.
 
The number one offering of the devil is offense, he is a master at getting someone to take an offense.  Christians who have not crucified their flesh are taken captive by the devil as he wills.  The event is so subtle the Christian doesn’t even know they have been taken.  They are like a fish who thinks he’s going to get a nice juicy worm, but it’s impaled on a hook.  Some Christians are like the fish in the Missouri River, some of them get caught by a fisherman every day.  The trout in the Missouri must have the sorest lips in the world but they never learn to avoid feathers tied to a hook.
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2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instruct those that oppose themselves; if God perhaps will give them repentance when they acknowledge the truth.
 
Why are Christians taken captive by the devil?  The truth is not a priority.  If the devil is permitted to deceive you, he will own you.  You lose the ability to make your own choices without his influence.  If we will crucify our flesh, we can successfully factor the devil our of our lives. 
 

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