"At times temptation presses in with violent demands. To combat the power and force of these we must prepare our hearts with strong antidotes beforehand. Fix your heart upon your true treasure, your fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Flee to God to hide you. Here the tempter cannot reach you. Be much in communion with God, and the devil will have little communion with you. If he does try, he will have little effect. The soul is secure under the deep, warm, and constant sense of God's being your all in all.
"What powerful ammunition this is against the assaults and incursions of the tempter. Take up your wings, O Christian, and fly away that you may rest (Isa. 40:31). When the soul has taken its flight, O how easily does it soar above the smoke and dust of fleshly lusts! Rusty spots on cold metal disappear when it is heated and burns red hot. Get your heart on fire and you will be Elijah-like in a flaming chariot of holy longings after God. Love your dear Master, and you will not find a love for sin.
"Bathe your soul with the everlasting beauty of holiness and the ugliness of all iniquity. Also, understand your own self. Do not be a stranger to yourself. Unlock your bosom, and ransack every corner of your heart. Make a diligent search. Feel the pulse of your soul. Don't let any region of your mind be undiscovered. Watch how the tempter has taken advantage of you in the past. Make these searches daily and compare them to the eternal law of God. These considerations will greatly help in the prevention and cure for the sins which so easily beset us.
~Pastor Jason A. Van Bemmel~
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