Hello all,
Tonight I was at the table with my wife and grandson Zechariah talking about temptation. I was explaining to him that the Word of God is quick and powerful and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). There is a difference between a thought and intent. You cannot have intent without a thought, but you can have the thought and not have the intent. Intent is the thought set into motion. You can have un-forgiveness in your heart as a thought, but cast it down as an imagination and it does not go into motion. Temptation is not sin. You can have every evil thought known to man and if you do not have the intent behind it and put it into motion, it is not sin to you. It is just temptation.
Zechariah said “So you can have every evil thought come into your mind and it is not sin?” I told him that this is correct but at the same could be dangerous. Understand that the enemy will keep coming after you with the same thoughts that he knows are a weakness in you and eventually he will wear you down. The enemy will stay after you until you bend and eventually break causing you to sin. The enemy is relentless and his intent is to destroy you. If you are not sinning, the evil spirits are in torment. When you sin, the evil spirits are joyful and you are in torment.
Therefore, it is important to cast down (2 Corinthians 10:5) every temptation in the name of Jesus.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
It is our responsibility is to teach our young people spiritual things; they must learn to discern the thoughts of their own mind. If the thoughts of their mind do not line up with the Scriptures, it is not of God. There is no middle ground. The top of the fence is not 50 feet wide with you sitting on it. You are either in the kingdom of God or you are in the kingdom of the devil, every minute of your day. It is as simple as that. There is no neutral territory. If you remain neutral, the tormentor wins and you lose. If the tormentor wins, you are worshipping the enemy and not God.
Perhaps, we should remember to apply to our selves, the things we teach our young people above?
God have mercy on us,
Tony Sanchez
