And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
Thought for the Day:
Temptation is an invitation to meet my needs outside the will of God.
Satan’s very name means “one who casts something between two to cause a separation.” He wants to separate us from God. One of the subtle ways he does this is to raise doubts in our mind about whether or not God will meet our needs, if God is truly enough.
Satan wants us to feel alone and abandoned so that we turn to his offerings instead.
Temptation of any kind is Satan’s invitation to meet our needs outside the will of God — through material things, chasing significance and approval from others, or excessive physical desires.
Often the script that plays in our head is, “I need __________ so I can be satisfied.” It’s what causes a woman on a budget to set off on a spending spree. She feels the thrill of the purchase in the moment. But shame creeps in as she hides the telltale shopping bags from her family. It’s what pulls at the businesswoman to work harder and longer and refuse to build boundaries in her schedule. Always chasing that next accomplishment or that next compliment — but it’s never enough.
It’s what sent me on many eating sprees. The kids were loud; the house was messy; the demands of life felt beyond my control. So with great justification, I’d indulge only to end up with a bloated stomach and a deflated heart.
We expose this subtle message sold to us by Satan when we break it down to distinguish the difference between a need and a want. All of the examples I just described are wants, not needs. Intellectually, we understand the definition of each of these words, but oh how Satan wants us to think they are one and the same.
When the difference between these two words starts to blur, we are on the road to compromising. We start justifying. And it sets us up to meet our needs outside the will of God. The abyss of discontentment invites us in and threatens to darken and distort everything in our world.
Remember, Satan is a liar. The more we fill ourselves with his distorted desires, the emptier we’ll feel. The more we overspend, overwork, or overeat, the emptier we feel. Satan wants to separate you from God’s best plans. He wants to separate you from God’s proper provision. He wants to separate you from God’s peace.
God’s provision sustains life. Satan’s temptation drains life.
God’s provision in the short term will reap blessings in the long term. Satan’s temptation in the short term will reap heartache in the long term.
God’s provision satisfies the soul. Satan’s temptation gratifies the flesh.
Oh sweet sister, consider these realities when making choices today. The apostle Paul writes,
My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19
That’s a promise. Trust God. Embrace truth. Live His promise.
Dear Lord, I am reminded once again of how dangerous temptations are, because they invite me to meet my needs outside of Your will. Keep me from compromising and from justifying today. I know that only Your provision sustains life and satisfies my soul. I want this truth to ring loud and clear throughout my day today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Excerpted with permission from Made to Crave Devotional by Lysa Terkeurst, copyright Zondervan, 2011.
Watch the Made to Crave Group Bible Study Session 1
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Your Turn
What is tempting you today that will only drain your life and reap heartache in the future? What direction do you need to choose instead? Today, let’s put a bullseye on the temptations in our lives and pray for freedom from compromise and self-justification! Come join the conversation on our blog! We’d love to hear your story.