3 Ways Christians Give the Devil a Foothold in Their Lives
"...do not give the devil a foothold." – Ephesians 4:27 (NIV)
The Bible tells us that we, as children of God, should have nothing to do with the devil. We are to grow strong in the Lord, mature in the faith, and ever-increasing in Christ-likeness. As such, we must make sure never to allow the enemy some room in our lives.
There are some times, however, when we unwittingly give the enemy a foothold from where he can influence our decisions. Think about it.
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What's a foothold?
A foothold can be best understood by imagining yourself being chased by a bad person. You run up to your room and try to close the door, but the person sticks his shoe at the bottom end of the door so you can't close it. That part of his foot that prevents you from closing the door effectively is called a "foothold."
Footholds are very dangerous. It allows thieves and other evil people the chance to threaten you, cause you to fret or panic, throw things at you, and give them an opportunity to eventually break in.
If footholds allow wicked people to do such things, you can just think of what the devil, persistent as he is, can do when he secures a foothold in your life. Don't allow him!
Effectively closing the door
To help you deny footholds from the enemy, here are some practical things you can do.
1) Forgive
Unforgiveness and bitterness give the devil footholds big enough to pull his body in. Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us,
"Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Do not give place to the devil." (MEV)
Choose to forgive. Don't hold grudges. Release the offenses made against you. Release it all unto the Lord (see Romans 17-20).
2) Think of what is right
Thinking of things that are sinful and ungodly also give the devil a foothold. The saying "an idle mind is the devil's playground" might not be a Bible verse, but it is true.
When our minds are idle, they aren't really idle: they become unprotected fields where any thought can run freely. When our thoughts run wild, we will find ourselves thinking of what is wrong sooner or later. We've got to proactively guard our minds and hearts!
Friends, we are to guard our hearts diligently (see Proverbs 4:23), take every thought captive and make it obey Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:5), and choose to think of what is Godly and pleasing to God (see Colossians 3:2).
We should always meditate on God's Word (see Joshua 1:8); filter what we see, hear, and listen to (see Matthew 6:22-23; 1 John 4:1); and choose to think of what is good:
"Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
3) Desire what pleases God
Wrong or ungodly desires don't give the devil a foothold – it gives him control over us! We must keep our desires in check. What we desire always reveals what's in our hearts (see Luke 6:45), and so if we desire what is wrong we've got to deal with our hearts.
We must also remember that whatever we desire tempts us. James 1:14 tell us that "each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed." Be careful what you wish for.
