One Bite at a Time

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Friday, June 19, 2015

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
— James 1:12

It has been said that conversion has made our hearts a battlefield. It is true. When you believe in Jesus Christ, a battle begins in your heart. It is a battle between God and Satan. When you take that step and make a commitment to Lord, the Devil will want to pull you away from the commitment you have made.

Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California, shares the Gospel with a sold-out crowd of 19,000 for Harvest America at the American Airlines Center and Victory Park in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 5, 2014. | (Photo: rever Hoehne for Harvest Ministries)

So if you have found yourself being tempted a lot lately, then cheer up. It is actually an indication that you are living as a true Christian.

It is not a sin to be tempted. That is a strategy the Devil loves to use. He will tempt you, and then he will condemn you for being tempted. It is not a sin to be tempted; it is a sin when you give in to the temptation. It is not the bait that constitutes sin; it is the bite. If you refuse it and overcome it, God promises to bless you for it. We read in James, "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

The bottom line is that you are under the control and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. You have God's ID tag attached to you, and the Devil can no longer control you. He can no longer manipulate you. So he will try to draw you out. He will try to weaken your resolve. He will try to get you to compromise. He will try to take you one bite at a time. It's a little bit here, a compromise there, a little lowering your guard in a certain area. And pretty soon, you will find yourself in a place where you never wanted to be.

Copyright © 2015 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000 Used with Permission