The Best Defense Is A Good Offense

Written By Bishop Ronald D. Roston for 3V Magazine

“…And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. We are too often guilty of depending upon God to deliver us from something that He instructed and empowered us to avoid. The Scriptures state that man is drawn away by the desires of his own lust/flesh. Although God may allow temptation to penetrate our thought life, He does not send it; nor does He lead us into it.

We excuse ourselves from the accountability for our sins by blaming God for the creation of evil, and His allowance of its continuance. We say that our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak; as though this absolves us of the responsibility for our actions. Yet, all through the Bible, we are encouraged to flee evil; even its very appearance. We are instructed to put off the deeds of the flesh. God knows that we are able to; because He has given us the power to through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

In order for us to defend our Christian convictions, we must begin to offensively fight for them. We are obliged to guard our thought life. It is necessary to control what we allow to enter our visual and auditory gates. I vividly remember my childhood experience of the three monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. We are required to intentionally practice Christian principles in order not to leave room for satan to enter our thoughts; and ultimately influence our behavior. We must fight the good fight of faith. Faith is unquestioning confidence and trust in the Word we have heard from God.

What is the Word we have heard from God? Let’s try some of these Words: Renew your mind with the Word of God; put of the deeds of flesh; put on the whole armor of God; you are more than a conqueror; greater is He that is in you, that he that is in the world; go ye into all the world and preach the gospel. How do you fight evil? You must begin to speak the Word of God against the situations that have the potential to cause you to fall. The Word of God is a sword in your mouth. Physically speak it against the minions of evil and watch them become defeated; but you must speak it for it to be an effective weapon for you!