What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold?

What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (Full Version)

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Little_1 -> What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 6:09:35 AM)
Ephesians 4:27 27 "and do not give the devil a foothold". What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold in your life? How do we give him a foothold and how to we prevent ourselves giving him a foothold?

Walker311 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 6:52:46 AM)
Letting your mother-in-law move in with you. [8D] Seriously! When we do not pray or read the bible as we should, we have no ammo.

SonInMe1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 7:49:52 AM)
Unrepented sin. Unforgiveness. Trying to serve two masters. Denying Christ before men.

deliveredarling -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 8:33:46 AM)
I can give the devil a foothold every time I make a poor choice. A choice that I know from the get go is a bad one. I then allow for the guilt an the shame to come in and beat me up. I hear the messages playing in my head over and over. Now, for the most part, I can have control over his foothold in my life! We have been given the tools to use. What it comes down to is, whether or not we use them and use them properly. How do we know what these tools are? Open His Word, seek Him through prayer! The devil can't have a foothold if we don't allow Him to. It really is that simple. Jesus never gave Him a foothold. He resisted and the devil left-defeated! We have the same opportunity, that is why it was given to us as an example. Take joy in the freedom He has given us!

URForgiven -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 9:02:22 AM)
quote: Ephesians 4:27 In context, it is speaking about anger, and not letting your anger gain control of you, which would give Satan opportunity to exploit it to his advantage. "When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]" Ephesians 4:26, 27 Peace

bluestone -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 9:15:42 AM)
For years I heard it preached that it means doing something that is not sin, but could possibly lead to sin . I don't agree with that interpretation. I think it is our emotional response. In my life, allowing a root of bitterness to grow really gives the devil a foothold.

Little_1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 11:22:26 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Walker311 Letting your mother-in-law move in with you. [8D] [:D] [;)]

ladyichigo -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 6:30:47 PM)
Allowing temptations to get the best of you instead of giving them up to Christ.

Liveloved -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 6:36:07 PM)
Yeah, Little_1! You're speaking right to me![:)] Just this morning a friend called me. She reminded me of something rather unpleasant that someone had said to me. It was bothering her and she wanted to kind of do something as a quiet rebellion against that person. satan was right there. The bait was dangling. And many times I have taken it and suffered. But this morning, the Lord showed me the bait. I could spend my morning focused on what this person had said and done. And I could have focused on what my friend wanted to do. But instead I fixed my eyes on Jesus and in His radiance, the words and actions of others disappeared. So, do we look to the Author? or others? I would have given satan a foothold if I'd fixed my eyes, and my mind, and my heart, and my time on others. he lost. Praise the Lord! That's what giving the devil a foothold means and how it played out in my life today.

bzirk -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 7:07:34 PM)
The battle is in our minds and not in our outward behavior. Behaviors are just the result of what goes on in our minds. When we allow thoughts that are in opposition to our knowledge of the Lord, then we are potentially giving the devil a foothold. Anytime we partake in things that are unholy (no matter how good or bad they look to the world), we are acting in unbelief. Paul addresses how to combat this by his description of how he lived. This is how we all should live: quote: II Corinthians 10 3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

bzirk -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 7:16:15 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Walker311 Letting your mother-in-law move in with you. [8D] Seriously! When we do not pray or read the bible as we should, we have no ammo. Yep, and that goes right along with Ephesians 6 quote: 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. A couple of other places to read are Romans 12 (last half of the chapter) and James 4.

SonInMe1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 8:27:50 PM)
quote: Behaviors are just the result of what goes on in our minds. Amen. Take every thought captive. All sin begins with a thought or thought patterns. Swear in your head....it comes out of your mouth. Another way satan can influence us is through poor health, hence taking care of the temple. Getting tired, we can fall into a bad habit or let something out. I went to a retreat once and one gentleman was a stress expert and one thing he said was...keep hydrated. Water can actually disperse stress. The word. Be saturated in the word. The bible and its contents if it LIVES in you is a great way to deny satan his ways. Prayer. Constantly. Talking to God, satan can't interrupt that. The fruits of the spirit. Practice. Practice. Practice. Be other centered. Long story coming.... When I was saved I was a stay at home dad...I was saturated with christians, around them all the time, going to church 5 times a week and it was great, but I wasn't "challenged" in my faith. So, we moved and the time was right for me to go back to work. I went. I knew my place in the world, showing the love of Christ. I did that at work. Lived it there...until....I became more self centered. I wanted to advance and started thinking of myself more. It came over time and I didn't know...it was a fall. I became judgemental as the people around me affected the work I could do. Eventually a hatred came to me. It was terrible. I was not other centered. One thing about God, He is just. Lost my "position" and it has turned out to be a good thing. I think, God allows satan in us when we disobey Him to temper us. satan doesn't intend his bad works to be good, but God sure uses them for His good. Its just better, seldom easier, to be good.

colliefan -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 9:52:42 PM)
Eaxg one of us has a weakness that Satan can exploit to gain entry into our lives. This is why we need to take not some, but EVERY, thought captive.

SonInMe1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/17/2008 9:54:18 PM)
quote: This is why we need to take not some, but EVERY, thought captive. I'll remember that when I post responses to...some...of you... [;)]

Little_1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/18/2008 12:54:30 PM)
SonInMe and Liveloved - thank you for your testimonies. It is good to hear personal testimony of God's Word at work in people's lives.

conrack50 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/19/2008 8:42:03 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: colliefan Each one of us has a weakness that Satan can exploit to gain entry into our lives. This is why we need to take not some, but EVERY, thought captive. I agree. If we take hold of one weakness, the devil will find another one. We have to constantly battle the mind but we can ask the Lord for strength and it will come. I just think about the Lord and what he thru on the cross. If the devil messes with me in my mind, I either say "It is written" or "Jesus". If I'm in a position where I can't say it out loud, I think it. Connie Lou

Little_1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/19/2008 2:21:54 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: conrack50 quote: ORIGINAL: colliefan Each one of us has a weakness that Satan can exploit to gain entry into our lives. This is why we need to take not some, but EVERY, thought captive. I agree. If we take hold of one weakness, the devil will find another one. We have to constantly battle the mind but we can ask the Lord for strength and it will come. I just think about the Lord and what he thru on the cross. If the devil messes with me in my mind, I either say "It is written" or "Jesus". If I'm in a position where I can't say it out loud, I think it. Connie Lou AMEN

colliefan -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/19/2008 10:40:12 PM)
The battle of the mind is key as it is through its renewal we are transformed into the image of Christ. The Word must be our daily bread and the Spirit our constant guide.

deliveredarling -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 7:32:32 AM)
We too have to remember that the devil is not simply waiting at every corner for us. He is not behind every tree....... Giving him a foothold can be as easy as the defeatist attitudes we can walk in. So taking every thought captive is one of our defenses. Our flesh, (in this case mindset) can be our very worst enemy. We can sometimes get so caught up in defeating the enemy, we forget that he is defeated and lose focus on the renewing.

daisies4u -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 10:13:49 AM)
I have always understood that to be putting yourself in a place of temptation. We all have weaknesses but the way we control them is to not put ourselves in a position to give in to those weaknesses. For example, if pornography is weakness, get rid of your computer. If getting drunk is a weakness, don't go to bars. If its fornication, don't be alone with your significant other. That type of thing. I think it basically means not allowing yourself to be in a place where you might give into sin.

bzirk -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 11:29:05 AM)
Doing those things is definitely part of not giving a foothold. But we can be tempted without any outside provocation. I know I can. Just getting down in the mouth, so to speak, and dwelling on things that are not true or utterly negative can mess me up, and I don't necessarily have to have something external to provoke me to it. [8D]

Little_1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 12:10:30 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: SonInMe1 quote: This is why we need to take not some, but EVERY, thought captive. I'll remember that when I post responses to...some...of you... [;)] Cheeky! [:D][;)]

Little_1 -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 12:25:16 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: deliveredarling We too have to remember that the devil is not simply waiting at every corner for us. He is not behind every tree....... Giving him a foothold can be as easy as the defeatist attitudes we can walk in. So taking every thought captive is one of our defenses. Our flesh, (in this case mindset) can be our very worst enemy. We can sometimes get so caught up in defeating the enemy, we forget that he is defeated and lose focus on the renewing. Very relevant point.

colliefan -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 4:37:35 PM)
Heb 12:13 - 15 (ESV) 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no �root of bitterness� springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; We don't live in a vacuum and how we think/act affect others

pstrdebi -> RE: What is your understanding of giving the devil a foothold? (6/20/2008 6:33:19 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Walker311 Letting your mother-in-law move in with you. [8D] HA!!! [:D] quote: ORIGINAL: Bzirk The battle is in our minds and not in our outward behavior. Behaviors are just the result of what goes on in our minds. When we allow thoughts that are in opposition to our knowledge of the Lord, then we are potentially giving the devil a foothold. Anytime we partake in things that are unholy (no matter how good or bad they look to the world), we are acting in unbelief. Paul addresses how to combat this by his description of how he lived. This is so true. I have always said that when we just open that door (thought life, sin, whatever) just a little crack, the enemy will just barge on in. He knows our weaknesses, he knows what will set us off... and yes, even pastors. I remember once counseling with a young lady who had recently gone back to a pretty rough life. This particular day, I wasn't even counseling with her... I had called her to check on her, ask her if she was ok... because I had heard some bad stories. I was going directly to the person who was being spoken of, told her I was concerned for her and her unborn child (out of wed-lock) and offered to help if she needed us. She in turn told her mom of the conversation... and her mom attacked me for gossiping!!???? The devil was using this woman at a time when I was going through a tremendous amount of pressure. As I began to elevate my voice over hers, I recognized the enemy's tactic and quickly said, "sorry you see it that way... gotta go... bye" (in essence). But I was cracking that door open by letting this woman rile me. Thank God for the Holy Spirit who helped me slam it on his (the devils) foot! [:)]

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