Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2–4 NLT)

 

I became a Christian when I was seventeen years old. I’d never been to church, never read the Bible. I’d asked Christ to come into my life, but I knew nothing about the Christian walk. A fellow believer warned me that I would face trials and be tempted by the devil. I didn’t even know the devil existed.

 

Not long afterward, a pretty girl who I’d noticed but never had the courage to talk to walked up to me in class and said, “Hi, what’s your name?”

 

While I stumbled for an answer, I was thinking, “Why is this pretty girl talking to me? She’s never even acknowledged my existence before.”

 

She said, “You’re really cute. I was wondering if you’d like to spend the weekend with me and go to my parents’ cabin.”

 

And I realized, This is temptation. This is the devil. He doesn’t have a pointed tail. She has dark hair and blue eyes, and she’s looking at me. And I said no.

 

I wish I could tell you that as the years pass, trials and temptations grow fewer and farther between. But that’s not the case. Of course, I don’t need to tell you that. If you’re not facing a trial or temptation right now, you probably recently faced one. Or you see one on the horizon. And you can’t understand why they keep coming. You’re wondering, “What’s wrong with me? What have I done to deserve this?”

 

Here’s a better question: What’s right with you? You’re being attacked with trials and temptations because the devil sees you as a threat and wants to stop you. So God’s allowing these trials and temptations for a purpose. It’s said that Christians are a lot like tea bags: You don’t know what they’re made of until you put them in hot water. If you’re feeling the hot water of trials or temptation right now, you have a chance to show what you’re made of.

 

On the other hand, people who say “I’m not going through any trials, and I can’t remember the last time I was tempted” are revealing their spiritual ineffectiveness. The devil doesn’t waste his time with a neutralized Christian. He focuses his attacks on those who are threats to his stronghold.

 

But here’s the good news: Jesus said that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against” His church (Matthew 16:18 ESV). Have you ever seen a movie where an army storms a castle and uses a battering ram to smash the gates? Apply that image to Jesus’ words. Christians are the invading army. The gospel is our battering ram. And the gates of Hell—the devil’s strongholds in this world—can’t withstand it.

 

So, the devil will use the weapons at his disposal, including trials and temptations, to try to take out his most dangerous adversaries. If you’re going through trials and temptations, stay strong. And, congratulations, Satan considers you a threat.

—

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.