YOU COULD BE TEMPTED WITH WHAT YOU PREACH (Ebunife Notes)

I was to preach in an online Bible study meeting early this week. The message was centered on how we are to relate with others.

Funny enough, the temptation started just hours before the meeting commenced. My siblings did some things that annoyed me, but I knew they didn't mean it. Yet I was upset and I couldn't even pen down my message till it was time for the meeting. 

I was like, what am I to talk about? And then I got upset with the topic because I became totally blank. 

But I did what I always do; I told the Holy Spirit to have His way. And mehn, God did it. 

As I started to type on my phone, to begin teaching, words just started coming. And I knew it wasn't me. God really is faithful, and He will not let us down when we call to Him. People were blessed, and I praise God for it. 

But it didn't stop there.. Satan came again. 

This time it was almost 3am. I woke up and found out my siblings had done the same thing I got upset with. I knew they didn't mean it, yet I was like why now again? I lay down back to sleep but couldn't. I was literally fuming and I could feel my heart heating up. I felt so angry that I couldn't stop it. Then thoughts of what to do in return to them started floating in my mind. Deep down I knew it's wrong, I had even just taught about not repaying evil for evil and to love from the heart, yet the anger didn't go down. I knew it wasn't normal, devil put it there and was fanning it to flame quickly. 

But very silently, like a wisp of breath, almost nonexistent, I felt impressed on me to get something else to do. I didn't. It remained in me. Just to stop thinking and do something else. 

Finally, I picked my phone and just scrolled through my message inbox. The messages were not relevant, mostly messages from the network providers, but as I shifted my mind off the anger and to the phone the heat in my heart went out. I went on to continue a story I was reading on my phone. The anger went out totally, and I started wondering where it came from in the first place. 

I continued reading, and when my sister woke up I found myself smiling and joking with her. The event that caused the anger became insignificant.

I was okay. Then God surprised me again; He suddenly made a way for the problem, that made me angry, to be solved. 

I was surprised.

Then I felt God say to me, 'I will always help you. I will always be there for you.'

As if that wasn't enough, Satan brought another one. This temptation was really strong on me, it was a battle of my mind, so strong that I thought I would fall. But I kept saying, God please, God please. I didn't know what else to say at that moment. Even as I said God please, I wasn't sure I won't fall. 

But God helped me, it died down. The intensity suddenly was gone after a few minutes. 

Then sleep claim me. 

I woke up this morning and I know I had been in a battle, not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places; but thanks to God for the victory. 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5  

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Hallelujah!! 

*smiles*

We should take note, those things we got from God's word and even the ones we preach could be used in the practical to tempt us. Satan is so subtle that he won't let us quickly know what he's doing or that he's the one behind it. 

But always, always seek the help of the Holy Spirit and obey Him. The Holy Spirit will always be there with and for us, bringing to our remembrance what we ought to do.