Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)
We’ve all made poor decisions in our past, things that we are not necessarily proud of. This could include making bad choices in life, being involved in a relationship that we knew was unhealthy, taking something that didn’t belong to us, etc. Once you learn from God’s Word (the Bible) which path to take in life, do not return to the mistakes of your past. Let’s be clear – DON’T GO BACK! Look at the verse below:
A fool who repeats his foolishness is like a dog that goes back to what it has thrown up. Proverbs 26:11 (NCV)
The enemy (satan) will always try to tempt you to lure you back to the very thing that is destructive in your life. See the verse below:
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. James 1:13-14 (NIV)
Notice that the verse says we are tempted when we are dragged away by our own evil desire. In other words, satan will tempt you with things that you already desire. He will never tempt you with something you hate. With that in mind, answer the questions below:
- What things do you currently desire that are unhealthy for you?
- Since you have identified those things, you can now create a defense against them in advance. What specific safeguard(s) can you implement to prevent yourself from being lured back to the things that are unhealthy?