Open Heaven 1 August 2026: Overcoming Temptations 2
MEMORISE: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:16-17
READ: Psalm 119:9-17
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
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A believer who does not study the Bible regularly will not know the right way to respond to temptations, and hence, will keep falling in and out of sin.
I know this because Jesus overcame all the temptations of the devil by quoting the Scriptures (Luke 4:1-12). From our memory verses for today, we see that after faith and salvation, a believer needs to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Any Christian who does not study his or her Bible regularly is a soldier who is without a sword. The word of God is both a weapon of offence and defence against the temptations the enemy throws at you.
David said in Psalm 119:11:
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
The verse above tells us that to overcome sin, a person’s heart must be filled with the word of God; therefore, you must keep studying the word of God and meditating on it at all times.
Living according to the word of God sets us apart from the world and makes us sanctified vessels unto God (John 17:17). As you keep studying God’s word and obeying it, you will discover that the things of the world that used to entice you are no longer enticing to you.
When the devil comes to offer you those things, you will be able to respond, “It is written,” and he will have to leave you alone for a while. God’s word empowers you to be sensitive to the traps of the devil and overcome them. The more you immerse yourself in God’s word, the more fortified you will become against the devil’s attacks.
Proverbs 1:17 says that it is vain to spread a net in the sight of any bird. Just as a bird will not enter a net that it knows to have been spread to capture and kill it, God’s word will make you sensitive to see the traps of the devil. It is your victory kit over satan’s wiles.
Do not neglect your weapon of victory; study your Bible constantly. Know God’s word concerning every aspect of your life so that when the devil tries to deceive you in any area, you will know what has been written about it and be able to use that knowledge to shut him up. At that point, sin will no longer have any power over you.
Key Point
God’s word is your defence and victory kit over temptations.
