Defense of the Faith · Spiritual Discernment · Spiritual Warfare · Temptation · Christian Living · Watchfulness

Do We Give Every Evil Desire an “Access Denied”?

4 min read, approximately

Empty hallway with wooden flooring leading to a closed door; illustrative photograph. — Illustrative photograph. Photo:Juan Pablo Serrano / Pexels

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love is not in them. For everything in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does God’s will remains forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

An ATM works as follows…
A person inserts their card, and the ATM reads the customer’s information from the magnetic strip on the back or the chip near the top. These data are then sent to a central computer, which checks whether everything is in order… If so, the person proceeds with the transaction because it is safe to do so. The transaction is carried out on the central computer, and the person receives a receipt.

Why Am I Telling You This?

If we look around us, most things require validation and approval. You and I are no exception; we too must do this in the light of the Word.
Many will want to tempt us, use us, or make us stumble… So a person, like an ATM, should operate as follows:

\1. Case 1: When “The World and Its Desires Pass Away…” (1 John 2:17)

The world and its desires try to insert their card. Then we, knowing that:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105)

Check against the Word, but the Holy Spirit raises an alert and reminds us:

“… we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may know what God has granted us. We also speak of these things, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, relating spiritual things to spiritual things.” (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)

Following this validation, we display “Access denied”.

Sadly:

“… the natural person does not perceive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to that person, who cannot understand them because they must be spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

And so lets the world and its desires enter, and suffers harm!

\2. Case 2: When Deceptive People Appear as an Angel of Light

“For these are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

The so-called ‘angel of light’ inserts a card. We check against the Word and remember:

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

We examine the card, put discernment into action, and the Holy Spirit sounds the alarm so that we recognize them as ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15-20), so we immediately respond: “Access denied”.

Yet many skip validation against the Word, become entangled, and suffer harm.
That Is Why Jesus Said…

“He answered: Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Leave them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. If a blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into the pit.” (Matthew 15:13-14)

Let us remember 1 John 4:1-3!!