For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.-2 Corinthians 1:8-11
A month, or so ago, I introduced my boys to the Yellow Submarine. We have it on VHS (not sure if there’s a good DvD version, but we’re looking), and one part the boys seemed to aught at were the crazy things George did, saying after “it’s all in the mind, you know.” The thing is, George, outwardly, tried to show a man of peace, but he struggled, for many years, with drugs, anger, alcohol and more. He tried filling his voids with Hari Krishna, music, and so many other things. I pray he found Christ before he died, but, like so many others, the war for what he struggled with DID begin in his mind, but he chased all the wrong trails to cure it. Many of us struggle, sincerely with addictions, habits, anxieties, depressions, and everything in between. We struggle with worry, doubt, and the troubles of life. And the enemy begins in our minds. How do we fight him off? How do we fight off our troubles?
Jesus Himself struggled; at the beginning of his ministry and at the very end we see Jesus struggle. At the beginning of His ministry and at the end of 40 days of a fast, Jesus struggled with hunger, with the love, and with his purpose; we know this because that is exactly what Satan tested Him with. At the end, in anxiety, Jesus sweat drops of blood in anguish over His purpose, praying “Father if this cup could be taken from me.” How did he combat His troubles? The Word, and fleeing to His Father. When Satan tested Him, He ran to the word, and when faced with His final days, He fled to the Father’s strength (“nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.” We all face troubles. Some of us DO need something to help us remain in balance, chemically speaking, and so we see doctors and physicians for our troubles. Yet, even if this is something we must do, we should all first test every thought, every action, every care, every anxiety, every depression, every word and every care against God’s word. Many of us run to prayer and scripture last, because we do not know what else to do, but what if it was our first resort? What if we ran to God and His word before we let everything build up? What if we challenged every thought, even our good ones, against God’s word and said “this is a lie” if it didn’t match up? I guarantee you, peace would match would reign, because comparing our troubles to God’s word gives no room for Satan to push it to the forefront of our mind. We will struggle. We will have trouble, but God gives us a way through it all.
Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
And
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your Godand him only shall you serve.’”
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Luke 22:39-46
And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
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