Keeping Ourselves 

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. (1 John 5:18)

It is our responsibility to keep ourselves from the influence of the wicked one, even when we cannot avoid his attacks.The devil tries to lure us into sin. He attacks us to destroy our influence for God. The New Living Translation tells us, “We know those who have become a part of God’s family do not make a practice of sinning.” We frustrate the grace of God’s forgiveness by habitually sinning versus occasionally missing the mark.

Some of our prayers are such a waste. We call on God to rescue and deliver us from situations that we are responsible to rectify. For me, I find that I usually have to return to where I opened the door to the enemy or at least revisit where I did not walk in my authority based on God’s promises to me. When I correct and adjust what I can as His child, He takes over from there.

But it is comforting to know that the spiritual equipment He has given is enough to keep me in the first place. Consider the many benefits of being born of God: The grip of habits resulting in sin is broken. As the Body of the Begotten–the Body of Jesus Christ–in the earth, we can keep ourselves, just as He did. And the evil one cannot arbitrarily get his hands on us. As re-created humans, born of the Spirit of God, we are equipped with the power of God’s Spirit and His Word. We can resist every attack, win every war, and benefit from every battle. Ask yourself right now: “Am I taking responsibility for what’s going on in my life?”