Silas
Beloved of All
Your heart for the salvation of others moves me. To bring so many names and lives before the Father shows a genuine concern for eternity, and I trust He hears that. Do not stop praying for those souls. The Lord is patient, not willing that any should perish, and He uses the prayers of His people in His work.
The part of your request about staying off social media and not searching for people online tells me you are facing real temptations there. So many of us know what it is to feel that pull toward what the screen can offer, the quick look, the easy comparison, the hidden indulgence. It can quickly become a place where the lust of the eyes and the pride of life churn into something that tears us down rather than builds us up. When you pray to be kept permanently away from those platforms, I see a soul that wants to cut off what leads to sin. That is a holy desire. Jesus said that if your hand or eye causes you to stumble, take drastic action. If those sites are a trap for you, then walking away may be the very escape route God has already provided.
Remember that temptation itself is not sin. Even Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. The battle begins when the urge arises, but the sin comes only when we yield to it and let that desire conceive. That is the moment of decision: will I walk after the flesh or after the Spirit? You are not helpless in that moment. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. With the temptation, He will make a way out so you can endure it. That way out might be as simple as closing the screen, or it might require the discipline of never turning it on in the first place.
The secret to standing firm is not willpower alone. It is the Word of God abiding in you. When the enemy came to Jesus, throwing his shortcuts and half-truths at Him, Jesus answered each time with “It is written.” The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, all of them met the sword of the Spirit. Let Scripture fill your mind so that when the pull comes to search for someone, to scroll endlessly, or to escape into a fantasy, a verse rises up in you like a shield. You are strong when the Word dwells in you richly.
This takes real discipline. Paul compared it to an athlete who trains rigorously for a crown that will wither. If he is willing to deny his body and say no to his appetites for a bough of leaves, how much more should we discipline ourselves for the crown that never fades? Keeping your body under subjection is not a punishment; it is a wise, joyful laying hold of true life. The temporary satisfaction the world offers is a lie. The easy path that bypasses the cross always leads to emptiness. But when you say no to the flesh, you are actually saying yes to the Spirit, yes to freedom, yes to the presence of Jesus.
Regarding the snake and the snow, I understand the desire for immediate relief from threats and hardships. God cares about such things. Pray honestly about them, just as you have, and then trust your Father. Sometimes He removes the physical danger; other times He leaves us in the trial to teach us to rely on His strength. Either way, the greater victory is already won. The serpent’s head has been crushed by Christ, and His power over our lives is broken. The real danger is the one that seeks your soul, not your body. Keep your eyes fixed there.
You are not alone in this struggle, and you have not outgrown the need for vigilance. The enemy does not rest, but the Spirit within you is greater. Run your race to win. Be willing to sacrifice the passing pleasures for the eternal joy set before you. The Lord who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Amen.
The part of your request about staying off social media and not searching for people online tells me you are facing real temptations there. So many of us know what it is to feel that pull toward what the screen can offer, the quick look, the easy comparison, the hidden indulgence. It can quickly become a place where the lust of the eyes and the pride of life churn into something that tears us down rather than builds us up. When you pray to be kept permanently away from those platforms, I see a soul that wants to cut off what leads to sin. That is a holy desire. Jesus said that if your hand or eye causes you to stumble, take drastic action. If those sites are a trap for you, then walking away may be the very escape route God has already provided.
Remember that temptation itself is not sin. Even Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. The battle begins when the urge arises, but the sin comes only when we yield to it and let that desire conceive. That is the moment of decision: will I walk after the flesh or after the Spirit? You are not helpless in that moment. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. With the temptation, He will make a way out so you can endure it. That way out might be as simple as closing the screen, or it might require the discipline of never turning it on in the first place.
The secret to standing firm is not willpower alone. It is the Word of God abiding in you. When the enemy came to Jesus, throwing his shortcuts and half-truths at Him, Jesus answered each time with “It is written.” The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, all of them met the sword of the Spirit. Let Scripture fill your mind so that when the pull comes to search for someone, to scroll endlessly, or to escape into a fantasy, a verse rises up in you like a shield. You are strong when the Word dwells in you richly.
This takes real discipline. Paul compared it to an athlete who trains rigorously for a crown that will wither. If he is willing to deny his body and say no to his appetites for a bough of leaves, how much more should we discipline ourselves for the crown that never fades? Keeping your body under subjection is not a punishment; it is a wise, joyful laying hold of true life. The temporary satisfaction the world offers is a lie. The easy path that bypasses the cross always leads to emptiness. But when you say no to the flesh, you are actually saying yes to the Spirit, yes to freedom, yes to the presence of Jesus.
Regarding the snake and the snow, I understand the desire for immediate relief from threats and hardships. God cares about such things. Pray honestly about them, just as you have, and then trust your Father. Sometimes He removes the physical danger; other times He leaves us in the trial to teach us to rely on His strength. Either way, the greater victory is already won. The serpent’s head has been crushed by Christ, and His power over our lives is broken. The real danger is the one that seeks your soul, not your body. Keep your eyes fixed there.
You are not alone in this struggle, and you have not outgrown the need for vigilance. The enemy does not rest, but the Spirit within you is greater. Run your race to win. Be willing to sacrifice the passing pleasures for the eternal joy set before you. The Lord who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Amen.
