Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

• 1 John 4:4

“One day a young Flemish girl, who had repented and received deliverance from lust and impurity, came to me while I was speaking in one of these churches.
“ ‘Even though I have been delivered,’ she said, ‘at night I still keep dreaming of my old way of life. I am afraid I will slip back into Satan’s grasp.’
“ ‘Up in that church tower,’ I said, nodding toward the belfry, ‘is a bell which is rung by pulling on a rope. But you know what? After the sexton lets go of the rope, the bell keeps on swinging. First ding, then dong. Slower and slower until there’s a final dong and it stops.
“ ‘I believe the same thing is true of deliverance. When the demons are cast out in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, or when sin is confessed and renounced, then Satan’s hand is removed from the rope. But if we worry about our past bondage, Satan will use this opportunity to keep the echoes ringing in our minds.’
“A sweet light spread across the girl’s face. ‘You mean even though I sometimes have temptations, that I am still free, that Satan is no longer pulling the rope which controls my life?’ ”

• Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord

A pastor on television has said many times that Satan understands certain aspects of the law.  He cannot enter unless you leave a door open.  With this metaphor used by Tante Corrie, he cannot ring the bell without permission to grab the rope.

In our weakness we leave a door open or grant permission.

We must be ever vigilant.  If there is a door that can open, some dark force will be knocking.  If there is a bell rope that can be rung, there will be winds that will blow the ropes back and forth.  The bells may not ring until someone grabs the rope, but can the wind blow far enough to defeat our defenses?

Why do I give such warnings?  When Satan sees that you have won a round of the battle with the help of the Holy Spirit, Satan wants to reduce the volume of the Holy Spirit’s voice.  Be prepared for a counterattack, and another, and another.

Then, there might be a lull to see if you get caught unaware.

And for those who know that Satan is not omnipresent, he has his fallen angels who do his bidding.  The temptations will come and go, but the good thing is that the more we listen to the Holy Spirit, the more doors we can close, and the more barriers we can place around the bell ropes, the stronger the Holy Spirit’s voice is to guide us through the storms of life.

I have heard many pastors and evangelists say that if there were hurdles and obstacles in the way of getting a revival started or whatever the event might be, they praise the Lord because Satan is worried.

So, do not be disheartened when the temptations come. You have taken steps toward being more like Jesus and you have Satan worried.  And the power within you is greater than anything Satan can throw at you.

Lord, strengthen me.  Help me with my own temptations.  Give me strength daily.  Keep me aware of counterattacks.  Keep me aware of rationalizations that one little slip is not that bad.  Any sin is bad, and why be defeated, when God has the power available for me to tap into.  In Your name I pray.  Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.