After a big victory: It was right after Elijah prayed fire down from heaven on Mount Carmel and confronted 450 false prophets that he had his biggest battle with doubt and depression. When Jezebel put a bounty on his head, he fled and hid in a cave and, thinking he was the only true prophet left, asked God to kill him. He didn’t really want to die; he was just discouraged. After big victories, we are vulnerable because we tend to let down our guard. We think we have it “made in the shade” and become overconfident and complacent.
After a big defeat: Don’t you imagine after Peter denied Jesus, Satan tried to drive him to the brink of suicide just as he did Judas? You see, he uses our mind as a punching bag. When we fall, he wants to keep us down with dark thoughts of condemnation. He plays on our emotions and tries to convince us that we are worthless. He tells us we should quit serving God and that life is not worth living. Remember, he is a liar and we must “Resist the devil and he will flee from [us]” (James 4:7). Like Peter, we can rebound from defeat and abound in grace.
When we are idle: The old saying is true, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” When did David commit adultery? 2 Samuel 11:1 informs us that it was “At the time when kings go out to battle.” Instead, he lingered at the palace relaxing, then saw Bathsheba bathing, and his heart lured him into sin. Amos 6:1a warns, “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion.” We need to occupy our time productively. Stay so busy for God that you don’t have time to backslide. Too much idle time opens the door to temptation. For that reason church, sports, music, art, reading, hobbies, volunteerism and other wholesome activities are good to keep us occupied and out of trouble.
When authority is absent: “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” The Israelites built and worshipped the golden calf when Moses was gone on Mount Sinai. There is a principle at work here—behavior observed changes. Some people only do what is right when leaders are nearby. Employees tend to work harder when a boss is looking over their shoulder. Students study more when teachers are in the classroom. Children behave better when parents are present. Citizens obey the law more when police are in view. Why? It’s the accountability factor. Temptation beckons when authority is absent, but if we realize God always observes our behavior, it will profoundly affect our choices.
