Attraction for Distractions. Day 5 of 21 Days of Prayer 2020. God created a perfect environment for Adam and Eve with only one primary commandment. Man was not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Can you imagine having access to all of the foods you want except you cannot eat from one forbidden tree?
How hard can this be?
It’s like being on a protein and green vegetables diet. You can eat all of the meats, poultry, fish and green vegetables that you want. Just don’t eat sugar, breads, and vegetables that grow in the ground (e.g., peanuts, potatoes, carrots, etcetera).
Easy, right? Not really.
Quite often, like Eve, we find ourselves daydreaming about the things that we cannot have. Usually, you don’t want it until it’s restricted or forbidden. The desire for something increases when it’s forbidden.
Why would God forbid Adam and Eve from something that tastes so good?
It’s for the same reason parents forbid their children from crossing the street before they stop, look, and listen. We were taught to stop, look, and listen before crossing the street. Our parents knew there would be unfortunate consequences if we were to cross the street without doing these things. Like God, they wanted to protect us from evil.
But even though we know there’s a consequence for every action we take, we still persist with our desires.
Why are we driven by distractions?
Again, Eve was distracted by Satan when she was isolated from her husband.
Samson had a purpose but he was distracted by Deliah when he strayed from his purpose.
David was chosen by God but he was distracted by Bathsheba when he strayed from his purpose. Just like Adam and Eve became dressmakers to cover up their sins, David became an intense strategist to cover up his sin by having Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, murdered.
Martha was distracted by the business of the day when Jesus was clearly in the room.
Each one of these people had something in common. They had an appetite for distractions. And, they fed their appetites.
Purpose of Distractions
The purpose of distractions is to drag you away from your true identity. As a believer, your identity is in God. The enemy will present opportunities for distraction to rob you of your true identity.
If you don’t stop, look, and listen before you cross the road, you will be robbed of your true identity, your purpose, and your destiny.
Distractions are attractive. Satan tempted Eve with benefits of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He convinced her that when she’d eat from the tree, her eyes would be opened. She would be like God. She would know good and evil. The irony here is that Eve was already like God because he created her.
Distractions are usually visible. There’s an attraction for distraction.
Eve saw that the fruit was good and pleasing to the eyes (Genesis 3:6).
Samson saw the prostitute, which was the gateway to lure him to further distractions (Judges 16).
David saw Bathsheba bathing (2 Samuel 11:2). [Commentary: I don’t believe this was David’s first time walking on the roof peeping at Bathsheba bathing. This time he knew her husband was not at home. His attraction created an opportunity for a miserable distraction].
Martha was distracted by what she saw that had to be done (Luke 10:38-42).
The attraction is often a distraction from your ultimate purpose in life.
How can we overcome distractions?
1. Overcome distractions with the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-21).
Overcome distractions by asking the Holy Spirit to help you keep your eyes on the Lord by loving his commandments (John 14:15). Our love for God is reflected by honoring God’s word.
2. Overcome distractions by asking the Holy Spirit to help you obey God’s word.
The love of God through his Holy Spirit empowers us to obey his commandments. Obedience to God is disobedience to evil. Disobedience to God is obedience to evil. Disobedience gives sin the stage in your life.
3. Overcome distractions by asking the Holy Spirit to help you develop self-control.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (I Corinthians 10:13).
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
Loving God, obeying his word, and exercising self-control will change the trajectory of your life.
Loving power, money, and sex will also change the trajectory of your life.
Don't allow your attraction for immorality, food, and the business of the day drag you away from your true identity, calling, and purpose in life.
The power of God’s Holy Spirit will deliver you from your attraction for distractions. But, you must pray aloud. Reading the prayer is good but if you want deliverance, you must pray aloud and speak God’s word.
Prayer for Deliverance from Distractions
[Say it like you mean it.] I command all hidden spirits of immorality and distractions to come out of my spiritual character and appetite, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Daily Confession
[Say it like you mean it.] I decree and declare that I have a covenant of self-control. I am quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. When temptation comes my way, God always give me a way of escape. And, I will take it. I will not conform to the patterns of this world that will cause a lack of discipline and self-control in my life. My mind is transformed by the word of God so that I will choose what is good, acceptable, pleasing, and perfect. I will demonstrate a spirit of power, love, and self-control by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. I do not have an appetite for distractions. I have an appetite for God’s word, in the name of Jesus. Amen!
~inspiring hope, Dr. Regina M. Daigre
Visionary Leader and Founder of Prayer Firewall
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