When you become a believer, devil and his agents cannot stop tempting you. They will entice you with things you love most and when you yield, you become their slave and a potential candidate of premature death.
“3Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
(Romans 6:16, 13-14).
“Being tempted is not a sin in itself, but giving in to temptation is. When a person succumbs to sin, it brings with it the bondage of an early death. God allows us to be tested or tempted to reveal our inner strength or weaknesses. Through temptation, we learn and demonstrate our faith, loyalty, and faithfulness to God. If we overcome temptation, God will protect us, but if we fall, the devil will gain control of our lives and we will be vulnerable to his attacks at all times.”
One who yields to the devil and falls into temptations has rejected God’s protection. He becomes a traitor and outcast before God; a captive to the devil. He risks his name being removed from the book of life and written in the book of premature death. Everything would be against him. God forsakes him and the devil attacks him at will. The worst that could happen to a believer is to yield to temptations and backslide.
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“For some are already turned aside after Satan”
(1 Timothy 5:15).
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron”
(1 Timothy 4:1-2).
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, then, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire”
(2 Peter 2:20-22).
A backslidden believer is slave of the devil, who sears his conscience with hot iron. Sorrow and affliction will be his portion. As he lives on earth, the wrath of God would follow him. He is spiritually dead and the shadow of sickness, terror, shame, incurable disease and death hang upon his head. The only way out for such a backslidden believer is not prayer, fighting or deliverance. Repentance, restitution and consecration are the immediate step you must take. This can turn the wrath of God away and restore you back to God’s favor.
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“32And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. 36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”
(John 8:32, 36).
I read the story of Robert Robinson, author of the Hymn “Come, thou fount of every blessing”. Robert wandered into sin. Because of this, he became deeply troubled in his spirit. Hoping to relieve his mind, he decided to travel. During his journeys, he became acquainted with a young woman who asked him what he thought of a hymn she had just been reading. To his greatest surprise, he found out it was no other but his own composition. He tried to avoid the woman’s question, but she insisted and continued to press on him for an answer.
In a moment, he began to weep bitterly. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he said, “I am the one who wrote that hymn many years ago, I would give anything to experience again the joy I knew then.” Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed. Robinson was deeply touched. Turning his “wondering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship.
If you are a backslider, you do not need to remain under the power of darkness. Return to God, your rock of safety.