What's knocking at YOUR door?

Scripture:

Genesis 4:6-8 The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? (7) If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." (8) Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Observation:

How do you react when someone suggests you have done something wrong? Do you move to correct the mistake or deny that you need to correct it? After Cain's gift was rejected, God gave him the chance to right his wrong and try again. God even encouraged him to do this! But Cain refused, and the rest of his life is a startling example of what happens to those who refuse to admit their mistakes. The next time someone suggests you are wrong, take an honest look at yourself and choose God's way instead of Cain's.

For Cain to subdue the sin that was waiting to attack and destroy him, he would have to give up his jealous anger so that sin would not find a foothold in his life. Sin is still waiting to attack and destroy us today. Like Cain, we will be victims of sin if we do not master it. But we cannot master sin in our own strength. Instead, we must turn to God to receive faith for ourselves and turn to other believers to receive encouragement and strength. The Holy Spirit will help us master sin. This will be a lifelong battle that will not be over until we are face to face with Christ.

Application:

This is one of the most challenging verses in the bible to me. We must be aware that the enemy, according to John 10:10, wants to "kill, steal and destroy." The Word warns us to be watchful because we have an enemy who is looking for opportunities to attack:

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

There is an old song that goes like this:

Somebody's knockin should I let him in

Lord it's the devil would you look at him

I've heard about him but I never dreamed

He'd have blue eyes and blue jeans

Satan comes as an angel of light. He is a deceiver and he is very good at what he does. He was so deceptive that he was able to talk 1/3 of the angels in heaven to side with him over their Creator. He is so deceptive that he was able to talk Eve and Adam into believing his word over the God who made them. He is so deceptive that he was able to talk Cain into believing the only real answer was to kill his brother.

Cain didn't come up with that idea on his own. There was no tv, no movies, in fact, no outside influences at all...with the exception of satan who was crouching at the door...knocking, oh so slightly, speaking into his ear how wronged he had been. How he should take matters into his own hands. Abel deserved to be taught a lesson. It was decision time. Cain was warned, but he choice to go with the was of the deceiver instead of the way of His Creator.

My friend, what is knocking at your door today? Have you been wronged and you can't get it out of your mind that the person who hurt you deserves to be hurt? Please hear the warning of the Holy Spirit today. He is whispering...but sometimes the "knocking" of temptation can override the whisper and nudge of the Spirit. But the choice is yours.

Maybe the knocking is lust. You can't get your mind off of someone you work with, or someone you enjoy talking with at your child's ball game. The Holy Spirit has warned you. In fact, He did so last night. But you are having a difficult time with the constant "knock" of temptation that is attempting to paint for you a much prettier picture that what reality is. Cain fed his flesh, sided with the devil, and paid for it the rest of his life. If you open the door to the devil, you will pay for it as well. Oh, you may get away with it for a while, but you can be sure..."your sins will find you out!"

Maybe the knocking is intense anger. You stay mad at your kids, your spouse, your co-workers, friends, people on the interstate, cashiers at the grocery stores. The knocking has intensified lately. You have been leaving a trail of hurt, bitter people.

Maybe the knocking is gossip, backbiting or sowing seeds of discord. You want to do what is right, but the "knocking" increases daily, and it is harder to walk away from. In fact, it came seem so spiritual to ask someone to "pray with you" about someone. But even though it is dressed in spiritual garb, it is still the work of the devil, and you must STOP it because it is hurting the body of Christ.

I could go on and on. Lying knocks at the door. Bad attitude. Hypochondria. Pride and arrogance. Spiritual slothfulness.

Sin loves to present itself as a friend, and not an enemy. Why? Because God promises to give us victory over our ENEMIES, not our FRIENDS. So, we must remember that sin is an enemy. It desires to CONTROL us. It wants to kill us, destroy us, steal from us.

But it can be so enticing. The perfume, the words, the feelings, the loneliness...the thrill of the chase! But make no mistake...it will eventually lose its thrill.

Be like Moses in the following verses:

Hebrews 11:24-25 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; (25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

To overcome the sin that satan wants to destroy you with, you must make a daily choice to walk by the faith you have in Jesus Christ. To do that, you are going to have to refuse some things. Moses said, "She's not my momma". He could have lived a life of privilege and great monetarily benefits, but chose rather to live a life that was pleasing to God. He decided to live for the eternal and not the temporal. Sin is enjoyable for a season, but living the life God has for you is of eternal value.

So I ask again, "what is knocking at your door?" Who does your enemy have crouching at your door waiting on your decisions? You can overcome it. You can make the right decision. Remember, God will help you get and maintain victory over your enemies. Sin must be seen as your enemy!

Prayer:

"Lord thank You for this Word of warning today. The enemy is always knocking and crouching at the door of opportunity. If I see sin as just pleasurable, enjoyable, then it very easily can become a friend. But today, I understand that sin, though it may be pleasurable for a short time, it will steal, kill, and destroy. As I make sin an enemy, then You will help me be victorious over it. Today I choose to walk in the Spirit. I choose to REFUSE the temptations that will come my way. I choose to love You more than I do the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or pride of life. At the beginning of this day, I ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide me, convict me, strengthen me, and encourage me. At the end of the day, I will celebrate the victory. In Jesus' name, amen!"