FOCUS ON THINGS ABOVE

[Albert Finch]

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion has light with darkness? What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part has he who believes with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? F or you are the temple of the living God."As God has said: I will live in them and walk in them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 'Therefore, 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.'" - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Our primary focus is to be on the Lord and the things of Heaven. At the same time we are not to be "ignorant" of satan's devices. We see that through the initial question the serpent gives to Eve, and he is trying to lure her into conversation. It is bait when he says, "Did God really say?" He is trying to put Eve on defense, which he does successfully. The enemy wants to draw her "off-sides" onto his ground where she can be penalized and proved guilty.
This is where our communication is very important to God. The Lord is after our communion. If He has our communion then He has us. In the same way, the enemy knows this so he will try to draw people into a communion with himself.

Jesus said, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" (Matthew 12:30).

In other words, by not choosing, you have already chosen your side. The devil's goal was to draw Eve into communion (through conversation and agreement). Eve could have just ignored the serpent and went the other way. We are not called to communicate with devils but to cast them out. We submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, not converse.
In that context we need to bring our thoughts before the Lord. Every futile, foolish thought that is contradictory to His written Word we cast down.

STRONG COMMUNION AND MIGHTY WEAPONS

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
Eve had essentially already eaten of the forbidden tree through conversation with the enemy.

What does this teach us?

It shows us the reason we need our conversation to be of Heaven in the Holy Spirit. As Believers in Jesus Christ we converse and commune with God who dwells inside of us through the person of the Holy Spirit. By doing this we focus our attention upward, on things above.
How many times do thoughts come, attempting to take you down a path that you know is the wrong path? It could be as simple as complaining, grumbling or faultfinding.

RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU

Usually, people think of temptation as some big dark sin rather than the SUBTLE LURING INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. For those who don't know God, these thoughts are normal life; but for those who have given their lives to God, these kinds of thoughts shouldn't be a way of life but something attempting to come from the outside in.
We want thoughts that are inspired by the Holy Spirit because we are abiding in His Presence. As we have our conversation, our CONFESSION, MEDITATION, AND DEVOTION with God -- by His Word and truth -- then He has the authority over our lives. Our time is valuable and we want to use that time as an opportunity to increase our spiritual momentum to dive deeper into the heart and PURPOSE of God for our life.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com/