The Power of Satan to Lead Me Away Into Addiction

I had what I felt like was a great study yesterday about filling my life with light and truth where I dug deeper and cross-referenced a talk from General Conference.

Not only did I really feel the Spirit and feel like I got lots of confirmation about living in recovery and staying away from the Carnal Nate (the natural man), but I also felt like there is SO MUCH to discover in the scriptures.

One thing I was aware of was the Super Ego and ID, where I can be so gung-ho about studying, but then feel overwhelmed and end up doing nothing, thus leading to shame, blame, regret, and ultimately falling back into bad habits.

Today I’m not going to let that happen.

Today I’m living in recovery one moment at a time.

Today I’m going to focus on balance and doing my best with no expectations of perfection or overdoing it.

Here are the topics I had left yesterday to finish cross-referencing and studying. I will study for the new 30 minutes or so and go from there.

Additional Cross References from Today

1. collapse when forces push against us – to me, this is about giving in to temptation or feeling destroyed by Satan. As I research about the power of Satan, there are so many warnings in the scriptures…
   
   Moses 5:18 And Cain ^aloved Satan more than God.
   This reminds me of the Beware of Pride talk, where there is enmity towards God or a hatred towards His ways. Really, there are only two ways we can face: towards God or towards Satan.D&C 10:5 ^aPray always, that you may come off ^bconqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may ^cescape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.
   This is the answer to submission and overcoming addiction – praying always. This doesn’t mean that I’m kneeling down praying all the time, but it does mean that I am aware of my surroundings, that I’m willing to submit to God in the moment of temptation, and that I have a prayer in my heart that I will always be willing to do His will no matter what circumstance I’m in. I’ve felt this power and I know it works. But it’s like the Book of Mormon always counsels, “Remember, remember…” I think, in the past, I never thought prayer would actually have the power that is has to protect and heal me – I thought it was too simple.

   This is the power Satan can have on us:

   Moses 5:13 And ^aSatan came among them, saying: I am also a son of God; and he commanded them, saying: ^bBelieve it not; and they believed it not, and they ^cloved Satan more than God. And men began from that time forth to be ^dcarnal, sensual, and devilish.
   Satan is the master of the natural man. It’s because of Satan and because I’ve chosen to focus on him, that I have been carnal, sensual, and devilish.

   Satan was there in the beginning, as one of the sons of God:

   Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the ^asons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and ^bSatan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

   And after there was a contention with God and Satan, this is what happened:

   Rev. 12:9 And the great dragon was ^acast out, that old serpent, called the ^bDevil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

   I also like what it says later in that chapter about how the people in that day, and even now, can overcome Satan and his power:

   Rev. 12:11 And they ^aovercame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their ^btestimony; and they loved not their lives unto the ^cdeath.

   The people overcame Satan and his power by using the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And using the Atonement doesn’t mean JUST repenting, it means praying in the moment of temptation, it means asking for His help when I feel weak or uneasy, it means relying on Him all the time for deliverance from bondage.

   What are some of Satan’s ingredients for success?

   Moroni 9:3 And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall destroy this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth them up continually to anger one with another.

   Lack of repentance
   Anger with one another
   Contention

   Moses 4:4 And he became ^aSatan, yea, even the ^bdevil, the father of all ^clies, to ^ddeceive and to blind men, and to lead them ^ecaptive at his will, even as many as would not ^fhearken unto my voice.

   The father of all lies
   Deception
   Blinding of men
   Lead us away captive – this is addiction

2. dilute, distort, and destroy the truth of the gospel – this is Satan’s overall objective: to dilute, distort, and destory the truth of the gospel. It’s the concept of the “philosophies of men, mingled with scripture…”Moses 4:6 And ^aSatan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away ^bmany after him,) and he sought also to ^cbeguile Eve, for he ^dknew not the ^emind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world.

   Ether 15:19 But behold, the ^aSpirit of the Lord had ceased striving with them, and ^bSatan had full power over the ^chearts of the people; for they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed; wherefore they went again to battle.

   3 Nephi 2:3 And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did ^ago about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land.

   3 Nephi 18:18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for ^aSatan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.
   

3. separated from that truth – D&C 78:10 Otherwise ^aSatan seeketh to turn their ^bhearts away from the truth, that they become ^cblinded and understand not the things which are prepared for them.
   Satan seeketh to turn our hearts from the truth.
   Satan knows that the truth will make us strong.
   Satan is jealous and has regret.
   Satan is an addict to power and the praise of men.
   

I’m grateful for the time I’ve taken this morning to study more about the power Satan can have over me if I give in to his cunning ways.

I’m grateful that today I’m willing to submit my will to God.

I love my family and want to be there to protect them and increase the light in our home.

Hasta luego!

Nate

Final Cross-References

 

• the gift of the Holy Ghost –
• seek the truth –