Don’t Give the Devil a Foothold

Current Teaching Series Transformed

Don't Give the Devil a Foothold By Rick Warren — Jan 6, 2017 “Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26b-27 NLT, second edition). When you give the Devil a foothold into your life, he takes a stronghold. What does that mean? If you give Satan control of one little part of your life, he will soon take over the whole thing. You give him a foothold into your life, and he turns it into a stronghold. Let me explain it this way: On D-Day, Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy. It was critical that they establish a beachhead — that is, a foothold on the beach that would allow them to set up a staging area to bring in more men and equipment for the battle. From that tiny foothold, the Allied forces were able to push inland in an effort to liberate France. But Satan isn’t trying to liberate you. He wants to establish a foothold in your life in order to take over more and more of your life. Once he gets deep enough into an area of sin, he turns the foothold into a stronghold, and that makes it harder for you to take back control of your life. How does Satan get a foothold in your life? In Ephesians 4:27, the example is anger, but it could be any negative emotion. If you fill your life with worry, he’s gained a foothold in your life. If you fill your life with resentment, he’s gained a foothold in your life. If you allow guilt to turn into shame, Satan has a foothold in your life. The Apostle Paul says the best way to deal with these negative emotions is immediately. He says, “Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26b-27 NLT, second edition). You make a choice to deal with it right away. Otherwise, the negative emotion will fester in your heart and give Satan the opportunity to establish a foothold in your life. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over What negative emotion have you allowed the Devil to use to take a foothold in your life? Or, what emotion has the potential to become a foothold for the Devil? What does it mean for a negative emotion to fester in your life? How can you be proactive about dealing with negative emotions that may arise in your life?

Our Gift: The Transformed Study Kit Experience a real transformation from the inside out! Is there a positive change you want to see in your life in 2017? If so, we want to send you a study kit Pastor Rick Warren has put together called Transformed to help make it happen! Pastor Rick teaches 7 biblically based lessons in Transformed that will help you experience a real transformation from the inside out this year. LEARN MORE

Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes eight full length teaching CD's from Pastor Rick's series Transformed. LEARN MORE

Series Summary Message 1: Setting Personal Goals By Faith Message 2: How To Get Closer To God Message 3: From Stressed To Blessed Message 4: Change Your Life By Changing Your Mind Message 5: How To Deal With How You Feel Message 6: Facing The Fears That Ruin Relationships Message 7: Transforming How I See and Use Money Message 8: Facing Giants In Life and Work ​​ PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at pastorrick.com. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe