“Just throw the Ring!”
If you saw the movie or read the book, The Lord Of The Rings, you know that the plot revolves around an epic struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. And everything hinges on the ability of Frodo to carry the Ring into the heart of the evil fortress of Mordor and destroy the Ring by casting the Ring into the fires of that mountain.
While Frodo, his faithful friend Sam and Gollum slowly but steadily make their way into the evil fortress, a terrible battle rages outside. The forces of good are greatly outnumbered and it appears that they will certainly be defeated. To end the war, Frodo doesn’t have to slay a giant or a dragon, all he has to do is drop the Ring over the edge into the fire. Frodo reaches the location where he should remove the Ring and throw it down into the fire, but he is overwhelmed by the demonic pressure of the Ring and cannot find the strength to let go of the Ring. The Ring is finally destroyed when Gollum takes the Ring from Frodo and then accidentally falls over the edge, taking the Ring into the hot fire. Then, amazingly, as soon as the Ring is destroyed, the good army easily defeats the now bewildered legions of Mordor.
As I watched the movie and witnessed Frodo struggle to remove the Ring and cast it into the fire it seemed that everyone in the theater wanted to shout out: “Just throw the Ring!” So many brave warriors were dying in the battle outside as Frodo desperately struggled to destroy the Ring. But once the Ring was finally thrown into the fire, the killing ended and the battle was won.
One simple act, the destruction of the Ring, was the only thing standing in the way of immediate victory.
The Bible tells us plainly that you and I are involved in a spiritual war with eternal consequences. (Ephesians 6.10-12) As I thought about the simple act of throwing a ring into the fire, the words from James 4.7 quickly popped into my mind: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
It seems to me that we often turn something very simple into something very complicated. And the longer we delay before taking action the more we and others suffer from the consequences of this spiritual battle. Almost every day I talk with people who are struggling with sin. You and I are constantly being tempted by the evil one. And here in one short sentence is the key to immediate victory. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
God has promised and His promises never fail. When you resist, the devil will flee. The terrible battle will only continue to rage for as long as we fail to resist. The very moment you and I say a determined and decisive “NO!” to our enemy, he will turn tail and run.
We have this promise in 1 Corinthians 10.13: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
Our God is faithful. His promises are true. He is ready to provide strength and to offer a way of escape. The only unknown factor in this equation is what you and I will do. What will I do? I have seen the evil one do enough damage in my life. I have decided to resist his attacks.
The very next verse, James 4.8, states: “Draw near to God and He will come near to you.” Here is another simple and straightforward promise from our loving, heavenly Father.
If you will, He will. If you will seek Him, He will come even closer to you. I really need the Lord’s presence in my life. I will draw near to Him because I need Him to come closer to me.
Simple but decisive steps. This is all that stands in your way from seeing a glorious victory that perhaps you have thought to be impossible. You can watch the devil flee, if you will refuse to succumb to his invitations. You can enjoy the very presence of God in your life, if you will really seek Him above all things.
Just do it. Do it now. Once and for all. You’ll be glad you did.
How can we overcome habitual sins? These sinful addictions, these struggles that master us, seem far too big a foe for us to overcome. We are correct in that assessment: we cannot do it alone. Like Frodo and the ring, we have to be willing to throw away the sin, its lifestyle, its secrecy, and our pride/selfishness/shame that bind us to the sin. We must be truly willing to throw away “this precious thing” in order for the Lord’s power to sweep into our lives. We must invite God to draw close and win the war that rages in our souls.
What steps can you take to turn your back on your habitual sin for good?
Learn more in the book: JESUS IS BETTER THAN PORN: How I Confessed my Addiction to My Wife and Found a New Life
Available on Amazon: Jesus Is Better
