Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Each of us have temptations or traps and we know in our minds but our emotions carry us into ways not good.
This happened to me recently over an American football team. I have been a "fan" of this team since I moved to Dallas in 1960. This current year started out in a normal way. Then our quarterback was injured and we lost 7 games straight. He returned and we one one game and the prospect of still making the play offs was still there even with all these loses. All we had to do is win the remaining games which would be a big task but not impossible. I was pulled into the anticipation. It was over very quickly when we lost a game Thanksgiving day. Winning or the possibility of winning is the trap that sets us on fire.
Briefly I walked in a kingdom of this present world by my own choice.
Someone showed a film clip of another losing team and in this they showed a fan of the losing team and they put a caption under the face of the fan which I thought was very funny and true for football fans or any sports fan when they go into this "kingdom". It said, "I'm resigned to unhappiness." I laughed because I saw the truth in what it takes to be a fan... "The thrill of victory. Then agony of defeat. " (an old slogan)
The great fantasy is it is all for nothing ... and this is often the payment that comes from worldly things which can catch us, temporarily. (worldly feasts and worldly celebrations/ worldly events that never quite live up to their offer though they greatly appeal to the flesh)
On Thanksgiving day in USA in NYC there is a televised parade ... Macy's Day Parade ... I watched it for about 5 minutes, mostly I watched the faces of the people who thrilled in seeing this event. I marveled that it seemed to these people to be so wonderful.
In truth, that thing that is so wonderful, especially to us, is that WORD given to us that is from God. Nothing equals this, The Word. It is truly wonderful forever.
God has pulled me out of many things through the past years because He chose me to be HIS own, certainly not because of any value in myself, for like Paul, I say that I know in my own flesh there dwells no good thing. (Romans 7)
It is like a father watching over his own child who is the apple of his eye. God sees us that way and cares for us and never fails to get us free when we find ourselves in a trap or in an impossible situation. Something will happen to free us.
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Jesus said ... These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Jn. 16:33
If we choose to go into the world or in the plan of the world or the way of the world or events of the world, we will have trouble ... but even in the trouble, God speaks to us who belong to HIM and through HIS Word we do overcome even that.