"NO!"

Alma 55:2
"...for I will not grant unto him that he shall have any more power than what he hath got."

Power: what shall we define power as? The capacity to accomplish things? Including influence, ownership, etc.

Grant: to grant is a choice. To grant is to allow, even to give. To give power is to delegate authority, to share permission. Why would I give the adversary permission to have influence on my soul? Other than a positive one.

More: I think righteous content can be satisfied, and wicked content cannot be. Think of all materialistic people who want more and more. Think of those filled with gratitude, content with what they have.

I love Mindy Gledhill's lyrics: "But I'll take less if more means having less of you." Although applied to a romantic context, it can be applied to our relationship with God, and in general.

Will: Jeffrey R Holland once said, "Let will be your reason." What does that mean? I suppose we can measure our will for something by measuring our response to this question: "Will I _________?" And fill in that blank.

Here are some examples. "Will I read my scriptures everyday?" Is your response "Absolutely! I don't even need encouragement, because searching for and building my relationship with God is th greatest thing in the world!" Or is our response "Yes, definitely." Or is it "I'll try." Or is it "I can do better." Granted, our response is influenced by the Spirit and how much of Him we have with us.

Another example: "Will I commit to fight to never give Satan a foothold in my life? And if he does obtain one, I will wisely and righteously fight to reobtain it?"

I must point out, that our responses isn't what matters too much, but it is the direction we are headed. Am I on my way to being a gospel enthusiast and devoted worshiper of God? Or am I content with where I am, allowing myself to slip and move to lower ground without measuring how far I'm straying from the Lord?

Not: A term indicating negation. When the adversary knocks on your doorstep, recognize it! That sneaky, tactful devil needs your soul-filled "NO!"

He knows our weaknesses. He loves to drag us down with him. Identify his assaults in your life and rely on the Saviour, one day, one month, one year at a time, to overcome things in their respective magnitudes.

We can say with Moroni, "I will not grant unto him that he shall have any more power than what he hath got." And we can say with Nephi,  I will "give place no more for the enemy of my soul."

Decoys of the Devil

Did you know that even though the Lamanites were the enemies of righteousness in the war chapters of the Book of Mormon, that we can still learn from their example?

Specifically because they were not led by the Lord, because they had incorrect and carnal motives, we can learn from their mistakes.

Take this article for example.

Alma 52
21 And it came to pass that Moroni, having no hopes of meeting them upon fair grounds, therefore, he resolved upon a plan that he might decoy the Lamanites out of their strongholds.
22 Therefore he caused that Teancum should take a small number of men and march down near the seashore; and Moroni and his army, by night, marched in the wilderness, on the west of the city Mulek; and thus, on the morrow, when the guards of the Lamanites had discovered Teancum, they ran and told it unto Jacob, their leader.
23 And it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did march forth against Teancum, supposing by their numbers to overpower Teancum because of the smallness of his numbers. And as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him he began to retreat down by the seashore, northward.
24 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that he began to flee, they took courage and pursued them with vigor. And while Teancum was thus leading away the Lamanites who were pursuing them in vain, behold, Moroni commanded that a part of his army who were with him should march forth into the city, and take possession of it.
25 And thus they did, and slew all those who had been left to protect the city, yea, all those who would not yield up their weapons of war.
26 And thus Moroni had obtained possession of the city Mulek with a part of his army, while he marched with the remainder to meet the Lamanites when they should return from the pursuit of Teancum.

Now... I play a game called Clash Royale - incredibly addictive to me. I stay up late at night sometimes, beyond the planned time to sleep, just playing this game.

Multiple times have I said, "I'll just play a few games." And those few turn to hours of playing.

I have decided that that temptation to just play a few games is much like the decoy that Moroni set up for the Lamanites to be enticed. And I was enticed.

So, I have decided to delete the game. Some of you may decide that that's a little harsh. Why don't you just exercise some restraint Aaron?

Well, I would like to note how I feel afterwards. I seem to rush my prayers after playing. My mind is rushing and overexcited. I sometimes can't sleep, and justify that I might as well keep playing. I don't feel comfortable afterwards.

Isn't that evidence of a bad choice. For me personally, I also believe I could be doing other better things, even if I am not sleeping.

We would do well to identify the decoys the devil has given us in the past, which we have either succumbed to or resisted, and make commitments based on our analysis of our choices.