by Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
Donald Hebb
“Cells that fire together wire together.” That is a summary of a theory put forth in 1949 by psychologist and neuroscience enthusiast, Donald Hebb. In short, Hebb’s idea was that when one brain cell (neuron) “fires,” it has such a positive effect on nearby neurons such that they become “wired” together in a neural network. The more the behavior that caused the original linking occurs, the stronger the network grows, making future behaviors of the same kind easier. It’s why “practice makes perfect” when it comes to sports, musical ability, and other areas of life. And, when it comes to resisting temptation.
The more we practice the apostle James’ exhortation to “resist the devil,” the more effective at it we will become. Likewise, the more we give in to temptation, the more we will succumb to it as well. If we resist him, the devil will flee; that is the promise of God. But the “if” reveals that the responsibility falls upon us.
If you are tempted today, resist the temptation. Every time you choose the right thing, the easier the choice will become. The devil never gives up tempting, and we must never give up resisting.
Each temptation leaves us better or worse; neutrality is impossible.
Erwin W. Lutzer
Dr. David Jeremiah