The goal of the enemy is to always present you with an indecent proposal – particularly when you have a particular, or an intense need. He wants you to compromise who you are, or your birthright to fill what feels like an urgent need. In Genesis 25:29-34, Esau gave up his birthright to his brother Jacob to satisfy an intense hunger he was experiencing in a particular moment. The enemy always comes to take advantage of us in our weakest moments, so we have to learn how to delay gratification. In other words, we need to suffer in the short term, so that we can be blessed in the long term.

Here’s the question we all must ask ourselves: What are some of the things we may need to suffer in the short term so we can be blessed in the long term? Is it our finances? Save now, so we can be blessed later? Maybe it’s keeping ourselves sexually pure while we are so our minds can be clear in the long run. Why is this so important? Simple. The enemy will always come down your block on a hot summer day with ice cream truck of temptation! It may appear that satan has some goodies, but they are not the will of God. You remember what happened when you were little and you heard the ice cream truck coming down the block. You’d act as if you’d lost your mind as you ran home yelling, “ Mom give me a dollar! Quick, give me some money!” But now, we must need to learn how to say “No, thank you.” Esau wasn’t able to wait on the Lord, so he gave up a lifetime of blessing to his brother Jacob! Esau’s impatience teaches us that anytime we operate out of our soul, and ignore the Holy Spirit, we will miss out on what could have been!