How To Shut The Door To Temptation | Jonathan Cahn Sermon

Closing Every Door the Enemy Knocks On: The Secret to Overcoming Temptation

The enemy knows how to use our own desires against us. Just as a hunter uses bait to lure his prey, Satan studies every weakness, every longing, every unguarded door of the heart. Even a desire for something good—if it isn’t surrendered to God—can become a weapon in his hands.

If something in your life isn’t drawing you closer to God, it’s pulling you away. Every unguarded moment, every indulgent thought, every careless glance becomes an open door. Many have seen their homes, marriages, and peace crumble because they allowed one small compromise.

Guard your heart and your house. Be watchful about what enters through your screens, your music, your conversations. What you tolerate eventually takes root. What seems harmless can become poison if it replaces God in your heart.

Sometimes it’s obvious what needs to go, but we’ve grown too used to it. The Spirit whispers, “This is not for you.” That’s your signal to cut it off—completely. When the early believers came to Christ, they didn’t store away their old idols for later; they burned them. It was final. Every bridge to the enemy was destroyed.

Temptation always begins with desire. The serpent shakes its tail to look like something harmless—a little pleasure, a harmless curiosity, a small escape—and before you know it, you’re caught in the strike. But you don’t have to be fooled. The key is surrender. Submit every longing, every unmet need to God.

Even the best of men fell because of unguarded desire. David looked upon Bathsheba, and one moment of unrestrained passion changed his life forever. Not because he didn’t love God—but because he left an opening.

When temptation comes, don’t look at the pleasure it promises—look at the pain it brings. Picture the regret that follows, the destruction it leaves. Seeing temptation for what it truly is will strip it of its power.

And here’s the secret: the more you are filled with the joy of the Lord, the less room there is for sin to take hold. An empty heart is easily tempted; a heart overflowing with God’s presence is untouchable.

So fill yourself daily with His Spirit, His peace, His Word. Rejoice in the blessings you already have—your family, your purpose, your salvation. Gratitude is a weapon. Joy is a shield.

Rejoice before the battle. Rejoice in the battle. Rejoice after the victory. When you rejoice, the enemy loses his grip. He cannot stand against a heart that praises God in every season.

For the joy of the Lord is not just your comfort—it is your strength. And when you live full of that joy, every door to temptation stays firmly shut.