Facing Temptations
Notes
Transcript
Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.”
So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.”
And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”
So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
He will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you, and
they will support you with their hands,
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.”
And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.”
After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.
Now i want you to remember that Jesus just had a mountain top experience. At His baptism the Father spoke from heaven, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, the Son was acknowledged.
It is usually after these times when we are about to go through another trial, another period of refining. And Jesus was heading right into this.
Forty days Jesus was in the wilderness. Sound familiar, this 40 number.
Forty days of fasting.
And he grew hungry!
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
THE Devil likes to show up in our weakness.
But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.”
So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.”
And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”
NOtice that Jesus does not say: this is not yours to give. He doesn’t go for the practical statement. He goes to the WORD!
In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
SATAN is the god of this world. He is the ruler of this world. The reality is that this world is finite and will end.
It is only the WORD OF GOD that lasts and has the power!
So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
He will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you, and
they will support you with their hands,
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.”
Satan say’s you want to use Scripture, I know Scripture as well!
And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.”
After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
Satan, “departed from him for a time”.
For a time. Not forever. And we will see that Satan will again rear his head repeatedly in the life of Jesus.
He will rear his head in your life as well.
You may think you are doing well, you may have peace and quiet now; but do not become complacent because the moment you let your guard down, the deceiver will rear his ugly head. The moment you become ‘self-secure’, you will be ripe for the picking.
Just as with Jesus, Satan will come at you when you are alone.
But do not think it will only be when you are alone!
It will especially come when you are in mixed company!
Just as with Jesus, Satan will come when you are weak.
He will come when you are sick and ill.
He will begin to tempt you to despair!
Despair in your sickness and in your pain. In your isolation.
When you have loss, be it personal or business.
Satan shows up and whispers poison: Is this how God would treat His children? IF it is, then they are no better than the rest of the world. Why bother with such a God?
But do not think it will only be when you are low and weak, or sick and ill!
Perhaps the opposite is true: Satan will show up when you are ‘winning’. When you are successful. When you are owning the competition and everything is going well.
Satan shows up: Look at what you have accomplished. Oh you are so busy. Just work a little longer and get a little more. The great poison: you DESERVE this!
I promise you this, you cannot please Satan. He will come and make an attack a temptation out of everything possible.
This may sound shocking, but he will even make a temptation and attack when you are SPIRITUAL.
Indeed. When you are on the Mountain of Transfiguration and witnessing the very brilliance of God and Heaven, Satan is waiting at the foot of that mountain; just as he was for Jesus (Luke chapter 9).
It does not matter the situation.
Is your burden heaven? Satan will tempt you.
Is your burden light. Satan will tempt you.
Is the burden removed? Satan will tempt you!
So what do you do?
YOU DO WHAT JESUS DID!
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
The Word of God is the HELMET of Salvation and the SWORD of the Spirit!
The Word of the Lord PROTECTS your mind from the LIES of Satan!
The WORD OF THE LORD is your SWORD to FIGHT BACK! Swords are both defensive and OFFENSIVE tools!
You must know the WORD! How else can you wield it?
AND PRAY! Pray at all times!
AND STAY ALERT with all perseverance and Intercession!
Stay ALERT - don’t fall asleep!
Perseverance - don’t weaken, don’t falter, don’t give in to the weakness or the temptation!
Running - it is easier to keep up than catch up!
Intercession - you don’t know the battles that your brothers and sisters are in! WE MUST pray for each other, regardless of if we think something is going on, or not! Because most battles are fought in private with no one hearing a noise or seeing a thing!
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