How to Deal with Temptation
Notes
Transcript
Intro.
Luke 4…
Now, the passage before us is very, very important.
It talks about "How to deal with temptation".
Why?
There is an enemy who wants to harm you. See, if you like, Luke 4:2
Luke 4:2 (NIV84)
…for forty days he (Jesus) was tempted by the devil.
Our Lord was tempted by the Devil. We have an enemy who wants to harm us.
I don't know if you believe the devil is real or not.
Maybe you believe that the devil is a medieval superstition.
That's what they teach in most colleges lately.
The Devil is a “concept” from the time of Jesus and the Middle Ages and so on. This is due to the fact that they do not have the knowledge that we have today.
And when the Bible talks about the devil, we shouldn't take it literally. There is no literal Devil. He is just the personification of evil: we have evil within us, we personify this evil and call it demons."
Well, I can tell you that Jesus had no evil within him to personify.
In Mark, chapter 5, some demons entered some pigs and the pigs ran into the sea and drowned, they committed hogicide. I want to tell you that it was not a superstition or some personification that caused this. They were real demons… The devil is real being.
Now you better believe what Jesus said: John 10:10 “The thief (devil) comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I came that they might have life, and have it to the full.”
He wants to destroy your life. And he has already placed well-hidden traps in your path, everything is ready for your destruction.
And if you don't understand this, you are walking right into his traps. He wants to put you in a stronghold to dominate, control and use you for evil plans…
In Luke chapter 4 we have an example of the Lord Jesus Christ dealing with the temptations of the Devil.
Jesus is both our example and the power for victory.
Let's study today how the Lord Jesus Christ dealt with Satan, and learn from some examples and some principles.
The Bible teaches that we should follow in his footsteps; we must walk as He walked.
Now, the first point of our reflection on “How to Deal with Temptation” is:
I. The Possibility of Temptation
I. The Possibility of Temptation
See chapter 4, verse 1:
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
Luke 4:7–9 (NIV84)
7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.
Luke 4:10–11 (NIV84)
10 For it is written:
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
12 Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Now let me give 2 sub-points since we are talking about the possibility of temptation.
A. Temptation Can Strike Anyone
A. Temptation Can Strike Anyone
for forty days, he was tempted by the Devil -It was Jesus who was tempted.
Now, if Jesus was tempted, do you think you somehow can overcame the temptation?
Jesus was tempted. Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 15, says:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Jesus was tempted, but he never sinned.
Some people can't believe that Jesus was tempted, but the Bible says He was tempted. “He went through all kinds of temptation, He was “tempted by the devil and his demons”, “but without sin.”
Now, if Satan/Devil (demons) had the audacity to tempt the very Son of God, do you think he won't tempt you?
Do you think maybe he won't tempt the pastor or those people on the platform, or the brother who led the worship, or anyone else?
No, he will tempt you. (In fact, the devil aims his greatest weapons at God's servants). And I face temptation every day of my life.
And if you are proud, saying “thank God I am not tempted”
Write down this scripture - 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, beginning at verse 12:
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
The question is exactly this: If you think you are standing tall, firm and that nothing can knock you down... you are heading towards a fall, because temptation is common to all men.
B. Temptation Can Come At Any Time
B. Temptation Can Come At Any Time
Secondly, temptation can arise at any time. Look again at chapter 4, verse 1:
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert,
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan”
I ask: what was Jesus doing in the Jordan?
Jesus had just been baptized in the waters of the Jordan by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit of God had descended upon Him. It was a glorious experience - so glorious that there was a visible manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit and an audible manifestation of God's pleasure. .
Read with me Luke, chapter 3:22
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
I would say that this was a great spiritual milestone in the life of the Lord Jesus! This is the inauguration of the ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - and immediately thereafter He is tempted.
Do you think, for example, that if you have had a great spiritual experience, a revival, that you can now rest assured… No!
When God opens the windows of heaven to bless us, the devil opens the doors of hell to blast us.
And what we have here is the Holy Spirit, and right behind comes Satan to tempt Him.
Pay close attention because this can happen at any time in your life.
You will never reach a point where you say, "I am beyond temptation."
You will never be so holy or so blessed that temptation will not come.
If the Son of God was tempted, you will be tempted too.
If temptation came to Jesus after this high and holy moment, it can come to you at any time.
In fact, if you study in the Bible the lives of those who fell into temptation, who became discouraged you will notice that it was right after a moment of spiritual triumph.
For example, Moses, after leading the children of Israel through the Red Sea and leading them to victory, the people began to murmur and complain. They began to murmur and complain about Moses. And here is Moses, after one of the greatest victories the people have ever had, and he is asking God to kill him.
You can read the same thing about Elijah when he had a duel with 450 prophets on Mount Carmel. The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the sacrifice. I won't tell the story, but just say that it was indeed a mountaintop experience, literally and spiritually. And soon after that, you will find Elijah running away from Jezebel, praying and asking God to kill him, sitting under a juniper tree, whimpering, and he falls into deep sin and despondency.
Jonas. After Jonah saw a great revival in the city of Nineveh, a city-wide revival, a city the size of it, in which the whole city repented and put on sackcloth and ashes - you would think that if it had already passed through an experience like this, he would never sin again -, in the next chapter, Jonah wanted God to kill him.
You and I can come away from worship revived, a vigil of prayer, praise and moments of great blessings, God pouring out His blessing on the church - saving, etc. and on the way home you start arguing... - and it's amazing how you can leave a service like that with the glow, the aura, the glory of God there, and then Satan comes in to try. And we all know that.
And so we observe that temptation can reach anyone. Say amen.
It can appear at any time - …
Now, I want you to notice secondly – I want you to notice…
II. The Principles of Triumph
II. The Principles of Triumph
I want you to notice how Jesus emerged victorious.
Remember that Jesus is our example and our strength, and so there are some wonderful principles of triumph here.
Okay, first of all, there is what I want to call the principle of filiation or…
A. The Principle of Sonship
A. The Principle of Sonship
Let's look again at Luke 3:22. The Baptism of Jesus.
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
The first thing we need to note is this: what allowed Jesus to achieve triumph was the fact that He was the Son of God.
John 8:31ff The Bible tells us About the Children of Abraham and the Children of the Devil
(Two Types of Spiritual Sonship)
Children of Abraham = children of God
Children of the Devil = slaves of sin, “he who lives sinning” vs.34; those want to fulfill the Devil's wish vs.44
If you have been saved, you have become a child of God, a son or a daughter of God.
Now, if you are still a slave to sin and Satan, then you have no hope of victory.
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn 8:36).
Being a child of God is the first requirement for victory.
You see, Jesus left heaven and became the Son of man so that we men could become sons and daughters of God.
When you believe in Jesus and receive him into your heart as Lord of your life, the Bible says that God gives you the right to become a child of God. You are born again.
This is the first requirement for victory.
If you are not saved, you have no real guarantee or possibility of genuine victory.
And this is the first principle of victory: the principle of sonship.
Now, the second principle is the principle of submission.
B. The Principle of Submission
B. The Principle of Submission
You can be a child of God and not necessarily be submissive.
God the Father said of Jesus in chapter 3, verse 22: “You are my beloved Son; I delight in you.”
Well, why can God the Father say that about His Son? Because Jesus the Son said, “I always do what pleases Him.” (John 8:29)
And if you are a disobedient son, a disobedient daughter, you put yourself in the hands of the devil, you abdicate the authority and the power that was given to you.
In Luke 4:1 Jesus was being led by the Spirit.
Luke 4:1 “1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert,”
Jesus is being obedient. He is obeying the Holy Spirit of God.
He is being led by the Spirit. He is submissive.
Listen to one thing; God does not give authority and power to rebellious children.
Authority and power are for children submissive to God.
And in the life of the Lord Jesus, God the Father said: This "is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17)
Jesus said, "I always do what pleases Him." (John 8:29)"
Being led by the Spirit, he went into the wilderness.
And I could show you many other places in this same fourth chapter where Jesus is the submissive Son.
Victory is not for the rebels.
A)Saved, B) Submissive, and the third principle is:
C. The Principle of Spiritual Empowerment
C. The Principle of Spiritual Empowerment
It's not enough to be saved. It's not enough to be submissive. You need to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
It is quite obvious that Jesus is being guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
I will mention some places that I marked in my Bible. For example,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
The Holy Spirit descended upon the Lord Jesus. (Luke 3:22) Then, look at chapter 4, verse 1:
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert,
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
also
Luke 4:18 (NIV84)
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. …
Now the principle is clear: Jesus is anointed, empowered by the Holy Spirit of God.
Now, if Jesus is empowered by the Holy Spirit of God, and that's how He wins, that's how I should win.
We often say, "Well, sure, Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness, because He's God. But I'm just a man."
Listen carefully. Jesus did not defeat Satan because he was God; He defeated Satan because he was a man/human filled with the Holy Spirit.
If He defeated Satan by being God, He is not an example for me. I would say, "Well, of course: you are God." The only way He can be an example to me is by being the kind of man I need and should be.
Jesus said, "I do nothing of myself." (John 8:28)
Jesus, in His humanity, voluntarily emptied Himself of the prerogatives that were rightfully His as God, God Himself, and not as God, but as a man, filled with the Holy Spirit, overcame the devil.
And the same power that was available to the Lord Jesus Christ is available to you.
When I am willing to be to Jesus what Jesus was to the Father, Jesus is willing to be to me what the Father was to Jesus.
This is the principle of spiritual empowerment.
Now, if you are not filled with the Spirit, you will not have victory day by day.
So, There is the principle of sonship, the principle of submission, the principle of spiritual empowerment.
It is foolish and sinful to try to overcome the devil without the Holy Spirit in you.
I love 1 John 4, verse 4:
1 John 4:4 “4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
Now here is the fourth principle – it is…
D. The Principle of Scripture
D. The Principle of Scripture
Follow: filiation, submission, Spirit, Scripture.
When you become a child of God, when you are submissive, and filled with the Spirit, and then; What will the Holy Spirit of God do?
The Holy Spirit of God will use the Word of God, which is what? "The Sword of the Spirit". (Ephesians 6:17)
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”
"Turn these stones into bread", "Jesus answered, saying: It is written..."
- what He is doing is quoting the book of Deuteronomy 8:3 - "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Luke 4:4) Skip to Luke 4:8
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Look at v.12
12 Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
"it is said", means it is said in the Scriptures" Deut.6:16 - "'Do not put the Lord your God to the test'”. (Luke 4:12)
Now, when Satan comes against you, don't argue with him. He's not worth it.
Take the sword of the Spirit and pierce him through.
That's what Jesus did. Jesus simply drew his sword and said, "Take this! It is written..." He stabbed Satan with the Word of God.
Now remember this is the sword of the Spirit.
Merely quoting Scripture will not give you victory.
You can have your head full of Scripture and be defeated. It is the sword of the Spirit, and the Spirit must wield His sword.
And the Spirit will use His sword when you are filled with the Spirit.
And you won't be filled with the Spirit until you submit, and you can't submit until you're saved.
Now, write down 1 John 2, verse 14: 1 John 2:14 “14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
Many Christians are just “playing” at studying the Bible and therefore have no real victory.
He's the last principle here - and it's…….
E. The Satisfaction Principle
E. The Satisfaction Principle
What do I mean by the satisfaction principle?
Well, if you can find satisfaction legitimately, you won't need to seek it illegitimately.
You see, Satan is a pervert.
Satan has no raw materials. All Satan can do is take what God created. And God created what? All!
Therefore, all Satan can do is take what God created, pervert it, and give you an illegitimate desire.
For example, he said, "Turn these stones into bread."
What is that? This is a perversion of a God-given appetite.
Hunger is a gift from God. It's what keeps us alive.
But what Satan was trying to do was get Jesus to satisfy a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.
Or think again - the kingdoms of this world: "I will give you all the kingdoms of this world." (Luke 4:6)
Well, in Rev.11:15 it says
Revelation 11:15 (NIV84)
15 …“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
What was the temptation? Acquiring a lawful inheritance illegally.
It was something good and true that had been perverted.
Or again, he tells him: Luke 4:9
9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.
"throw yourself down from here into the temple". (Luke 4:9) “float into the temple”
That is, achieving a spiritual goal in a non-spiritual way; do the right thing, but in the wrong way.
What I'm trying to say is that Satan is a pervert.
Now, how to deal with this?
Well, when you have the desire to do something, to satisfy a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way, the way to deal with it is to satisfy the legitimate desire in the legitimate way - and then you won't have any itches that the devil can scratch.
That makes sense? For example, you must cultivate love and passion for your own wife and you will not go around with someone else's wife.
This is a clear example of what I'm talking about. You must be desperately in love with the one God gave you and satisfy your desires and desires legitimately.
God does not want to take any pleasure from his children.
1 Corinthians 3:21–22 (NIV84)
21 So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours,
See 1 Tim.4:4
4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
1 Timothy 4:5 “5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”
see other text
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
“Put your hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our satisfaction”
God does not want to take any pleasure from his children. He wants to enrich us with the true riches of life.
You see, we all have the desire to be someone. If you tell me you don't want to be important, I'll tell you you're lying.
Yes, you want to be important.
What greater meaning can you have than being a child of God?
You know, the Bible says we are "a kingdom of priests." (Exodus 19:6)
Look in the mirror and say “I am a prince, a princess of the Kingdom of God”
That's who you are!
And if you leave this place today understanding and believing that in Jesus you have everything, I made my day!
We are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:17)
Because if you understand that in Jesus you have everything, you will never again have an appetite for the trinkets that the Devil comes to offer you.
When the devil comes to offer you the splendor of the world, tell him:
Is written:
“The kingdom of the world has become our Lord’s and his Christ’s, and he will reign forever and ever.” and we will reign with Him!
We have a treasure stored up that rust cannot consume, moths cannot destroy, and thieves cannot steal; a treasure kept for us in heaven.
We have our own house in heaven that the money of this world cannot buy.
We have citizenship in the Kingdom of God, a passport to heaven!
We have our name written in the Book of Life! (not on a dirty sidewalk)
And when you see who you are, when you see the riches of Christ as a treasure greater than all the treasures of Egypt, as Moses saw it, then you will not have any itch for the devil to scratch for you.
Jesus knew who He was. God the Father said:
“You are my beloved Son; I delight in you”
You need to know who you are:
Romans 8:16–17“16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
Conclusion
Jesus knew who he was, he didn't need to prove ANYTHING to the Devil! …
Tell the Devil, I know who I am; I know what I do; I know what I have."
What is temptation? Temptation is Satan coming to try to satisfy a legitimate desire in an illegitimate way.
Friend, you don't have to do that.
The Bible says that all things are yours. The meek will inherit the earth. We are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ”
Do not exchange true treasures for the Devil's dirt.
The devil is a dirty liar who wants to steal, kill and destroy.
You need to understand who you are, what you have in the Lord Jesus.
If you keep these 5 principles in your heart: Affiliation - Submission -
Empowerment of HS - Word of God - Satisfaction - the devil will never be able to steal, kill and destroy you. Because Jesus is both the example and the power to guarantee us victory!
Let's pray: Heads are bowed and eyes are closed. Let's start with the first Principle.
Sonship, becoming a son, a daughter of God. If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, I want to guide you in this decision. Open your heart and know this. …
1. God loves you and wants you to have eternal life.
1. God loves you and wants you to have eternal life.
The Bible says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16*). The Bible also says, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8*).
2. You are sinful, and your sin separates you from God.
2. You are sinful, and your sin separates you from God.
The Bible says, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23*). Sin separates us from God, for the Bible says, But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2*).
3. Only in Jesus Christ can forgiveness of sin and salvation be yours.
3. Only in Jesus Christ can forgiveness of sin and salvation be yours.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6*). You must believe God loved us so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to provide the way of salvation and that on the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 10:9)
Right now you may be thinking, “I already believe these things.” Well, the Bible teaches it is not a matter of just believing, for the devils also believe, and tremble (James 2:19b*). Simply believing Adolf Hitler lived and died doesn’t make you a Nazi, and believing Jesus Christ lived and died doesn’t make you a Christian. You must act upon what you believe.
4. You must repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
4. You must repent and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
It is not enough to agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died on the cross for your sins and rose again. You must repent of your sins. Jesus said to be saved you must repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15*). Repent means to tum away from your selfishness and sin and turn control of your life over to Jesus Christ. If you sense your need to repent of your sins and be saved, that is the Holy Spirit drawing you to Christ. Jesus said no one can come to Him unless the Father draws him (John 6:44*).
If you will pray the following prayer right now, or pray in your own words, telling God you are repenting of your sins and inviting Jesus Christ into your heart, you can receive Him today as your Lord and Savior. The words are not as important as what you mean in your heart. Jesus said a man at the temple simply prayed, God be merciful to me a sinner and went to his house justified, or saved (Luke 18:13–14*).
Dear Lord,
I know I have sinned. Right now, I repent of my sins and ask for Your forgiveness. I ask Jesus to be my Lord, to control my life, and to help me become the person You want me to be. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross so I could be forgiven. Amen.
Now, share your decision with someone
