Dealing with temptation

Antidote for temptation and distraction

Scripture reading

New International Version (2011) Chapter 4

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted v by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Offer a word of Prayer

In the textJesus:

-was led by the spirit so his father could give a revelation and he would share it with us

-when He was led it meant that he was drawn by the spirit- our fleshly bodies tell us that we are drawn to eat, and if we don’t want to live in a life of severe poverty we are drawn to go to work everyday,

-The scripture tells us he was led to a place of solitude where He could grow spiritually

-example movies Clark Kent goes to the phone booth and comes out superman ,in nature a caterpillar builds a cocoon and comes out a butterfly. Jesus went in as a young apprentice and came out as our Savoir

My point is that fasting changes you here are some of the characteristics of that change

-a deep cleanse takes place both spiritually and physically on the physical side harmful toxins are released from the body (example using mom) on the spiritual side Jesus was sharping his sword Eph 6:17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: During that time of fasting He was preparing for his battle with Satan And during that orientation with the Father Jesus was able to follow what it says in Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,”

Some us look upon that race as a spectator sport-we read about it in the bible and hear it in church but we don’t get involved.

-After forty days of fasting Jesus was truly hungry and could have turned the stones into bread because after all he turned water into wine

Satan knew that Jesus was hungry so he started there but he didn’t consider that our Savior had given himself to being enriched by the spirit of God By enriched I mean that He was added to daily with knowledge from above. With us

-But he took a stand and said: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Just like Jesus took a stand we can also take a stand but we have to be spiritually prepared Matthew 16:18 tells us

King James Version Chapter 16

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Our foundation is prayer when Satan confronted Jesus the answers that he gave overshadowed any enticements from the devil because he had spent 40 days beforehand in prayer and fasting

1 Thess 5:17pray continually,

Col 4:2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

you see prayer is the pilings that go deep into the soil witch gives our spiritual temples stability

Fasting is that concrete that is poured out over the pilings of prayer that levels everything and provides further stability.

Isa 58:6–7Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, And to let the oppressed go free, And that ye break every yoke? 

Dan 9:3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Acts 13:2–3As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

When you fast and pray its like being in a quiet place with you and the Lord, no outside interferences of television, or other things that occupy our time.

fasting