Fighting Temptation

Introduction

https://www.npr.org/2019/02/24/697185878/the-chicken-is-local-but-was-it-happy-gps-now-tells-the-life-story-of-your-poult GPS on poultry? There’s coming a day that I will walk into Chik-fil-a, order a sandwich, and they will give me a picture of the chicken who gave his life along with a log of what he did on a daily basis.

Obsessed with guarding our health but what about our souls?

- Devil prows like roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

- we wrestle with spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places.

- No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man - At every corner, temptation - the enticement to sin. How do we guard ourselves from temptation?

In OT - at every turn, people giving into temptation. Ends rather hopeless - will we ever win the battle?

NT - the beginning of the Good News (Mark) - the birth of a child - history is about to change. The battle will be won - - the curse will be reversed.

Jesus’ whole life is a battle with the serpent - - opening rounds of the battle - Jesus tempted just like we are yet overcomes.

Look at how Jesus is tempted. On surface, “These aren’t the temptations I face!” But, these temptations are at the core of every temptation you face. I want you to know the enemy’s playbook, and how to overcome when you are tempted. 3 ways we’re tempted and how to overcome:

We are tempted to fulfill our wants apart from God’s will.

Four hundred years after the close of the NT, Jesus was born. Finally, hope!

And, in the wilderness, hope is proclaimed! John the Baptist - “Prepare the way!”

Right before temptation - Baptism of Jesus - Spirit of God descends on Jesus - His ministry will be empowered by the Spirit. Father speaks: “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased.”

After baptism, the Beloved Son driven into the wilderness by the Spirit. For 40 days Jesus fasts and prays. The struggle - Alone at finish line during victory - how much more a struggle when alone in suffering - The wilderness (picture) - a place of failure for Israel - unable to be faithful in the wilderness. Would Jesus be able to do what Israel was not able to do?

End of 40 days - hungry - understatement!

Satan - the serpent of - now in the wilderness not garden - Satan’s strategy does not change. To Eve: “Did God really say?” To Jesus, “Are you really the Son of God?” Calling doubt - what will Jesus do? Will He fail?

Jesus in a wasteland - no vegetation, water is scarce, heat, etc. A place to die - not live. He’s not in Eden! Not surrounded by lush vegetation or a river. No companion. If Adam and Eve couldn’t stand temptation in the lush garden of Eden, how could Jesus stand the serpent in a wasteland after not eating or drinking for 40 days?

BUT Jesus very different than Adam and Eve - fully human () but fully God, and Satan knows it. Satan knows Jesus on a rescue mission. He’s got to stop him early.

“If you are the Son of God - turn the stones into bread. You know what you need, and you have the power to have it.” In other words, “Your Father is holding out on you. He must not really love you. Use your power to get what you need. Take care of yourself because your Father will not.” Jesus didn’t come to use His power to get what He wanted. He came to give His life away, not get for Himself. This wasn’t the way!

The response: the Word: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” () Jesus’ Father sustained Him, not bread. Jesus knew the Father had Him in the wilderness to prepare Him for greater suffering that would lead to ultimate victory.

You might not be tempted to turn stone into bread, but you are tempted to do everything in your power to get what you want when you want.

I want acceptance and approval so I’ll put myself in bad relationships to gain the acceptance.

I want pleasure now - so I’ll look at pornography or have an inappropriate relationship to gain momentary pleasure.

I want relief from my suffering now. I’m walking away from my bad marriage, bad job, etc. I’m giving up instead of enduring.

I’m .

We believe the lie: “God is holding out on me so I’ll do life my way.” God is not holding out - He may not be giving you what you want to teach you to trust, to teach you patience, or to keep you from something that might ultimately might not be what’s best for you.

We are tempted to pursue good things that will cost us God.

The enemy took Jesus to a high place and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. “Worship me and you can have it all now.”

Satan - the Lie: I have authority to give you what you want - worship me.

This is what Jesus came for! To rule over the nations! Lie of the enemy: “You know what the Father wants for you! You can have it without doing it His way!”

This is what Jesus came for! To rule over the nations! Lie of the enemy: “You know what you came for! Have it by doing it my way!”

Think about how enticing - a shortcut! Jesus to be worshiped by all that nations without suffering! Without a cross! Without a gruesome death! BUT, to shortcut God’s will would in essence be to worship the enemy that He came to defeat. Satan - have a good thing without God.

Jesus responds with Scripture: () - Worship God alone.

What are you tempted to pursue that will cost you God? What good things is the enemy dangling before you saying, “You can have this now but it will cost you God...”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2385226/American-tourist-accidentally-snaps-finger-600-year-old-marble-statue-Florence-museum.html So enticing - but no consideration of the cost.

You’re pursuing a relationship that has cost you God - so consumed with a person that it has taken you away from the Lord.

You’re pursuing a relationship that has cost you God - so consumed with a person that it has taken you away from the Lord.

You’re pursuing accomplishments that have cost you God - trying so hard to leave your mark that it’s left you little time and energy for God.

You’re pursuing wealth - financial independence - it has cost you God.

The whole point of life is loving and obeying God - even if that means that you put aside your pursuit of a good thing for what is better - a loving, fruitful relationship with the God of all creation.

Some of us have paid the price to get that good thing, and now we’re empty. We have the accomplishments but a hollow relationship with God.

We are tempted to let our circumstances shape our faith rather than God’s Word.

Satan knows Jesus knows the Word - so he manipulates. Put him at pinnacle of temple in Jerusalem. Satan quotes - Messianic Psalm - but Satan twists it. “If you’re the Messiah, your Father will protect you. He can’t let you die. Prove who you are by throwing yourself off the temple. Prove God’s Word to be true.”

The temptation: Prove God to be true - If he loves you, certainly He will act. If He doesn’t He must not love you.

Jesus - - “You shall not put God to the test.”

You’ve been in situations where you’ve been tempted to say, “God, prove it! If you love me, come through for me. Answer my pray in this way, etc. And, if God doesn’t prove Himself in the way you want, He must not love me.” Yet, you His past faithfulness. You forget that His Word has promised you He will be faithful. There will be times that God may not do for you what you want Him to do, but that doesn’t mean He is not faithful.

“God’s not going to come through.” So, you think, “If He doesn’t come through, He must not love me.” Yet, you forget all the times He’s been faithful to you. You forget that His Word has promised you He will be faithful. There will be times that God do for you what you want Him to do, but that doesn’t mean He is not faithful.

When you face temptations, how do you overcome?

See Jesus as your example. You have the same resources He has:

The Love of the Father - In Christ, you are God’s beloved. Satan wants you to forget who you are! Don’t believe the lie of the enemy that God is holding out or that He doesn’t care for you. You are assured of His love.

The Word of God - Do you know it? Not simply facts about the Word, but do you meditate on it - let it fill you? The more you grow in the Word the more you become like Christ. You won’t be sinless but you will sin less.

The Spirit - God’s Spirit dwells in you. You are not in the battle alone. Cooperate with His work. Pray and trust.

Jesus not alone - nor are you.

See Jesus as your substitute:

Why do you have the love of the Father, the power of the Word, and the power of the Spirit? Because Jesus was your substitute. You need the example of Jesus in the wilderness, but you need more than an example.

The Gospel: “Jesus in my place.” He succeeded where we fell!

Adam and Eve fell in the garden, believed lies of Satan. Jesus doesn’t! He succeeds in our place! Paul calls Jesus the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)

Israel fell in the wilderness, and you will fail in your place of testing and temptation. But, Jesus succeeds in our place!

Jesus lived the life that Adam was supposed to live - that Israel was supposed to live - that we were supposed to live! He said “yes” where we should have said “yes.” He said “no” where we should have said “no.”

We’ve all asked, “Am I good enough?” No! But, Jesus was good enough for you. He obeyed in your place.

He died in your place. You should have died for your rebellion - but the perfect Son of God took your sin upon Himself and in exchange His good life was placed on you. You are justified through faith! He rose proving that His death was sufficient to cover our sins.

Jesus is your example - and you need an example. You need to know how to overcome temptation. But, more importantly, you need a substitute - because you will never overcome temptation perfectly.

- Jesus is our way of escape!

When you see Jesus as your substitute - you’ll change - you’ll be confident in your identity and won’t believe the lies of Satan. You’ll want to know His Word and apply it. You’ll allow the Spirit to grow you so you can stand the attacks of the enemy.

Not a follower: Look to Jesus! Trust Him!

Follower: you’ve fallen, get up! You’re still loved. Start obeying. Tempted? Run to the Word - put yourself in a place to experience God’s protection in temptation.