40Forward Week 2

Tonight I want to pick up where we left off last week.

If you recall, we were looking at the temptations of Jesus. A 40 day wilderness adventure that Jesus went prior to beginning his ministry. 40 days where God prepared Jesus for the work he would accomplish in the next three years.

And as we learned last week, it was a time of testing and temptation for Jesus.

A time when Satan would tempt Jesus to see if He really was who He claimed to be.

And a time for testing, as God allowed the temptations to take place in order to prove that Jesus is exactly who He says He is.

And a time for testing, as God allowed the temptations to prove that Jesus is exactly who He says He is.

And the reason we are looking at these temptations, is because as we approach Easter, if we want to accomplish what God has called us to do, we too need to be prepared.

But what we have to remember is, part of preparation means overcoming the challenges the enemy may through our way. Because the last thing Satan wants is for you and I to be effective Christians.

That being said, we need to understand how he operates.

Last week we learned, one of the ways the enemy operates, is by trying to get us to put our hope in what this world offers us or what we can do for ourselves.

We saw this as after 40 days of fasting, Satan tempted Jesus to turn some stones into bread.

And while Jesus was hungry and could have done that, He didn’t. Why? Because Jesus knew, if He was going to accomplish God’s plan, He had to be completely reliant on God’s provision, and not on what He could do. He had to trust that God would be His ultimate provider in a time of need.

And the same is true for us. Because before we can ever do anything truly great for God, we must learn to trust Him in every area of our life.

To learn to trust Him with our finances.

To learn to trust Him with our marriage.

To learn to trust Him in our parenting.

And the list goes on.

Because if we can’t trust Him to provide in those areas, how will we ever trust Him when life gets really heard. When living for Jesus maybe even becomes a life or death situation, as it would eventually for Jesus.

So, that’s where we were last week as Jesus passed the first test.

This now leads us to the second test and our focus for tonight. Because after Jesus refused to make bread out of stones, Satan presents another temptation to Jesus. Let’s read about it as we go back to . Matthew writes:

Matthew 4:5–7 ESV

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Matthew 4:

Matthew says after the first failed attempt at tripping up Jesus, Satan moves to the next temptation which involves taking Jesus to a high point on the temple known as the pinnacle of the temple. And there, he issues a challenge to Jesus. And the challenge is to take a noise dive and see if God miraculously saves Him.

Because if He is who He says He is, then God’s going to save Him. And just to add some fire to the challenge, Satan even quotes a Bible verse to spur Jesus on. So, what verse does he quote? It’s found in where the Psalmist writes:

Psalm 91:11–12 ESV

11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

So, why this Psalm? Satan quotes this Psalm because on the surface it seems to imply that if we need to put God to the test, we can. That if we have a need or want God to act, we have the power to manipulate Him into action.

Let me give you a couple of examples of how this might work:

For example, let’s say you’re not feeling well, and you go to the doctor, and he tells you you have a life threatening illness that requires surgery. A surgery that’s going to set you back financially, cause you to miss a lot of work, but will save your life.

But instead of having the surgery, you say, “You know what. I don’t believe God wants me to be sick or spend that kind of money. I’m not going to have the surgery, because I’m believing that God is going to heal me.”

Now, some might call that faith. But what it really is, is you testing God. You trying to put God in a situation where He has to help you, or you’re going to die. A situation where instead of trusting God to provide the finances you need for the surgery, you’re letting it all ride on God stepping in and saving you in the way you want Him to save you.

Now, please hear me, I’m not saying we shouldn’t have faith for healing. What I’m saying is we should never try and corner God and box Him into doing something our way instead of His way.

Another example would be you needing food for groceries, but you don’t have any money in your account. And so you decide to go to Walmart, fill your cart up, and write a bad check, believing that God is going to miraculously put money in your account.

Again, some might say, “That’s faith in action.” No, that’s stupidity in action. That’s you trying to manipulate God into providing something in the way you want Him too.

This is what Satan is trying to get Jesus to do. He wants Jesus to test God and manipulate God.

So, how does Jesus respond? Matthew tells us:

Matthew 4:7 ESV

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Without even thinking about it, Jesus fires back. And just like Satan quoted a verse, Jesus quotes one. But Jesus’s quote comes from , where Moses says to the people of Israel:

Deuteronomy 6:16 ESV

16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.

Jesus says, “Satan, the Bible also says, “Don’t put the Lord God to the test.”

So, why this passage? Jesus quotes this passage because it’s in reference to a situation the Israelites found themselves in. A situation where they tested God. How do I know that? I know because Jesus makes reference to a testing that took place at Massah. A situation found in . So, let’s jump over to and find out what happened. Beginning in verse 1 we read:

-17

Exodus 17:1–7 ESV

1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

So, what’s going on here?

So, a great question at this point would be, “What exactly is going on here and how does this apply to us?”

So, a great question at this point would be, “What exactly is going on here and how does this apply to us?”

What’s going on here is another example of how Satan tries to trip God’s people up.

What’s going on here, is at this point in their wilderness journey, the people should have known God was going to take care of them. After all, He had parted the Red Sea. He was going before them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He had provided Manna from heaven for them everyday since their journey had started. The point being, God had always provided for them.

But now they are doubting God. Now they are saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Because now they’re in a place where there is no water. And instead of trusting God to take care of them as He always had, they are refusing to wait. They want water now. They want God to answer now. So they start a protest against God. And they say, “Is God even with us? We should have stayed in Egypt. Where is this God that is supposed to be taking care of us. Does He even exist?”

You see, “Testing God” is demanding or expecting him to do something special for you, something you haven’t earned, don’t even deserve, or that God isn’t ready to do in your life at this point.

The New American Commentary: Exodus 9. More Grumbling and Water at Massah-Meribah (17:1–7)

In saying to the people, “Why do you put the LORD to the test,” Moses showed that he knew that the protest represented an attempt to manipulate God.

And what it is, is a slap in the face of God’s goodness. It’s you or I questioning God and his ability to provide for our needs. Like God has something to prove to us or something.

The New American Commentary: Exodus 9. More Grumbling and Water at Massah-Meribah (17:1–7)

The people should have known by then that God would provide their needs. He had done so consistently throughout the plagues and their aftermath and most recently in providing both food and water supernaturally for them. The day of this current protest, after all, was one more day on which the people had been able to gather manna to feed themselves and their animals. What they were doing was refusing to wait for God to take care of them. Instead, soon after finding no drinkable water and having learned that their prior protests got results, they were launching a protest parallel to those of the past, thus testing God.

This happens in human relationships all the time. For example, a young couple starts dating, and one of the individuals has a need, so they say, “If you really loved me you would do this for me.” As if all you’ve done prior to that didn’t prove your love. So, now they are testing your love. They are manipulating you into doing something to prove your love and loyalty to them.

This is what the people of Israel did to God, and it’s what Satan is trying to get Jesus to do to God. He’s saying, “Come on Jesus, let’s put God to the test. Let’s see how much He really loves you. Let’s see if really believes in you. Let’s see if he’ll respond to your immediate need in the way you want Him too.”

But Jesus will have no part of it as He refutes Satan’s challenge with God’s Word.

So, at this point, a great question would be, “What is this saying and how does it apply to us?”

It applies

I think it’s saying several things to us that we need to be aware of when it comes to the enemy:

#1 - When Satan attacks, he’s persistent.

Meaning, when Satan fails the first time with Jesus, he quickly moves onto another opportunity to try and trip Jesus up.

And don’t think for a second he won’t do that with you. You see, the challenge for us, is we tend to see a victory in a circumstance as the end of our challenge. But the reality is, the enemy doesn’t give up that easily. Because every time you learn to trust God in a new way, the enemy is going to come at another angle.

And so while there’s nothing wrong with celebrating the victories, we need to remember another battle lies ahead.

#2 - Satan knows how to use God’s word against us.

How do I know? I know because he just did it to Jesus. Which makes him a dangerous foe. Because not only does he know God’s Word, he knows how to manipulate it. He knows how to take God’s word and twist it into saying something it doesn’t. Satan knows how to take it out of context.

That’s why reading our Bibles is so important. We need to know what God’s Word actually says, so that when the enemy tries to manipulate God’s Word, like Jesus, we can quickly refute it by pointing to the truth.

And if I”m being frank with you, this is one of the major problems in the American church today. Because sadly we live in a Biblically illiterate culture where people call themselves Christians but have no idea what God’s Word actually says.

And as a result, many Christians end living based on what somebody has told them, or on their own beliefs of spirituality and morality, trusting that God will fit the mold they’ve created for Him. And In essence what they are doing is jumping off the pinnacle as they ignorantly try to manipulate God into being what they think He should be. Why? Because they don’t know what God’s word actually says. And Satan is counting on that.

For example, this happens to young people all the time when it comes to premarital sex, as they buy into the lie that sex is something that isn’t just for marriage, but for any person you desire. And so they jump off the Pinnacle believing that somehow God is going to bless their relationship regardless of what his word says.

This happens when a man or woman commits infidelity, as they buy into the lie that God wants us to be happy with somebody whose not their spouse. And so they jump off the Pinnacle believing that somehow God is going to bless this new relationship regardless of what His word says.

This happens financially as the paycheck comes, bills are assessed, and the tithe is neglected as the Christian buys into the idea that they can do more with 100% than God can do with 90%. So they jump off the Pinnacle believing that somehow God is going to bless their finances regardless of what His Word says.

Do you see how this works? Satan loves it when we buy his lies and manipulation of scripture. He loves it when we put God to the test.

Satan loves it when we do that, because we are putting God to the test.

#3 - Satan doesn’t want us to wait on God’s timing and provision.

You see, what we need to understand, is there would come a time in Jesus’s life where He would want God to rescue Him. A time where it would be tempting to try and manipulate God into stepping in and saving Him.

Want to guess when that time would be. On the cross, right? A moment when Jesus would be suffering. A moment when all hope seemed lost. A moment when every fiber in Jesus’s flesh would have been crying out, “Do something God! Are you even here?”

But Jesus didn’t do that. Instead, He waited on God’s timing and provision. He waited until God was ready to act. A moment that wouldn’t come until 3 days later when God raised Jesus from the dead.

Imagine what would have happened if Jesus had tried to manipulate God into getting Him off that cross. Imagine if He had put God to the test. What do you think the outcome would have been for Jesus? What do you think the outcome would have been for us.

Here’s what we need to understand. When it comes to your life and the challenges you face, more than anything Satan wants you to test God. He doesn’t want you to trust God for His timing. He doesn’t want you to trust God for His provision.

And

What he wants is for you to forget all that God has done for you in the past, and focus on what He’s not doing for you now. In your moment of need. In your moment of pain. In that moment Satan wants you to test and manipulate God.

#4 - Satan wants you to doubt God.

What Satan really wants is for you to lose total trust in what God has promised to do for you. He wants you to get frustrated with God. He wants you to question God. He wants you to bring God’s goodness and His promises into question.

He wants you to ask yourself, “If God isn’t helping me today, how can I trust Him to help me tomorrow.”

#5 - The only way to beat the manipulation, is to know God’s Word.

The New American Commentary: Exodus 9. More Grumbling and Water at Massah-Meribah (17:1–7)

“Testing God” is demanding or expecting him to do something special for you, something you haven’t earned and don’t per se deserve

The New American Commentary: Exodus 9. More Grumbling and Water at Massah-Meribah (17:1–7)

Testing God always involves some degree of doubt about whether or not one’s present circumstances are all that one deserves and whether or not God could or should have done a better job of providing one’s needs.

I think it’s important to note, that when Satan tried to manipulate scripture. When Satan tried to get Jesus to manipulate God’s timing and provision. When Satan tried to get Jesus to doubt God’s Word. Jesus responds by quoting God’s Word. In other words, He overcomes the lies, the manipulation, and the doubt by speaking the truth.

And what was true for Jesus must be true for us as well. Because there is not getting around the attack of the enemy. He’s coming. He’s persistent. He’s a liar. He’s manipulative. And He wants to disrupt God’s plan and purpose for your life.

So, if you want to be ready, then you need to know what God’s Word says. Because God’s truth exposes the darkness. God’s truth reminds us of what God has really said. God’s truth keeps us from jumping off the Pinnacle. God’s truth keeps us planted and moving forward in God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

MCF, I don’t know how the enemy is going to try and discourage or derail in your life. But what I do know is we need to be prepared. Prepared to trust God no matter what. Prepared to wait for his timing and provision. Prepared as we continue to dig deep into God’s Word and allow His truth to lead and guide us. Because I know if we do that, then there’s nothing the enemy can do to derail us.

So, as we go to our prayer time tonight, I want to challenge you with a question to pray through.

Question - Are there any areas in your life where you’re trying to manipulate God?

In other words, areas where you’ve grown impatient with God. Areas where you’ve allowed worry, doubt, and fear to creep in. Areas where you’ve maybe even begun to question the goodness of God. Areas where you’ve been tempted to jump off the Pinnacle regardless of what God’s Word says.

Maybe it’s a financial Pinnacle.

Maybe it’s a relationship Pinnacle.

Maybe it’s a health Pinnacle.

It’s probably different for all of us. Something we’re trying to manipulate or get God to move on outside of his timing. Outside of His provision. Outside of our trust in Him. What is that for you?

Whatever that is, for the next few moments, I want to encourage you to lay that pinnacle before the Lord. To confess your lack of trust. To confess your impatience. To confess your worry and fear. And to ask God to help you to hold steady. To ask Him to remind you of how He’s always come through. Trusting that He will always be faithful, no matter what.

Let’s Pray