Intro.    -Someone who sets a pattern in life or in a game

            -Based on the pattern, you can know how they will operate somewhat. 

            -“Peeped their hold card.”

            -The Bible shows us a pattern that Satan uses in tempting us.

I.                    The Tools of Satan (The Tempter)  (I John 2:16)

A.     The Lust of the flesh

1.      The evil desire of the natural man

B.     Lust of the eyes

1.      Pleasant to the eyes.  Used to incite evil and sin.

C.     The Pride of Life

1.      arrogance over ones circumstances

2.      Produces haughtiness and exaggeration

3.      Parading what one posses in order to impress others.

II.                 Temptation

A.     Lets look at it from the beginning.  (Gen 3: 1-6)

1.      v. 1 – Brings Question and Doubt about what God said.

2.      v. 4 – Satan just flat out lies.

3.      v. 5 – The skin of truth cover the consequences of the lie.

4.      v. 6 – Satan set it up.  Now his tools could take effect.

a.       Good for food.  –God never said it was good for food. Lust of the flesh.

b.      Pleasant to the eyes.  Gazing on the forbidden will stir up evil desire.  Lust of the eyes.

c.       Desirable to make one wise.  Wanting to parade something that God has not given permission for.  The Pride of life.

-Adam and Eve were deceived and didn’t pass the test of obedience.

B.     Another leader Tempted.  (Matt 4:1-7)

1.      Background

2.      Led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

3.      40 days & 40 nights (Moses and Elijah)

4.      He was hungry. 

a.       This shows Jesus’ Humanity.

b.      This also shows use that Jesus was vulnerable.

5.      Command that these stones become bread.

a.       Take matters into your own hands

b.      Hungry – Fulfill your own needs.

c.       Cheat!  Use divine power for human escape. 

1.      If Christ did he would not be able to say that he was “tempted in all points.”  This would undermine his mission.

6.      “It is written”  - Jesus combats Satan with scripture.  Not oil, threats, …

**Where did Jesus quote from?

-Deut. 8:1-3

III.               The Test

A.     Humble you

B.     Test You

C.     To know what was in our heart

D.     Allow you to hunger – Allowed you to be vulnerable.

E.      Fed You – With something that you would have never thought of.

F.      Not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

1.      Manna came at God’s command, so it wasn’t the bread that kept them alive but the Word that God commanded.

IV.              Test continued  (Matt 4:5-7)

A.     Throw yourself down.

1.      Satan said “It is written” -Twisted the scripture (Ps. 91:11,12)

2.      Tried to use a passage about trusting God to justify testing Him.

B.     “It is written again” (Duet. 6:16)

C.     If Jesus tempts God, He would sin and thus undermine his mission

D.    The pride of life.

V.                 Last Test

A.     “I will give you…If you fall down and worship me.

B.     Fall down and submit.  Make it evident.

C.     Lust of the eyes

D.    Away with you Satan.  “It is written”  -(Duet. 6:13,14)

E.     Worship God only.

VI.              Triumph  (Matt 4:11)

A.     The devil left.  “Resist the devil and he shall flee.”

B.     The very scripture Satan twisted is now fulfilled.  Angels ministered.

C.  v.17 Here we see the mission.  “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at Hand.”