Temptation

How to Have Victory Over Temptation.

Temptation

do you struggle

do you fail

Want recipe

for success

Watch Jesus...

Context...

Just finished Baptism

Led by Spirit

Matthew 4:1 ESV

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Baptism

does not protect you

Spirit Leading into Temptation?

God does not tempt

James 1:13 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Why would the spirit

lead him here?

Mark more emphatic

Mark 1:12 ESV

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.

Spirit drove him

to wilderness

not to temptation

Yes, temptation awaits

God knows.

How do prepare?

1. Fasting

Matthew 4:2 ESV

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Key defense

against temptation:

FASTING!

Tempted whole time:

Mark 1:12–13 ESV

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Tempted the whole time

fasting whole time.

He was Hungry

Matthew 4:2 ESV

And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Hungry

Hangry

Do not recommend

fasting for 40

Angels helped them.

Why 40 days?

Elijah Fasted

Moses Fasted

Nineveh Judgment

Spies in Canaan

Flood Rain

Symbol

God’s Power

Fasting typically

makes stronger

Spiritually.

Verses about fasting

In Tune with God

Acts 13:2 ESV

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

God Spoke to them..

Acts 14:23 ESV

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

2. Repentance or Surrender

(Humility)

Joel 2:12 (ESV)

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

Like Nineveh

Jonah 3:5 ESV

And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

3. Clear Mind

Daniel 1:12 ESV

“Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

After 3 years...

Daniel 1:20 ESV

And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

Simple food

Wisdom

4. Special Prayer

Esther 4:16 ESV

“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

Power of fasting...

lost discipline

in our culture.

Fasting is good

But...

Limits to it...

40 days!!!

Don’t recommend...

Angels helped them...

Satan comes at

weakest point...

Opportune time

At end of temptations

Jesus wins

Satan loses

Satan leaves

Key words...

Luke 4:13 (ESV)

And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Opportune time

Satan is not finished

He will be back

When?

Opportune time

He comes to us

the same way.

Tools Against Temptation

Fasting

Second tool:

2. Limit the Opportune Times

There is always moments

you know when

he comes knocking.

Find ways to decrease

your openness to attack.

1st Temptation

Matthew 4:3 ESV

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

Few key ideas

Many temptations

for Jesus

“If”

“If You Are the Son of God”

What is say?

prove it.

How?

Use supernatural power

for your own good.

Rock to bread?

IDK about you,

Not a temptation

I struggle with.

Don’t have power

to do that...

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Tempted like us.

Temped unlike us...

Temped to fail

use your power...

for yourself...

Tools Against Temptation

Fasting

Limit Opportune Times

Jesus responds

3rd key.

3. “It is Written”

Matthew 4:4 ESV

But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Every temptation

Jesus answers:

“It Is Written”

Power in Word

Devotions

Study it

Memorize it

sword of spirit

use it

Tools Against Temptation

Fasting

Limit Opportune Times

It Is Written

2nd Temptation

Matthew 4:5–6 ESV

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 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.’ ”

What is the temptation here?

Jump!

Once again:

“If you are the son of God”

Satan continues

use your power

This one different

we could be

tempted by this idea.

Presumption.

come back to that.

Look what Satan does...

Satan goes to church

Satan knows scripture!!!

Saw Jesus weapon

Scripture

Used against Him...

Quotes two verses...

twisted

misquoted

Quote whole passage

Psalm 91:1–12 (ESV)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes

and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—

the Most High, who is my refuge—

no evil shall be allowed to befall you,

no plague come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Does it teach:

jump off building?

Leaves out part

of the verse:

“to guard you in all your ways”

Teaching?

Jesus protect you

in all your ways.

Throughout day.

throughout life.

Jumping from building...

Not part of package!!!

Just because someone

has a verse,

does not make

them correct.

Requirement,

know your word.

Satan will use

it against you.

If you don’t know it.

can’t see through lies...

False teachings.

Presumption

Back to Presumption.

How does satan use

presumption today?

Jesus answer:

Matthew 4:7 ESV

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

Scripture again.

applicable text.

Don’t test God.

Premeditated Sin

God will forgive you.

Really?

If you survive it…?

3rd Temptation

Matthew 4:8–9 ESV

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Observations

Satan doesn’t get tired.

Always new ideas.

Tools Against Temptation

Fasting

Limit Opportune Times

It Is Written

Fourth key:

4. Understand How Temptation Works.

James 1:14–15 ESV

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Desire with us.

Jesus knew

prophecies about king

who he could be

should be

human desire

to be king...

He WAS king

Jesus was tempted.

wasn’t a play.

He could have failed.

Orientation

people constantly asking me

Same-sex attraction.

Orientation is Temptation.

All humans have

broken orientation

all oriented toward sin.

James 1:14–15 ESV

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Desire is in us!!!

We are all broken

Oriented wrongly.

Orientation is not sin

Orientation is temptation.

We all have choice

will a practice

this temptation

Or choose

deny my orientation

deny my desire

choose Christ’s will.

Back to Christ’s Temptation

Matthew 4:8–9 ESV

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Luke reads

slightly different:

Luke 4:6 ESV

and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.

Whose Authority?

“to you I will give all this authority”

Whose was it?

Satan says

it is his

and

“It has been delivered to me”

Adam and Eve lost it.

Job walking to and fro

Have the World

Gain the Whole World

Jesus said:

Mark 8:36 ESV

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

Temptation here:

gain whole world.

have it all.

What must he do

to have world?

Satan said:

“Fall down and worship me”

Christians do that today.

Interesting

verse about

gain world

lose soul

Read in context:

Cost of discipleship.

Mark 8:34–37 ESV

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Cost of discipleship?

What doe it cost

to be follower

of Jesus?

Everything

you life.

Yet surprise

if you give it

to Jesus

get life back.

Give it to Satan

lose it all.

Tools Against Temptation

Fasting

Limit Opportune Times

It Is Written

Understand How Temptation Works

Jesus had enough.

Next words:

5th tool...

5. Be Gone Satan

Matthew 4:10 ESV

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”

“It is written”

AGAIN

Want to be successful

spend time in word!

Be Gone

Leave

You have not power here.

John 14:30–31 ESV

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

By God’s grace

though his power.

You can say,

Be Gone, Satan!

Conclusion

Temptation are tough

we are all broken

Satan is coming for us.

Appeal

By God’s grace

Through His power

Be an overcomer

Like Jesus

Use the Tools:

Tools Against Temptation

Fasting

Limit Opportune Times

It Is Written

Understand How Temptation Works

Be Gone Satan