Facing Temptation Head-On

8/09/2009

Facing Temptation Head-on

Matthew 4:1-11

Introduction-

Talk to you a moment about temptation.

How to identify it and how to overcome it.

There is not one of us who has not been tempted.

There is not one of us who hasn’t given in to temptation.

There is not one of us who does not regret something they have done after being tempted.

Matthew 4:1-11 Read

We quickly realize that this is a passage of how Jesus handled extreme temptation directly from Satan.

If your not careful, you can say . Well, He’s God and I’m not.

I am not able to handle it that well.

There is a reason that this is given as the model and we will see in a minute why.

Remember, we have to take Scripture in context and as a whole and not make it say something that it shouldn’t.

We see that before Jesus went face to face with Satan, there was some powerful events that happened before.

He was baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. God the Father acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God and that He loves Him and is pleased with Him.

We read He is filled with the Spirit of God before He goes into the desert

Luke 4:1- Jesus full of the Holy Spirit returning from the Jordan was led by the Spirit into the desert.

I recommend before you do battle with Hell and it’s dominions that you have been in the presence of God Almighty and that you are filled to overflowing with the Spirit of God active and working in your life.

We know that Jesus was on a 40 day fast.

The purpose behind a spiritual fast was not to lose weight. It was to take the time that would be given to eating and devote that time to prayer.

So Jesus was prayed up and ready for his battle with the devil.

Prayed up not fed up. Physically hungry but Spiritually full.

Mark records in Mark Chapter one only that after God the Father fills Him with the Spirit, at once He was led to the desert where he was tempted for 40 days.

All the gospels record the event, all record that before He was going devil stumping, He was filled with the Spirit.

We see recorded that after the temptation Jesus ministry exploded and we see people healed, lives changed, we see the disciples called.

We know later that 120 people in the upper room waited for the Spirit to fall on hem and they were changed , they were different.

So how do we model and apply what happened to Jesus?

Someone said:

I wouldn’t be tempted, if temptation was not so tempting.

We don’t need to be lead to temptation- just tell us where it is at, we’ll find it.

Flip Wilson “Devil made me do it” and commented later, ever since then, I’ve been doing it on my own.

Oscar Wilde- “I can resist anything but temptation.”

Realize this-

You do not need to be pushed around by temptation.

If you will overcome temptation.

1. Refuse to be intimidated.

2. Realize temptation when it comes and be prepared.

Illustration- (Sermon Central)

Before the services started, the townspeople were sitting in their pews and talking about their lives, their families. Suddenly, the Devil himself appeared at the front of the congregation. Everyone started screaming and running for the front entrance, trampling each other in a frantic effort to get away from the evil incarnate. Soon everyone was evacuated from the church, except for one gentlemen who sat calmly on his own, not moving , seemingly oblivious to the fact that God’s ultimate enemy was in his presence. Now this confused Satan a bit, so he walked up to the man and said, “Don’t you know who I am” “Yep, I sure do” Aren’t you afraid of me? Nope, sure ain’t, said the man. Satan was a little perturbed at this and asked, why aren’t you afraid of me? The man calmly replied, been married to your sister for over 30 years.

Obvious, noone here is married to his sister.

Temptation will overcome you if left to your own strength.

I want you to see something.

Most of the time temptation and attacks come to us right after a spiritually high moment.

How many good services have you left and gotten in an agreement with your spouse going home.

how many times have your kids done something that sucked the joy you just received away.

Jesus had fasted 40 days. Physically weak, but spiritually strong.

He is able by the Spirit to not give in to temptation.

Today we see people well fed, belly full, but spiritually they are starving.

When we are attacked , the spiritual tank is empty. Nothing to fight with.