Pattern To Overcome Temptation

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Here in this text, we see a recording of a victory of our Lord over human sin and temptation.

Matthew’s intention here is to show:

(A)Jesus’ right or qualification as a King of kings and Lord of lords by defeating the opposing kingdom and its king, Satan.

(B)demonstrate patterns to overcome temptation, so that God’s people might follow this model to be victorious over temptations.

Matt 4:1-2

These verses show that after every victory comes temptations. Jesus was baptized and was confirmed by God the father how much He loved Jesus, then was led to the desert to fast for 40 days.

He experiences great victory...after a great triumph, Satan comes. Right when you have experience a spiritual victory, that is when you are most vulnerable. Meaning, that when we have that "too much of confidence" (pride) Satan targets you. You think that you are invincible.

Point 1: (Matt 4:3-4) - Temptation to Serve Self

Since Jesus had fasted for 40 days, He needed physical food; Satan knew the need and so he tempted Jesus to change these stone to bread and fill the hunger of the flash.

Satan is very cunning, he is basically saying to Jesus "Act independently of God" "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (In our lives, Satan tries to make us doubt "our relationship with God". "If you are a child of God, why this and why that....) -> Satan tries to put doubt concerning most basic yet essential thing to Christianity, which is a covenantal relationship we have with the Father. Also we must think carefully about acting independently of God.

"all we like sheep have gone astray, each of us turning our OWN separate ways..." is and was our sin. We must understand that Jesus is in unity with God. They do not contradict each other.

Jesus is part of trinity and for him to do things independently of the will of the Father is to break the vary nature of God! We believers also must remember that we are in Him and that we are one with God.

We live and breath in Him, we are happy under the provision and care of the loving God who loves us.

Psalms 119:11 - Your word I have treasured in my heart that I might not sin against you. This is the only way in which we can fight temptations, with the "living and active" word of God. And Jesus replied, "It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

What Jesus is saying here is that, it’s not food that we live by but "the creative, energizing, and sustaining power of God is the only real source of man’s existence."

MacArthur page 92

Yes! When we wait for God’s provision and seek His will, Bible promises that "all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt 6:33)

Point 2: (Matt 4:5-7) - Temptation to Test God

Again here, we see that Satan makes Jesus doubt..."If you are the Son of God...He shall give angels charge concerning You, in their hands they shall bear you up, lest You dash your foot against a stone."

In Psalms 91:11-12 it says, "For He shall give angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone." -Satan uses God’s word incorrectly. He takes it out of context - just like he did with eve. Jesus replied, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."

If our Lord would have jumped from this high place of the temple, every one in Jerusalem would have considered him to be a messiah. Many have came in the name of God before and after Jesus, performing miracles, doing tricks and magic to win them over to be popular.

These false messiahs appealed to the vary sinful nature of men, to their "faithless sensationalism" Jesus would not perform a miracle to entertain people’s faithlessness. This is why Jesus would not show signs and wonders to people when they asked for one.(Matt 12:38,39) "Jesus knows that the Father’s care and protection can not be proved to others by any means, but FAITH only."

~Do not test God, for you are doubting God and that’s not trusting Him~ In Korea, there was an incident where a woman while reading the Bible, reading about Jesus walking on water left the house and went to the sea and while trying to walk on water, drowned and died.

Her claims were that "...anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these,..." (John 14:12) Obviously, devil has deceived her w/ the scripture verse and brought shame and tragedy to God and her self.