Temptation
Matthew 4:1-11
DENVER POST: "Like many sheep ranchers in the West, Lexy Fowler has tried just about everything to stop crafty coyotes from killing her sheep. She has used odor sprays, electric fences, and 'scare-coyotes.' She has slept with her lambs during the summer and has placed battery-operated radios near them. She has corralled them at night, herded them at day. But the southern Montana rancher has lost scores of lambs--fifty last year alone. "Then she discovered the llama--the aggressive, funny-looking, afraid-of-nothing llama...'Llamas don't appear to be afraid of anything,' she said. 'When they see something, they put their head up and walk straight toward it. That is aggressive behavior as far as the coyote is concerned, and they won't have anything to do with that... Coyotes are opportunists, and llamas take that opportunity away.'" These Lamas illustrate what James spoke of in: "Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you" (4:7). The moment we sense Satan’s attack through temptation is the moment we should face it and deal with it for what it is. - - Barry McGee:Sermonillustrations.com
It has been rightly stated that “When you flee temptation, be sure you don't leave a forwarding address.”
There is a common misconception concerning temptation. Many believe that it is a sin to be tempted. It is not a sin to be tempted; the sin comes when you give in to that temptation. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us - James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Some people are so burdened and discouraged when they face a great temptation. They feel so much guilt over the temptation that they don’t even put up a fight against it. Each and every one of us faces temptation daily… NO ONE IS EXEMPT! Proof that it is no a sin to be tempted is found in our text for today.
We read that even our Savior was tempted – The writer of Hebrews stated in Hebrews 4:15 that “Our High Priest understands our weaknesses, for He was tempted just like we are, yet he did not sin.” Even though Jesus was tempted, we find that He was “without sin”.
This shows us that there is hope for us when we face temptation. - I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
I find it encouraging that there is a way of escape from temptation.
When you face temptation, deal with it immediately! “It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it” - Benjamin Franklin
Do not allow temptation to linger in your life… when you do you chances of fleeing that temptation decrease greatly. You must realize that sin is more powerful than you are …It will destroy you if it has an opportunity. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
I would like to look at the life of our Savior and this event where Satan tempted Him and preach on the subject of - “Temptation”
I. You Will Face Temptation v1-8
Temptation is a fact. It is real, it is constant and IT IS POWERFUL!
v1 ¶Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Jesus had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. As a result of His fasting, HE was physically hungry.
Consider the preceding events found in Chapter 3 - Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Jesus went from this awesome scene at His baptism right into the wilderness. Satan knew what he was doing …he is the great schemer and he had a plan! He is still that way today! HE IS STILL A SCHEMER! He does not want you to be useful or fruitful for God. He will go to great lengths to trap you and entice you to sin.
1. The Enemy Will Attack After Spiritual Highs
Just after I was saved I remember my Mama telling me that Satan would be after me. You see, before you are saved there is no reason for the enemy to waste time and resources on you. You are not a threat to his plan. But as soon as you are saved he will hit you with everything he has.
Maybe you have rededicated your life and you desire to be fruitful in Christian service… He will attack! Maybe you have been fasting a praying and growing closer to Christ …be on the lookout, an attack is imminent! The point is not for you to avoid spiritual highs, do not be afraid of progress. But be ready to go into this battle prepared.
Not only will the enemy attack after a spiritual high, we find that:
2. The Enemy Will Attack During Physical Lows
Jesus was physically hungry from a 40 day fast. The Devil will come at you when you are feeling poorly physically. Remember when Elijah was so discouraged that he asked God to just kill him and get it over with? At this point in his life he had just ran a marathon in order to flee from Jezebel.
The Strategy Of The Enemy - The Apostle John gives a brief description of the tactics that the enemy will use in - 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The Devil’s strategy has not changed since the Garden of Eden. He Used the same things against Eve that he used against Jesus and he will use these same tactics against us as well.
Consider the temptation in the Garden. - Genesis 3:1 ……. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
a) The Lust Of The Flesh - v6a And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food
b) The Lust Of The Eyes - v6b and that it was pleasant to the eyes
c) The Pride Of Life - v6c and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
He used the same strategy against Jesus:
1) The Lust Of The Flesh - v3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
2) The Lust Of The Eyes - v8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Satan is saying “It seems that the God whom you think is your Father has starved you and deserted you, if you will surrender to me I will give you all of this!” The nations of the earth had long been promised to the Messiah; if he be the Son of God, they belonged to him. Satan provides the greatest form of idolatry - All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
He will offer you the same deal today. He will promise you fame, fortune & fun if you will turn and worship him. We often look at the material goods of those around us and think that it would be better if we give up this life that we have committed to and live like the world. We often look (and covet) what others have. Then we question if it is really worth the struggles that we face to live godly and give to the church. Many times the people that we are jealous of are headed for Hell and we forget that we have a mansion in Heaven. When we coveting what others have, we are guilty of the lust of the eyes!
Satan’s strategy against Jesus also involved:
3) The Pride Of Life - v5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Satan is disputing that Jesus is truly the Son Of God. Jesus knew for a fact that He was but now He is being tempted to prove this to the enemy. Just as the pride of life tempted Eve to partake of the fruit, Satan attempted to tempt Jesus with this as well. Satan has a strategy for your life …he has a plan to entice you to sin. He will do the same to you that he did to Jesus & Eve.
Many times when we are tempted we will be so prideful as to think that we can handle our temptation. When we think that we can handle our temptation on our own, it won’t be long before our temptation is handling us!
You Will Face Temptation, be in these verses we also see that:
II. You Must Resist Temptation v3-10
How do you resist temptation? By following Jesus’ example:
1. Jesus’ Response To The 1st Temptation - When Satan tried to get Jesus to turn the stones into bread
(Jesus) answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. - v4
This was quoted from - Deuteronomy 8:3
2. Jesus’ Response To The 2nd Temptation - When Satan tried to get Jesus to cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple
Jesus said unto him, it is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. v7 - This was quoted from - Deuteronomy 6:16
3. Jesus’ Response To The 3rd Temptation - After Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of this world. {Jesus) said unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. This was quoted from - Deuteronomy 6:13
Every time Jesus responded to the temptation, He used scripture! The same is true for us today! If we are going to overcome temptation we must study the Word of God!
1) This requires reading the Word
2) This requires understanding the Word
3) This requires using the Word against Satan!
The necessity of studying and understanding scripture is seen in verse 6 (Satan) said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.- Satan knows the Word and will twist it and turn it to fit his agenda. The only way to know how to recognize this is to stay in the Word!
The Word is of the utmost importance when combating temptation. Another way to resist temptation is to guard yourself.
On the TV show "Hee Haw," Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, "Well then, stay out of them places!"
You cannot continuously put yourself in places where you will be tempted and not be affected. What situations are you in when you fall? Avoid them!What props do you have that support your sin? Eliminate them! What people are you usually with when you fail? Avoid them! - C.H Spurgeon
ou Will Face Temptation, You Must Resist Temptation… Finally we see that:
III. You Can Overcome Temptation v11
Victory in Jesus does not just refer to salvation …YOU CAN HAVE DAILY VICTORY IN JESUS! And you can have victory over temptation.
v11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
After the Devil was bombarded with scripture he had to flee. What a great encouragement this is! The same is true today! When we resist the Devil with scripture he will flee.
In fact, scripture proves this - 1 Peter 5:8 ¶Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Satan has a strategy concerning your life. He wants to trap you and destroy your life! Understand this as well, we can’t blame all temptation on the devil. Many times we are tempted by the things that our natural flesh desires. Someone said “If there were no devil, I would be all the devil I need” If you are saved YOU WILL FACE TEMPTATION, YOU MUST RESIST TEMPTATION & YOU CAN OVERCOME TEMPTATION.
In closing, I want to consider 2 main lies Satan would have you to believe about temptation.
1) Giving in just once won't hurt.
2) After you have sinned he would have you to believe that you have ruined your life
He would have you to believe that you are beyond forgiveness and might as well enjoy sinning.
A woman was laying on a float in the Gulf of Mexico. She was enjoying the comfort of relaxing on an inflated cushion that kept her afloat. When she realized that she had been swept about a half mile out from the beach, she began to scream, but no one heard her. A coast guard craft found her five miles from the place where she first entered the water. She did not see her danger until she was beyond her own strength and ability. The same will happen to us if we do not take temptation seriously.
Sin will take you farther than you want to go
Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay
Sin will cost you far more than you want to pay
And sin begins with temptation. So guard yourself! James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
