We Win!
Matthew 4:1-3
Bishop Fulton Sheen said, “Rivers follow the course of least resistance. That's why they are so crooked.”
This I'm sure of, “We cannot afford to take the course of least resistance when it comes to temptation.”
We have to follow the truth of scripture and our convictions as guided by the Holy Spirit.
When temptation comes, we need a sure defense if we expect to win the war against the tempter.
Satan, the tempter, the accuser, the lier, a thief, For temptation, primarily, satan uses 3 areas of the flesh: 1. The lust of the flesh. 2. The lust of the eye. 3. The pride of life.
In Matthew 4, right before Jesus would teach the beatitudes, in Matthew chapters 5-7, He would be tempted.
Matthew 4:1-4NKJV Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” (Lust of the flesh).
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’
You lusting in the flesh? Try full surrender to God and God’s word.
Matthew 4:5-11NIV Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” -(Pride of life). 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” -(Lust of the eyes) 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
I can hear the devil saying, “If you’re really the Son of God, turn that stone into bread. -Do it for me now!” -Show me that bread! -Lust of the flesh.
CS Lewis said, the devil doesn't want you to believe he exist, so he is always publishing the news of his death.
Do you believe in the devil? Jesus certainly did. On one occasion Jesus told his disciples, Luke 10:18 I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven…
Clark Commentary states, satan was cast down out of heaven just as fast as a lighten bolt comes down from the sky.
The caption in my Bible reads: The Joyous Results:
Luke 10:17-19AMP The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning. 19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.
Temptation comes from within and from without. -You Agree?
1 John 3:8NKJV He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, was manifested to destroy the devils work.
The source of temptation is the devil. Who is he? Where did he come from? How does he work?
In Matthew 4, Jesus’ temptation experiences uses the title, the devil, Satan and the tempter.
3 important truths about the devil:
The devil is real.
The Bible asserts over and over to reality of evil. He does not tell us everything about the origin of evil except to say that the angel Lucifer, meaning son of the morning, rebelled against God, (Isaiah 14).
He fell to the earth along with those angels who rebelled against God:
Revelation 20:1-15NIV And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
He roams the earth today with demons doing his bidding. Satan represents all that is anti-God.
His names. He is called Apollyon and Abbadon, Destroyer. Accuser, Adversary, Angel of the bottomless pit, Belial, Beelzebub, The devil, God of this world, Liar and the father of lies, Lucifer, Satan, Accuser, Son of the Morning, Murderer from the beginning, Prince of demons, Prince of the power of the air, Prince of this world, Ruler of darkness, The ancient serpent, the Tempter, and the wicked one.
His nature. He is proud, presumptuous, and powerful; wicked, a sinner from the beginning; malignant, subtle, deceitful, fierce, and cruel; the father of lies. -Hear these again:
Pride.
Assuming.
Powerful.
Wicked.
A sinner from the beginning.
Cancer.
Sly.
Deceitful.
Fierce.
Cruel.
Father of lies.
His attack. He is our enemy. As our enemy, he perverts the scripture, opposes God's work, hinders the gospel, accuses the brethren, temps to sin, works lying wonders, appears as an angel of light, brings apostasy to the church, and sows discord among the brethren.
The Bible compares him to a hunter who seeks his prey, a bird of prey who steals the word from men's hearts, a sower of tares among the wheat, a ravenous wolf, a roaring lion, and a deceitful serpent.
His defeat. The devil is a defeated foe. Christ defeated him at the cross.
1 John 3:8NKJV He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Luke 10:19NKJV Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Please note: If you don’t obtain God’s word, and if you don’t know who you are. -It’s easy to drown in temptation and sin.
Psalm 119:11KJV Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 19:14NKJV Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
2. The battle ground is the mind.
Jesus's temptations took place in his mind. Physically, he was in the desert south of Jerusalem near the dead sea area. We don't see the devil. He comes to us in disguise through the allurements of the world, the evil influences of an unhealthy relationship, and the intruding thoughts in our minds.
Illustration: Temptation can be so real that you can almost see him. It is said that you can still see an ink stain on the wall of Martin Luther’s room in the Castle of the WaltBerg in Germany. Luther made the stain by throwing the ink bottle at the devil when being tempted.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5KJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
When the devil took Jesus to the wing of the Temple and showed him the kingdoms of the world, it took place in Jesus’ mind. -He has mental pictures of these places.
The mind is the Battleground of spiritual warfare. Jesus has been fasting for 40 days. Fasting heightens our mental and spiritual awareness. Just as over-eating makes us sluggish, fasting makes us alert.
We need to defeat three kinds of thoughts: A,B,C.
A. Defeat doubtful thoughts. Satan tempted Jesus to doubt God's word. God said, “You are my son whom I love, Mark 1:11. “
Satan said, “If you are the son of God… Matthew 4:6.”
B. Defeat deceitful thoughts. Everything Satan promised Jesus was an illusion. Satan is a liar and the father of lies, John 8:44.
Satan can't deliver joy, love, peace, happiness, and fulfillment. He appealed to Jesus’ desires.
He tempted Jesus with position by offering him the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. Satan wanted Jesus to use his powers for himself. -Kind of like Moses did when he struck the rock.
We too battle desires for self-gratification, the desire for power, and the desire for high positions, prominence, and fame.
C. Defeat thoughts of disobedience.
Your way versus God's way. God's way is the way of love, sacrifice, and the cross, not jumping off temples.
3. The last important truth about the devil is, Single-mindedness of purpose is the key to victory.
Jesus focused on his purpose. Just as Satan's temptation was to get Jesus off his mission, so it is with us.
John 20:21NKJV So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
The will of God means, living in right relationship with God and others. “-The will of God is more about who you are as a person, than what particular career or ministry you pursue.” P.H
Jesus was proactive against temptation. When He answered the tempter, he didn't just say no to temptation, he said yes to God's purpose for his life.
I was getting a pizza the other night, and as I was standing there at the counter, I noticed the mission statement for Papa John’s.
Papa John's will create superior brand loyalty, authentic, superior-quality products...etc
Unfortunately, I found it more inspiring than some mission statements of churches.
You need a mission statement for your life, marriage, family, business, and ministry.
Satan wants to get each of us, so distracted, disillusioned, or depressed, that he renders us ineffective for Jesus Christ.
KEY POINT: Overcoming temptation is not just about, saying no, but saying yes to God's purpose for our lives!
Say, Yes!
Jesus said his purpose was to do God's will, John, 4:34.
Let’s put everything in perspective: -We Win!
Benediction. The rest is history! You have to become proactive against the devil.
It’s simple: You believe in Jesus over everything...you win.
How many people will you take with you?
