How to Let Jesus Deliver You From Temptation – Matt. 4:1-12
Avoid temptations of all types by fixing your eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith.
Illustration: A young Indiana college student won a competition for performing the most outlandish stunt to earn a prize of $10,000.00 offered by a local radio station in Chicago. He ate a ten foot birch tree, limbs and all, over a period of three days. His only condiment was salad dressing. Some people will do anything for money. The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. Some following after it have pierced themselves with many pains. "The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil...But you man of God flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (I Tim. 6; 10,11)Let Jesus be your deliverer from all temptations. Learn to appropriate the following qualities of Jesus Christ as our problem-solver, our praise director, our provider, our perspective, our prevailer, our power, our purpose, our priority setter, our planner, our provider, our promiser, our protector, our preventer of mistakes, and our peace. Thank Him and utilize His power to help you overcome temptations instead of being overwhelmed by its destructive influence.
1. Problem – Solver – He was tempted by the devil and remained without sin. (Mt. 4:1)- Jesus assures us that faith in Him is the victory that overcomes the world, the flesh and the devil. (I John 5:4,5) We know that in the world we shall have tribulation but we can be of good cheer as He has overcome the world. (John 16:31-33)
2. Praise – Director – Worship the Lord, your God (Mt. 4:10)- We need to command the devil to flee from us as we draw near to God in worship, adoration and praise. Let us bless the Lord always with all of our soul’s strength and forget none of His benefits. There is power in praise of our God who is greater than any problems, powers or people.
Illustration:It is said that when the British and French were fighting in Canada in the 1750s, Admiral Phipps, commander of the British fleet, was told to anchor outside Quebec. He was given orders to wait for the British land forces to arrive, then support them when they attacked the city. Phipps’ navy arrived early. As the admiral waited, he became annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned the towers of a nearby cathedral, so he commanded his men to shoot at them with the ships’ cannons. No one knows how many rounds were fired or how many statues were knocked out, but when the land forces arrived and the signal was given to attack, the admiral was of no help. He had used up all his ammunition shooting at the "saints."
Daily Bread.
3. Provider – My God will supply all your needs (Phil. 4:19)We can look to the Lord for all things as we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We do not have to be anxious for anything knowing that our heavenly Father gives us our daily bread. We can know that our food is to do the will of Him who sent us and to accomplish His work. (John 4:33-36)
4. Purpose Giver – From Him, through Him and to Him are all things Rm 11:36 . Let us praise God that He is the ultimate source, the means and the goal of life. Without the Lord we do not have lasting meaning, fulfillment or purpose. He gives us eternal sense of significance as we recall the promise, "But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing our labor is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15:57,58) Let us follow His purpose so that we find each opportunity exciting as we know that everything we do has eternal value.
5. Planner – Plans for a future and a hope (Jer. 29:11)Praise and thank God for giving us His specific plan for each day and in everyway. Do not fret when you are not able to accomplish everything that you would like. Know that His plans are perfect and in all of His ways there is peace.
6. Power – He has given a Spirit of power, love and self-discipline – 2 Tim 1:7 Thank God that His power, love and self-discipline are adequate to help you meet any challenge you will face today. Rely on His power, love and discipline not your own. Your own strength will wax and wane with circumstances but His power, love and discipline are a constant source of energy.
Illustration:English evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) learned that it was more important to please God than to please men. Knowing that he was doing what was honoring to the Lord kept him from discouragement when he was falsely accused by his enemies. At one point in his ministry, Whitefield received a vicious letter accusing him of wrongdoing. His reply was brief and courteous: "I thank you heartily for your letter. As for what you and my other enemies are saying against me, I know worse things about myself than you will ever say about me. With love in Christ, George Whitefield." He didn’t try to defend himself. He was much more concerned about pleasing the Lord.
Daily Bread, August 18, 1992.
7. Promiser – Through His divine power He has given us his very great and precious promises so we might participate in the divine nature (2 Pet 1:3,4)Praise God that He enable you to be assured of everything that you will need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ. Trust the Lord to help you know Him more intimately through His word, His Spirit and the doing of His will. (Col. 1:9-11) Ask the Lord to fill you more with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
8. Protector – I will protect him for He acknowledges me (Psa 91:14)Thank God that He can protect you from external and internal evils. TRust Him everyday to help you keep from temptations that often act as self-destructive mechanisms in our attitudes, relatonships and activities.
9. Preventer of mistakes – Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation – (Matt 26:41)Jesus knew how powerful prayer is to enable us to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. We know that the flesh sets itself against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh as these are in opposition to one another so that we cannot do the things we please. (Gal. 5:16) Let us trust the Lord to help us remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of curative medicine.
10. Peace – My peace I give to you not as the world gives (Jn 14:27)Thank God that He has given you a peace that passes human understanding. Share this peace with others by praying for their needs. Help others to focus on what is true, good, excellent, noble, honorable and admirable and worthy of praise instead of on negative things. Prov. 23:7 says, As a man thinks within himself so he is." Let us ask the Lord to help us focus our attention on things above rather than on things of the earth. Sing the song, "Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the FAther above. Sweeping over my spirit forever I pray in fathomless billows of love."
11. Priority Setter – Seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Mt. 6:33) Praise God that as we seek first His kingdom and will we are able to allow Him to fight the battles for us. Trust God to help you learn how to avoid enaging in foolish arguments that are not worth the effort. Ask God to give you the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can and the wisdom to know the difference. Get around people who are kingdom priority thinkers and emulate their faith. We will become like the people we most associate with.
Illustration
Title: God Moves in a Mysterious Way
The hymn God Moves in a Mysterious Way has been a source of great comfort and blessing to many of God’s people since William Cowper wrote it in the 18th century. Yet few people know of the unusual circumstances that led to its composition.
William Cowper was a Christian, but he had sunk to the depths of despair. One foggy night he called for a horsedrawn carriage and asked to be taken to the London Bridge on the Thames River. He was so overcome by depression that he intended to commit suicide. But after 2 hours of driving through the mist, Cowper’s coachman reluctantly confessed that he was lost. Disgusted by the delay, Cowper left the carriage and decided to find the London Bridge on foot. After walking only a short distance, though, he discovered that he was at his own doorstep! The carriage had been going in circles. Immediately he recognized the restraining hand of God in it all. Convicted by the Spirit, he realized that the way out of his troubles was to look to God, not to jump into the river. As he cast his burden on the Savior, his heart was comforted. With gratitude he sat down and penned these reassuring words: "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm. O fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds you so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head."
See: Col 2:2-3
Conclusion : Let Jesus be your power, provision, perspective giver, protector,problem-solver, praise director, purpose giver, and planner. Let His presence be the secret to your joy, wisdom and enabling. He is eager to work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13,14)
