Spiritual Equilibrium Part 2

Spiritual Equilibrium: Part 2

Scriptures: Matthew 4:5-11; Mark 16:17-18

This is part two of my message “Spiritual Equilibrium.” In part one we reviewed the first of three temptations that Jesus experienced at the hands of Satan. Last week we learned that we needed to have a balance in our flesh, especially when we are warring against the Spirit. Jesus said “…..Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” From this we understand that we need to be feeding on the Word of God for our spiritual equilibrium just as we need natural food to keep our physical bodies in equilibrium. This morning we will examine the final two temptations that Jesus faced which gives us instructions on where we need to have balance in our lives. Please turn with me to Matthew chapter four and we will begin reading at verse five.

Relationship To God

“Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning you; and on their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Matt. 4:5-7

Jesus knew that as long as He walked with His Father in His mission, there was a timeline affecting His life and nothing could happen to Him before His time. That being said, Satan attempted to make Jesus test God to prove that God really had Him. After the first temptation Satan recognizes that Jesus was walking in a commitment to His Father so what does he do? He tries to get Jesus to tempt God through doubt. He wanted Jesus to doubt that God had Him. You see, if Jesus did not jump off the cliff Satan could claim that He was afraid and was doubting God. If He did jump off, then He would in fact be testing God which is something we are not supposed to do. What he was doing was daring Jesus to prove that He was the Son of God and in doing so would be testing God and sinning all at the same time. If He did this, Satan would win and we would lose through Jesus’ failure. Jesus knew who He was and understood that He did not have to prove it to Satan. Satan was trying to get Jesus to question His connection, His relationship with the Father. We also do this routinely.

Let me give you a couple of examples of people who I believe tests God. There are Churches in South that believe in handling poisonous snakes as a part of their worship services. They base this on Mark 16:17-18 where Jesus said, “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Now understand that although Jesus did say this I do not believe that He meant that we should do this as part of our faith or worship experience. I have read several accounts of pastors and members being bitten by snakes during these services and refusing medical treatment and ultimately dying after being bitten. While they died expressing and walking in their faith, I believe this is an example of someone testing God. In Acts chapter twenty-eight there is an example of Paul being bitten by a viper and was not injured. This was an example of this Scripture being fulfilled. The difference is that Paul did not reach for the snake to prove he was a servant of Christ. If you can handle snakes but you’re not casting out devils or healing the sick, what good is that? How is handling snake proving anything relating to your walk with Christ?

I read another account of a church leader had his buttocks mauled by a lion after running towards a group of lions in a bid to prove the “Lord’s power over animals.” The Zion Christian Church prophet, was attacked on a safari while trying to show that God would save him in front of fellow church members. He is said to have fallen into a trance and started speaking in tongues before charging at a pride of lions feeding on an impala in South Africa's Kruger National Park. But as he sprinted towards them, the lions immediately viewed him as prey and zeroed in. Realizing that the Lord wasn't about to help, he fled back to the car, but not before one of the lions clamped down on his buttocks. He was only saved from further injury or possible death when the game ranger fired shots to scare the lions off. He later said: “I do not know what came over me. I thought the Lord wanted to use me to show His power over animals. Is it not we were given dominion over all creatures of the earth.” In both of these examples believing individuals stepped out in what they believed was proof of their faith and walk with God, believing that God would protect them. This is exactly what Satan was attempting to get Jesus to do. But Jesus did not respond in this manner. Jesus said plainly, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”