Matthew 3:16-4:4 KJV 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. (4:1) 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. (3) And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (4) But he 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.
I. Matthew 4:2,3 Satan trying to stop this Son of God -Son had to fulfill mission -Satan knew greatness of that mission -DEVIL APPEALED TO JESUS' FLESH TO STOP HIM -All in Father's will -40 days in wilderness -so, his humanity was most weak at this point -hunger set in, fasting over -Devil attacked him at weak moment "IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD" -Cast doubt in Jesus' mind -Doubt about Sonship -doubt about being in Father's care If one is not Son of God then they are not in His care Romans 8:9 KJV But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Satan took advantage of situation that affected Jesus' flesh -the lust of the flesh (1 John 2:16) is the first point of temptation -Hunger is a lust of the flesh -used that circumstance -looks for such situations that affect flesh and uses them to accomplish his desires Satan uses avenue of our bodies (God uses avenue of our spirits -don't look for God to use your body to lead you -don't look for feelings, or such -feelings are result of a spirit that already contacted God and God began moving) II. The Goal of the Devil Satan did not appear to Jesus in a physical form Satan spoke ("said") words to him. -Satan doesn't appear to us in form either -he speaks to our minds -he disguises himself so that we think its our own thoughts The devil's first words were, "If thou be the Son of God." -inflict doubt about Sonship -tried to make Jesus think, "If I'm the Son of God - if God really is with me - then I should be able to do this or that" -any hard trial should go away easily -Jesus' fast was over - "after forty days" -no ministry yet, to others Devil puts such thoughts into many new believers' minds Our minds are put upon the physical and.... -Does God really care for me? -Am I His Son - Will He be a Father to me? -Am I good enough? -Am I really good enough to be His loved one? -What about this and that need? -devil emphasize your unworth And once we entertain such thoughts... -No, I am not being led by God -I am not good enough for God -I should be able to turn stone to bread or anything if I'm saved III. The Subtlety of Satan's Temptation We need to learn that God only answers prayers that are according to His will 1 John 5:14 KJV And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: James 4:2-3 KJV Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. -prayers to feed our lusts will not be answered -we ask amiss -not only is there a right thing to pray for, but there is a wrong way to pray for a right thing Jesus had never performed one miracle before this time -the devil tried to get Him to to do so outside of God's will -the devil knew that you cannot pray for something outside God's will -devil knew that JESUS WOULD BE UNABLE TO TURN STONE INTO BREAD IF IT WAS NOT THE FATHER'S WILL BUT JESUS KNEW ALSO -Jesus would speak or do nothing unless the Father instructed Him -otherwise, Jesus could do nothing -John 12:50 "... even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." -John 5:19 "...the son of man can do nothing of himself..." -John 5:30 "...I can of mine own self do nothing..." -John 8:28 "...I do nothing of myself..." Jesus later told His disciples to follow His example after His example fulfilled -John 15:5 "...without me ye can do nothing..." We need to hear from the LORD before we do anything -If we yield to temptation and try to perform a foolish miracle then we will be disappointed -God will not answer such prayers that are not His will IV. JESUS' REACTION TO THE TEMPTATION: JESUS' RESPONSE (showing the humanity of the Son): WE HAVE THE SAME MEANS TO RESPOND TO SATAN Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Jesus didn't >ZAP< the devil out of the wilderness to leave Him alone -Jesus used same means we have to defeat the devil -Jesus spoke what was written in God's Word -Jesus made a little lower than the angels Hebrews 2:9 KJV But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. -angels can use supernatural force -that which is lower than angels has no supernatural force of its own Hebrews 5:8-9 KJV Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; -"made perfect" -"learned obedience" -what Word? Hebrews 5:13 KJV For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. -"word of righteousness" - we must know that we are righteous -Word teaches us what God did when He saved us -righteousness is biggest thing God did for us. -must know the Word of righteousness Remember Jesus was our example!! -to redeem us He had to be like us - human -had to have weaknesses we have - flesh -Son was God stripped of divine ability -easy to miss impact of reply, due to brevity -must research to get full force of Jesus' words -Jesus quoted Scripture -"It is written" -Jesus knew God's Word -had to study it to know it -was the Word made flesh, but humbled himself so much like a man that He needed to study God's Word -Luke 2:46 1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV 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. -Jesus knew way of escape from Scriptures -same chapter in 1 Cor 10 deals with Jews in wilderness -deals with our way to not fail as they did V. The Sword of the Spirit Ephesians 6:16-17 KJV Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: -take shield of faith and Sword of Spirit -Sword of Spirit is God's Word -how use sword of Spirit -if its God's Word, what do you do with a word? -you speak a word -TO USE SWORD OF SPIRIT YOU MUST SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD Revelation 12:11 KJV And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. -Revelation 12:11 - overcome by the WORD -not "a word of their testimony" -"THE word of their testimony" -a specific Word - God's Word concerning their salvation -Faith is shield, but shield doesn't fight back -use shield all time and ward off blows but get weaker -enemy not being hurt so he stays and fights -Sword fights back -believe all Words and not defeat devil -fight with the words Romans 10:9-10 KJV That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. -principle in Romans 10:9,10 -speaks of salvation, but a principle also here -not enough to believe must "speak" -"WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH... WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE" VI. Quote from the Old Testament NOT JUST ANY SCRIPTURE Jesus quoted a Scripture that dealt with HIS SITUATION Deuteronomy 8:3 KJV And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. -The first temptation of the Jews was through hunger -Like Jesus -Jesus looked for Scripture that dealt with hunger as a temptation in a wilderness -Jesus knew reason for defeat of Jews -learned from Scripture study -so used the Word FIRST GIVEN TO JEWS as defence -skilfull use of Word brings victory in trials -after Jews failed Moses spoke to them -they learned that God was testing their FAITH -Jesus took notice of these words -And when He was tempted He remembered these words Old Testament contains examples that we should not fall as they did 1 Corinthians 10:6 KJV Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. -Jesus knew this -So Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 8 -context of chapter found in verse 1 -Jews on way to go in and possess land of Canaan -in wilderness just as Jesus was in wilderness!! -Jews in wilderness 40 years whereas Jesus was in wilderness 40 days!! Verse 1 -Moses was giving instructions to Jews so they could enter Canaan successfully -we have a calling to fulfill -we are instructed how to attain to that calling -we are called into a REST - Hebrews 4:9 Hebrews 4:9 KJV There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. -NOW IS OUR TIME OF TESTING -We must understand what Jesus did when He replied to devil -why did He say what he did? -it is a clue for us to also succeed during trials Verse 1 says 3 vital things: 1) THAT YE MAY LIVE ----------------NOT DIE IN THE WILDERNESS 2) AND GO IN----------------TO REACH YOUR MINISTERIAL PURPOSE 3) AND POSSESS THE LAND--------------------WORK YOUR MINISTRY VII. A Testing Jesus (the Son of God) knew that God was His Father -therefore He recognized that such thoughts could not be His own -He knew the Scriptures -so He was able to realize that Satan was around Him and the devil was the one who was doing the speaking into His mind -so He could deal with the temptation -He knew enough to wait for God the Father to instruct Him to act -He had PATIENCE Exodus 16:1-3 KJV And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. (2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: (3) And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. THE FIRST TEMPTATION OF JESUS AND THE JEWS WAS THE SAME -(to point out to us that we can take old testament stories as examples to us) -(We won't necessarily be tempted to hunger the first time we are tempted, but God ordained it to be so with both Jesus and the Jews so that we could learn to use scriptures) We need to be able to recognize how the enemy can cause us to DOUBT and make us believe that God is not really leading us, when He is there all the time -the Devil resorts to our weak flesh -we must ever walk by faith and NOT BY CARNAL WHIM -did God say He was our Father? 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 KJV Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. -stand on His Word!! JESUS HEARD THE FATHER SAY HE WAS THE FATHER'S BELOVED SON IN WHOM THE FATHER WAS WELL PLEASED! That humanity stood on the Word when the devil came to Him! -Israel was "called out" of Egypt -they were God's people and He was with them -God "called us out" -"CHURCH" means the "Called-Out ones" -"...for ye (Moses) have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly..." -they didn't believe God was with them, leading them -God said He would lead them out, yet temptation was to see PROOF -to PROVE that they were really His people Deuteronomy 8:2-3 KJV And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (3) And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. -"in the wilderness" -"To prove thee" -"hunger" TO PROVE THEE -means "to tempt" - to test -reveals humanity of Jesus -was "tempted" - tested Matthew 4:1 VIII. The Jews' Mistake The devil tried to get Jesus to doubt His Sonship -i.e., to doubt that God really care The Jews were tempted with the very same thing!! -The devil tempted them to think that they weren't saved -"If we were saved from Egypt, we should be better off" -they had no patience New believers need to learn patience -God is never too late NOR TOO EARLY -He is right on time IX. Jesus was TEMPTED with Lust of the Flesh Spirit, Soul and Body -body and spirit pull at the soul (the real you) -Satan pulls through body -God pulls through spirit -you decide which to follow When one is tempted there is a desire in oneself to do what the temptation lures one to do -Jesus had a desire in his flesh to obey the enemy -"spirit is willing but flesh is weak" -flesh is weak to fall at temptation while spirit must be stronger -it wasn't a temptation if Jesus didn't have a fleshly desire -"your offers do not tempt me" 1 Corinthians 10:6 KJV Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. -"as they also LUSTED" -flesh lusts Galatians 5:17 KJV For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. X. We Can Fail -sobering thought that we can fail -we can also succeed! -Handling Sword of Spirit is only safeguard -downfall when we manifest same elements of doubt which Jews manifested -they are UNBELIEF -God sifted unbelievers themselves, when tried to sift out unbelief -unbelief was too much their lives -unbelief had too strong a hold on them -they doubted the WORD of GOD more than believed it -HOW MUCH PROGRESS HAS THE LORD HAD IN EXTRACTING UNBELIEF FROM MY HEART ??? -Is there a change in my life? -am I still as unspiritual as I was years ago? Hebrews 4:11 KJV Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. -watch out...."lest any man fall after the same manner of unbelief." XI. How to Live and Not Die Hebrews 10:38 KJV Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. -Jews died in wilderness -physical deaths of Jews typify spiritual death of believer -we will die spiritually if we doubt also Joshua and Caleb Lived -why? All other adults died -not as simple as saying they believed they could enter Canaan -why did they believe and not the Jews? -not as simple as saying they trusted God -why did they trust? Numbers 32:12 KJV Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. 1 Corinthians 9:27 KJV But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. - Paul said this in Chapter 9, just before Chapter 10 mentions Jews in wilderness who died XII. Manna Deut. 8:3 - find where this happened to see better picture of Jesus' reference Exodus 16:3 KJV And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Jews doubted God and complained for FOOD -temptation of Jesus -they got food but lacked something else! -their unbelief caused them to lose something Two ways to receive- -1) complain till God gives it - Balaam -2) ASK "Ye have not because ye ask not." -spiritual slackness is not bothering to really let Word sink into our hearts -no labour -many don't even know promises -too slack to study Word -many know promises, but many don't bother to really mix them with faith -its easier to worry and "fly off the handle" when in a trial -many know promises BUT DO NOT APPLY THEM TO THEIR OWN LIVES -don't know how to use sword, because do not know the Sword/Word Jews forgot all about Canaan when hunger set in -eyes taken off goal -you forget all about maturity and chance for temptation when fail -devil's goal to get your eyes off goal -if keep eyes on goal, then a trial is seen to be a trial -when you see that its a trial then you can prepare yourself better -BUT MUST KNOW THE WORD AFTER YOU RECOGNIZE A TRIAL Psalms 106:15 KJV And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. -got food but lacked something more important -whatever you're tempted with in area of need don't forfeit your soul's healthy fulness by doubting God Lord punished them INWARDLY -do you have true PEACE -millionaires don't XIII. Jesus Turned the Tables on the Devil Matt 4:3 - IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD Matthew 7:9 KJV Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? We are younger Brethren of Jesus Hebrews 2:10-12 KJV For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (11) For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (12) Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. -we are Sons of God as Jesus was Matthew 7 dealt with sons and their fathers -Jesus did not require the Father to give him a stone that he might turn it into bread -If He was a Son, then He would get BREAD if He asked for BREAD -Satan asked Jesus to do something that was contrary to God's Word JESUS SHOWED THE DEVIL HE HAD FAITH THAT HE WAS THE SON BY BELIEVING THAT IF HE ASKED FOR BREAD HE WOULD GET BREAD - NOT A STONE TO TURN INTO BREAD!! -He need not worry about being the Son IF HE WAS SURE OF IT ANYWAY -Satan desired to make Him wonder if he really was the Son -AND IT ACTUALLY DID TEMPT JESUS XIV. Trust in Being a Son Devil will attack you FIRST with doubt concerning the reality that you are really His son or daughter! Must know what the Word says about our salvation and Father's love for us!! -"His mercy endureth forever" -He's patient in a limitless patience Notice Matthew 4:11 -God met Jesus' need, due to Jesus' patience!!!! -Psalm 106:15 - compared to Luke 21:19 -possess your souls -keep a solid grip on the health of your soul -Jesus patiently waited when hunger set in -patience kept him from error Father supplied need by angels bringing food -Jesus showed devil He really was Son of God by not doubting His Father, but patiently waiting -not complaining - asking XVI. That You Might Learn Deut. 8:3 tells us that God gave them manna that they might know that man doesn't live by bread alone -How does that teach somebody of the importance of God's Word? JOB: Job 23:12 KJV Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. -in trial Job wanted God's word more than food -compare with Jesus' words "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." -you LIVE BY FAITH -this life is more important than natural life -In prolonging Jews' journey, God let Jews understand Jesus' words -He allowed them to hunger to teach them something -Let them err -made them lean in soul when erred -THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THE VALUE OF THE WORD -People didn't trust Word of promise to enter Canaan -circumstances brought lack of faith into the open -not for God's sake -God knows the heart -it was for their sakes -they had to see the fault in themselves -not many see their own faults -see only what they consider good points -in seeing faults, they could ask God to deal with it -God doesn't impose on people -dying in wilderness result of lack of respect for WORD -get food, but they would realize it had been better to trust Word -trust would have seen them enter Canaan -but they DIED -you LIVE by every Word of God -WORD more important - bread is not enough to live by Deuteronomy 8:1-3 KJV All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. (2) And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (3) And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. ▸He tried them that they might know . |