Hi all, I want to share something with you, that i guess we all experience, it’s about how the devil (satan) have an impact on our lives and how the devil really effects my and your spiritual life.
I got it all from Matt4. Please read with me the following lines.
Matt 4
The Temptation of Jesus
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
5Then 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.
7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
8Again, 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.”
10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him
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I want to share with you the following points:
1- satan choose the best time, and the best conditions to tempt you.
where in verse 3 (The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”. )
satan here tempted jesus with the need of jesus in the perfect time where in verse 2 ( After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.).
satan waited till jesus got hungry, till he needed bread, and then he started tempting him, that says that the devil will not tempt me with something that i am already satisfied or do not need, as an example, if i am financially satisfied , and i am very satisfied with the money i got, satan is not going to tempt me to steal, or try to tempt me in this field, because i am satisfied and if he does i am going to shut him no great effort, but if i need money, satan is going to tempt me to steal,, or to tell me to work so hard and let all the work take all my energy and my time and to consume my mind, so that my life becomes absorbed and centered about my work, leaving no time for God and no time to for family ,and anything that is going to draw me near to God and makes me a better man, satan is going to put a pressure on you in any field that you are not satisfied in, other example is relationships, I am a single man, and i have the need to love a woman and to marry , make a family and so, and for anyreason this need is not fullfiled, it’s not just a body’s need but an emotional need too ,, satan is goint to tempt me in this field, annoys me always with it, makes it a pressure on me, trying to lead me to unethical relationships , trying to draw me into the circle of pornography ” saying it is going to satisfy your physical and emotional needs”,, trying to lead me to fornication, etc…. -drowning me in sin- .
but Jesus gave us the solution in those temptations, gave us the key to get out of it in, verse 4 (Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.)
Jesus is telling us that you have a need, that’s true, but on the other hand you have Jesus, you have God, jesus answered ’ IT IS WRITTEN ‘ , the word of God, the relationship you are having with God, the Father you have ,do not ignore it ( ignore that there is a God who wants to be in your life, and don’t forget about how much this God can satisfy all your needs in ways that are never harmless but much and much better , true, and lasting ),, if you are hungry , remember that you not only live on bread alone, but there is your relationship with God, there’s Jesus in your life.
as i am a single man ,sometimes when i see a couple, the need of being in love with a girl aches me,it leads sometimes self pety and sadness sneaks into me, and as mentioned up this opens up a door for the devil to tempt me as i mentioned up. but the way to fight this is to remember that i have Jesus, I have him in my life, so why have self pity and let this takes my peace away. i am not saying that the need of love is bad and so,my main point is that how the devil will tempt you in your weak point ,tempt you with your needs and in the perfect time and conditions ” after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry”
2- the second point is satan, tempts you to test God and his promises to you and me like he did with Jesus as in :
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.
7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.
satan used the verses from 5 to 6 to make Jesus test God, can you feel how dangerous it is to start thinking in your mind ” yeah what if i fall in danger ,would God be there for me, mmm ok , i am going to put my self in danger and let’s see if Jesus is going to do exactly like he said or not”,, opening the gates of doubt and it’s like cancelling your faith in God words and promises which is the confidence that God is going to fulfill everypromise he made to us,..
Jesus knew that if he throws himself down angels will come and hold him and lift him ,and the jews would see so and it would be a very easier way that people believe that he is the messiah and save himself all the pain ( passion) and the road to the cross ( it was presented in a very clear and beautiful way in the movie ” miracle maker ” ),
Jesus gave us from the answer this time too ” It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test” . the words of God are the answer, reading the word of God ( the bible) draws you closer to God ,and introduces him with his thoughts love and what he really thinks of you, getting to know him better, to read the word of God is your protection from all the lies that satans tell, if you pray that God gives you a daily bread from the bible ,talks to you and gives you an understanding for his words, then reading the bible is going to change your heart and mind, and God is all loving and willing that reading the bible really effective and not just ‘reading and let go’ .. in mattew 7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
.
3- the third point is where Satan is Going to tempt me with great,splendor,glorious things if i let go on God, if i surrender to him. it may be a temptation with money,fame, or so , even in choices ,if you have to choose between two things 1- to obey God and not do something, and this choice is going to make you lose an oppurtunity or brings you trouble 2- to disobey God, do something wrong, and this choice will lead you to have it all,.
know that the 2nd choice will lead you to lose your self and your salvation.
Satan here wanted Jesus to bow down to him ,to worship him, but jesus had the answer, and gave it to us, in verse 10 “10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him”… the answer of knowing the wrong from write is WRITTEN, it’s in God’s words, and jesus said to satan, “away from me” , telling satan go away from me in Jesus name, is a power that God gives to all who believe in him , to all his followers , to have the power to tread on satan ( treading on scorpions and seprents ), Do not be afraid of evil “Psalms 112:1-8 …Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly inHis commandments (words) … He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is
steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established; He will not be afraid”… also in jeremiah 1 “”Don’t be afraid because of them; for I am with you to deliver you, says Yahweh.”
4- the 4rth point is a general one, which is that Satan insists to tempt you and doesn’t go away and leaves you from the first time, he just insists, but have no fear “If God is for us, who can be against us?” romans 8:31.
and remember james 4:7 ” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”.
Isaiah 43: 1-3
But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
2″When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
3″ For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
