Understanding the temptation
Matthew 4: 1-3
1Then the Holy Spirit took Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after forty days and forty nights without eating, Jesus was hungry. 3Then the devil came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, have these stones become bread.
Today we will address a theme that is ever present in our lives: Understanding temptation.
What is temptation?
Temptation is an excessive pursuit of anything but God. These are opportunities for evil to come into our lives. Temptations are like tests, but they are not tests put by God, for God will never put us at risk of falling into the hands of the evil one.
We often confuse temptations with trials. Trials are situations God allows us to pass so that as we overcome such situations, our faith is strengthened. But until we overcome the trial, we do not commit sin.
But often during a trial our guard is open and the devil offers us his temptations. Let’s look again at the previous narration:
Matthew 4: 1-3
1Then the Holy Spirit took Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after forty days and forty nights without eating, Jesus was hungry. 3Then the devil came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, have these stones become bread.
The featured excerpt shows God’s part: putting Jesus in a (desert) test to strengthen his faith. Jesus would be able to see and feel how the Father sustains him in all adversities. Mark 1:13 says that “there were wild animals there, and the angels took care of Jesus.” God sent his angels to support Jesus. Note that if Jesus did not overcome the desert, he would not fall into sin.
Now look at verse 3. Only after Jesus was weakened by the test, did the devil offer his “service.” At this point we see that if Jesus had fallen into this temptation, he would have sinned against God, for he would have yielded to the desire of his flesh.
Temptations usually occur in conjunction with trials as the enemy is always waiting for the best opportunity to attack us. However, temptations can also meet us when we are well.
This is because, as we have seen, temptation comes not from God but from the devil. And he uses our own desires to attack us. Jesus was hungry, the devil offered him a way to satisfy this desire: using the power of God in vain.
Let’s see this in the Bible:
Mark 7: 21-22
21Because from within, from the heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, thefts, death crimes, 22 adulteries, greed, evils, lies, immoralities, envy, slander, pride and speaking and acting without thinking about the consequences.
Therefore, even when we are well, our body still nourishes desires:
When we have just had a good meal, we still want dessert! GREEDINESS
When we have the wardrobe full of comfortable pieces, we still want the designer pants! SUPERB
We are very married, but we still take that look at the models of the magazine! LUST
So we see the warning in the Bible: Watch!
Matthew 26: 39-41
39 And going a little farther, he fell on his face, praying and saying, My Father, if it be possible, pass this cup over to me; However, not as I want, but as you want. 40And when he returned to his disciples, he found them asleep. And he said to Peter, Have you not been able to keep watch with me for an hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation; indeed the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Brothers, see what a wonderful passage! Jesus, the son of God, asking the Father to take evil desires from his heart! And Jesus meets his “sleeping” friends, that is, quiet, unprotected! And warns us in verse 41.
John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?
The Lord wants us to do the same that he did to the Apostels. This washing means not only the cleaning of the usual most durty part of the body – barefooted on the durty way – but the washing is not only somatically, bu a “washing by the WORD”. It is renewing the spirit, therefore Jesus said to Peter: ” If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me”. This washing is a symbol for being together, to belong together. Nobody is “more – better” as the other one ! We all have the same value before God, who only looks after our true heart. To our Lord we shall be one body with many members.
1 Corinthians 12: For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
Psalm 125 : Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
God wants us to be like a mountain, that cannot be moved, that stands even when storm, rain, snow and high tide is buffeting. God is true, what He promises, he implements. We can be sure that His help will come at the right
time.
Why brothers, why does Jesus care so much that we always be alert? What can temptation cause us?
I will let God speak directly to you just as He spoke to me revealing this message to me: (let’s read together slowly)
James 1: 12-18
12Happy is he who in afflictions remains faithful! For after you are approved of these afflictions, you will receive as a prize the life that God promises to those who love you. 13When one is tempted, do not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone Himself. But people are tempted when they are attracted and deceived by their own evil desires. 15Then these desires cause sin to be born, and sin, when it is already mature, produces death.
16 Make no mistake, my dear brothers. 17 All the good we have received, and all that is perfect, is from heaven, from God, the Creator of the lights of heaven. It does not change, nor does it change position, which would cause darkness. 18 By his own will he caused us to be born, through the word of truth, to take first place among all his creatures.
12Happy is he who in afflictions remains faithful! Even as you go through an ordeal, facing a hardship in your life, trust in God!
For after you are approved of these afflictions, you will receive as a prize the life that God promises to those who love you. You will be able to trust God so much that nothing else can shake your joy and your strength, your light will strengthen and illuminate everything around you!
13When one is tempted, do not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone Himself. God loves us so much that He will never offer us anything that will hurt us. But let us always remember that He respects our free will.
But people are tempted when they are attracted and deceived by their own evil desires. Jesus overcame the devil and set us free from the power of sin. This means that ultimately we ourselves allow the devil to offer us temptations. We do this when we allow evil desires in our hearts.
15Then these desires cause sin to be born, and sin, when it is already mature, produces death. Sin is like a plant that grows very fast. If he takes root he will bear fruit. And its fruit is spiritual death!
16 Make no mistake, my dear brothers. Watch! At all times watch!
17 All the good we have received, and all that is perfect, is from heaven, from God, the Creator of the lights of heaven. It does not change, nor does it change position, which would cause darkness. If there is in you doubt about the word of God. If anything or anyone is pointing out contradictions in the Bible. Pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten you. Always remember that God is faithful!
18 By his own will he caused us to be born, through the word of truth, to take first place among all his creatures. Yes, we are God’s masterpiece. All of us! That is why Jesus teaches us love, so that this condition does not make us think that among human beings there are better and worse. This is why Jesus tells us, “The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Wow!! I remember when I wrote this I was listening to a song. The song ended just when I finished writing. It was so deep silence! Let’s take a breath, have some water …
Ready to go on?
Finally, I want to extol the value of Jesus Christ in relation to temptations. Jesus’ life on earth is so perfect that I think he is not of this world! (and not really, He is from the Kingdom of Heaven)
But He came into this world and became our eternal priest. He who binds us to the Father.
Hebrews 4: 14-16
14 Therefore let us stand fast in the faith which we preach, for we have a mighty High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, who entered into the very presence of God. 15Our High Priest is not like those who cannot understand our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a Great Priest who was tempted in the same way as us, but did not sin. 16 Therefore let us have confidence, and come near the divine throne, where is the grace of God. There we will receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.
Thank you Lord, I thank you in my name and in the name of my brothers present here for this teaching. Thank you for loving us so much and taking care of us. I thank you personally for using me as your instrument. May all glory be yours, today and forever. Amen!
Psalm 16: 8-I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
To do what God wants we have 5 items that support our life:
BELIEF – PRAYER – the WORDS – OBEDIENCE – LOVE
We are fragile, we are like Jeremias who did not know what to speak, how to do what God wants, but we may confidently open our mouth and the Holy Spirit will lead our tonge and let us speak the right word – words that help to spread the glory of God over the world.
Listen to PRAYER – Psalm 16 https://youtu.be/HRHAzwxwnAE