Vol. 16.5.17
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The temptations of Our Lord
Jesus Christ are based on these three things: lust of the flesh,
pride
of life and lust of the eyes.
A lot of times we find ourselves tempted of one thing or the other.
Sometimes we fall, and other times we overcome. The truth is behind every
temptation is a subtle devil with a motive. His motive might be hidden from us
but he knows its long run cost if we are overcome by that temptation.
Our Lord Jesus
Christ was tempted by the devil and His failure would have cost us our salvation but all
thanks to God the Father who did
not leave His Son for the sake of His love for us.
Part I: Led by the Spirit
We might wonder why the Spirit of God
would lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
First, temptation is an examination to
test your strengths and weaknesses for a journey or greater experience. The temptation of Jesus was just to confirm that he was ready for His ministry.
Secondly, He needed to have victory over the devil before He commenced His ministry. Just imagine that these
temptations hadn’t happened at the beginning, the devil would have caused so
much havoc during His ministry and Jesus would have to face
rebuking the devil at every attempt to disrupt His work.
Part II: The Temptations
1 John 2:16 KJV
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of
the world.
1 John 2:16 NLT
For the world offers only a craving for physical
pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and
possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
The temptations of Our Lord Jesus Christ are based on these three
things: Lust of the flesh, Pride of life and Lust of the eyes.
A.
Lust of the Flesh
And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, he
was afterward
an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones
be made bread. Matthew 4:2-3 KJV
This temptation was based on cravings for physical pleasure or
needs. He was
hungered, he needed to satisfy that need with food. The need for survival,
food, money, clothing, shelter and even sex has made us target for temptation
from the devil. For instance, being tempted with bribe at work to do unlawful
things, to deal in illegal businesses just to survive, to sleep with a boss to
get the job or promotion, etc.Doing things to meet our needs in a wrongful manner are the
temptations of the Lust of the
flesh.
B.
Pride of Life
Then the devil taketh him up
into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto
him, if thou be the son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall
give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against
a stone. Matthew 4:5-6 KJV
Jesus knows His ability and His capacity.
He had the power to do anything He wanted, He knows His authority as God in the flesh. He didn’t even need
the angels to bear Him up if he jumped. But He didn’t show His powers just to prove the devil right.
He did everything according to purpose and to the Glory of God. There are times we are tempted
to show our abilities and possessions in a way that doesn’t glorify God but we should always reference God.
Look at the challenge, "if thou be the Son of
God". The question
is, doesn’t the devil know that Jesus is the Son of God? He sure knows and
Jesus doesn’t need to prove Himself.
If you have a
gift for instance, spiritual or ministerial or possession and achievements,
there is no need to show off to boast or boost your ego. Everything you do must
be to the glory of God.
As a child of
God, when you minister in a congregation, and you are complimented for your
performance, you should never forget that it is God who has done it and He
would share His glory with no man or thing, therefore, give all the gory to
God. It should be noted that the devil also knows the Scriptures and he can use
it against you, you must therefore ask that the Holy Spirit give you an in
depth understanding of the Scriptures so as not to fall and fail in life.
C.
Lust of the eyes
Again,
the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth
him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if
thou wilt fall down and worship me. Matthew
4:8-9 KJV
It is human
nature to desire what they see. We see beautiful things that are not
necessarily a need but we try to get them: From the mansions to the cars and
other luxuries of life. The devil showed Jesus the glory of the world with the
mind to get Him carried
away with the desire for it and bow to him, but he was disappointed because the
glory Jesus had and would get at the fulfilment of this purpose was greater. A
lot of people would do anything to have the glory of this world that fades and
end up losing an eternal glory. Many are in bondage today because of their
cravings for what they see. When you are
tempted to bow and worship the devil for the glory of this world, remember the
scripture that says, “…the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall
be revealed in us.”(Romans 8:18 KJV)
If our Lord
Jesus had bowed to the devil for the glory of this world, He would have lost everything, the
authority and power (Philippians 2:9-11,
Matthew 28:18, Revelation 5:12), But now, He has overcome for us, he endured the cross, despised
the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).
Thank You Jesus!
Part III: It is written
Jesus said, “…the words I
speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life”. John 6:63KJV
For the word of God is quick
and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of the soul and sprit, and of the joints and marrow, and is
a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12KJV
For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:89KJV
… Resist the devil and he will flee from
you. James 4:7KJV
The only language or weapon of resistance
that the devil understands is the Word of God.
If God had said, he magnifies his Word
above all his names, who then is
the devil to resist the Word of God and not flee at His word. The Word of
God is powerful; it’s a weapon of war in times of temptations. The Word of God is the key to conquer
the devil at such times.
Our Lord Jesus Christ led by example and
resisted the devil with the written Word of God. (Matthew 4:4,7&10) We must
familiarise ourselves with the scriptures to help us in times of temptations.
The Word of God is there to strengthen us and guide our footsteps at every step
of the way through temptations.
In Conclusion, the victory has been won
over Satan, it is left for us to tap into that grace to overcome as our Saviour
has done at every point in time we find ourselves in one temptation or the
other because the devil has not gone to sleep, but he is walking about seeking
whom to devour (1Peter
5:8)
And don’t forget, James
1:13-15 KJV says,
Let no man say when he is
tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own
lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
MAY GOD HELP US!
AMEN!!!
Author
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Yaroglah Damilola M.
Technical Editor
The Quiver
oluwamautin@gmail.com
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