How We Are Tempted – Conclusion

Satan may be our enemy but GOD is our defense through the divine power that is His WORD and JESUS CHRIST our teacher, as told in Matthew 4:1-11.

As far back as the Garden of Eden the devil has focused his attacks against GOD’s people in the three areas where all human beings’ are most vulnerable – unbelief, vanity, and worldly ambition.

Temptation through self-gratification and greed.

The devil has failed twice to entice JESUS to act against GOD’s will and purpose for His life – but he does not give up easily. He pulls one more trick from up his sleeves, he offers to give CHRIST worldly wealth and status in exchange for an act of worship.

Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9.

But yet again, JESUS does not hesitate to deploy the divine ammunition of GOD’s WORD: Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Matthew 4:10

Sadly, it is not uncommon for some who profess belief in JESUS to violate their conscience and GOD’’s WORD in the pursuit of wealth and social status.  When we do this we are in effect bowing to Satan. We are engaging in idolatry and devil worship if our aspirations take precedence over GOD’s will, oppose His WORD and despise instead of glorify His NAME.

Temptation is not a sin; yielding is. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

We may be tempted but we could choose to walk away. Where many of us fail is in looking too long at the forbidden fruit that is being dangled before us. Like JESUS, we ought to immediately consign the tempter to his proper place – “Get behind me, Satan!” No hesitation! It was within that brief moment of indecision that the crafty serpent intruded on Eve’s conscience with "Did God really say, 'You must not…Genesis 3. She lost everything of value and so did we!

Adam and Eve’s yielding to temptation cost them intimacy with GOD – just so our merest bow of homage in the direction of the enemy will cost us our relationship with our Father. To compromise with evil is to lose our true selves and the cost of reconciliation and restoration is greater than we have the ability to pay.

Because (JESUS CHRIST) himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18.

JESUS CHRIST suffered so He could bring the sons and daughters of GOD back to the Father and into the righteousness. This was the assignment from the Father that JESUS refused to compromise on by yielding to temptation in the wilderness. CHRIST endured, remained faithful and finished the work of the Father on our behalf – through to His death on the cross.

We do not have the right to be careless with CHRIST’s suffering by yielding to sin, when GOD has sacrificed so much to make us into instruments of righteousness.

We must believe that Satan is our worst enemy whose sole aim is to deceive and destroy us – whatever we accept from his hands will be a curse to us.  Satan is said to be the prince of the rulers of the darkness of this world. JESUS says about him, “….there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

We must totally trust our Father’s promises. That every gift from Him is meant to enrich our lives for all eternity and is given to us with no hidden agenda, deceit or guile. Our GOD is Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

We must believe completely in the power of the WORD of GOD, that it is the divine weapon of our warfare against evil. But we must recognize that if we do not know what GOD said we will not know how to respond to attacks. We must be prepared – read, study, and memorize the WORD! In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 (NET Bible)

As long as we are on this earth we are fallible, we are going to make mistakes. But we have a HIGH PRIEST, who is able to empathize with our weaknesses, one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

We can be sure of one thing, that JESUS will help us!

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Father in Heaven, holy is YOUR NAME! We thank YOU that we have a HIGH PRIEST to help us in our weakness, JESUS CHRIST who has been tempted in every way and have not sinned! We thank YOU that we are never tempted beyond what we can endure, for YOU have made a way of escape for us. Thank YOU Father for the sword of the Spirit, the WORD of GOD and its divine power to pull down strongholds in our lives. Father, we are nothing without YOU! When we think of the goodness of JESUS and all HE has done for us, our very souls cry out Hallelujah! thank YOU GOD for saving us, for forgiving us, for choosing us.  We honor and glorify YOU, as we pray in the NAME of JESUS CHRIST our LORD.  Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile