Click Bait: Stronger In Temptation (Week 2)
What does clickbait do?
· Over promises and under deliverers.
· Keeps you on the line to exploit you for gain.
· Keeps you on the line to harm you.
Click bait is deceptive, deterring and destructive and so is temptation.
Satan’s temptation objectives are clear…
· Crush our God identity
· Change our direction
· Choke our spiritual bandwidth
· And ultimately, as Jesus states in John 10, to kill, steal and destroy.
· 1Peter 5:7-8 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
· James 4:7 “7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
2 of my objectives this month are…
· To help you understand the “why’s of temptation so you will become wise in temptation.”
· Equip you to grow stronger in Christ so as to raise your Defeating Temptation Efficiency.
Revelation 13:8b “Jesus was the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world.”
Key Point: Satan may win some and even critical temptation battles but God has won the redemption war.
Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Key Gospel Fact: God comes to us and provides a means for us to come to Him.
Isaiah 53:5-7 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
Testing isn’t a trap it’s a tool. Temptation isn’t a tool, it’s a trap. It’s all about perspective and intent.
The Temptations - Matthew 4:2-4
1. Live for Yourself
2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
The Temptations - Matthew 4:5-7
2. Live in Identity Insecurity
5 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.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Doubting your spiritual identity keeps you in a spiritually insecure place and holds you back from your spiritual purpose.
The Temptations - Matthew 4:8-11
3. Avoid Suffering at All Costs
8 Again, 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.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
To be tempted means to be enticed to do wrong by the promise of pleasure or gain.
Satan wants to take us out in the desert. God wants to sync His power with our solidified identity to secure His purpose.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (Amplified) 3 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
1 Corinthians 10:13 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Hebrews 4:14-16 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 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.