When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness He revealed to us the deceptive tools used to draw us into temptation.
Deception # 1 When you are at your weakest, get you to question who you are in Christ.
And when He (Jesus) had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Matthew 4:2-3 NKJV
In Matthew Chapter 3 God declared this about His Son:
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and aligning upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is
My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17
Note: how the tempter left out beloved and that God was well pleased with Him. This same trick was used in the Garden of Eden when the provisions of God were questioned. God told Man that he could freely eat from any tree in the garden except for the one tree that would bring forth death. When questioned by the tempter Eve was asked, “Did God really say, ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” –genesis 3:1
Same trick but the results are the same to get you to question the provisions of God and the abundance you have in Him by pointing you to your lack and insufficiency’s.
Deception #2 Use your own desires to tempt you.
A desire is not limited to the lust of your flesh it can include your desires and plans from God. Have you ever had a vision from God and in your desire to see it fulfilled moved ahead of God to make it happen yourself.
“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
Matthew 4:8-10
This was Jesus’ mission, to take back and save the world, this was His desire and it was used to tempt Him. But look at Jesus’ response to each temptation…the Word of God. Now for us the Word has become flesh and that flesh overcame temptation, death and every obstacle that we face in life andin Him we are more than conquerors. We’re not in this fight alone, we have Christ!
Here’s the thing God is not looking at you, your past and flaws, He’s looking at His perfect, spotless Son. God isn’t looking at your resume, He’s looking at His. His grace, His strength, His abilities and unfailing love. So when temptation comes whatever the temptation may be, remember who you are in God’s eyes and who’s doing the good work through you. JESUS.
This is Who You Are
Children of God 1John 3:1
Righteousness of God in Christ 1 Cor. 1:30
Co-Heirs with Christ Rom. 8:16-17
This is His plan for You
To prosper you, give you hope and a great future. Jeremiah 29:11
To Represent Him Isaiah 61:3
To be His ministers/priests of the New Covenant. Isaiah 61:6
His Resume, Not Yours
Christ started it, He’ll finish it. Philippians 1:6
You’re not in this Alone
Nothing this world can throw at you will prosper. Isaiah 54:17
Don’t be afraid, God’s got you! Joshua 1:5 & Isaiah 41:10
LIVE…LIFE…FREE! ITS GOD'S SPECIALTY (John 10:10)
