FACING TEMPTATION AND GETTING THE VICTORY
Matt 4:1-11
Rev. Mike Jones,
There are three primary reasons people do the things they do. Overcoming Temptation produces all three
I. The Pleasure it brings
II. The Profit it produces
III. The Pain it Avoids
Overcoming Temptation brings 2 great benefits into the life of every Christian:
A) Joy comes into your life when you choose right over wrong- Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9)
B) Satan goes out of your life when you resist Temptation- And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. (Luke 4:13)
THE JOY AND PEACE OF YOUR LIFE WILL DEPEND ON HOW YOU MEET AND OVERCOME TEMPTATION. Christ came to give us life and that more abundantly - and that includes the right to victory over temptation! He showed us how to do this at the very beginning of His ministry when He "took on" Satan and came out victorious. Let's look at Temptation and see how we can be victorious.
I. Temptation is a Common Problem - Even Christ was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:15. See I Cor 10:13-There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
II. Temptation is for a reason – Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tested at the Beginning of his work: Remember that the seed cast on the stony ground endured until the heat of the day! Christ was put to the test immediately to strengthen Him for the trials to come. (In that He himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Heb 2:18)
III. Temptations Vary – But Temptation always questions God’s Goodness or God’s Will by using:
A. Normal Needs: Hungry so turn stone to bread (Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts, and enticed. James 1:14). Is your desire for God's Glory or your Good??
B. Normal Reasonings: Why not leap off the temple and show Satan His great Faith? (Notice how Satan misused the Word of God). Faith is the Substance of things hoped for the Evidence of things not seen.. Heb 11:1. Faith becomes Folly when we put our Faith in "Faith" and not in God!!!
C. Normal Desire to avoid Pain: Take the Easy way instead of the Cross way to accomplish what you need to accomplish. Because Jesus would not take a shortcut He could call on men to Deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.
IV. Temptation is overcome thru Faith in the Word - (All quotes are from the book of Deut.) Christ used the same "tool" that is available to everyone else - Faith in, and a knowledge of, the Word of God.
V. Temptation comes and goes - Satan departed for a season. Sometimes Temptation is just a glow in the distance but other times it is a raging fire - I Pet 4:12 and Ep 6:16. It was severe for Christ because He had just fasted for 40 days and was hungry.
VI. Temptations bring us closer to God - Angels ministered to Him.
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. I Pet 1:7