Matthew 4 - Part 1 - When you are tempted to do the wrong thing, how d…
Matthew 4 - Part 1 - When you are tempted to do the wrong thing, how do you resist?
Matthew 4 - I don't know about you but I try to remember to include in my prayers each morning that God will keep me from evil. I don't want to be put in positions where there is a possibility where I will compromise my faith. I know how weak I am. I don't need to be put in harms way. But am I going to led into temptation like Jesus was? Is God going to put me in harm's way deliberately?
It doesn't make any sense. Why would Jesus go into the wilderness to be tempted? Not only that but did you notice that it is the Spirit who leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil! You'd think the Holy Spirit would want Him to be led away from anything to do with temptation and the devil but no, Jesus is led to confront Satan head on. How strange that God would do this? Why?
What about us. Are we led into temptation? The Lord's prayer says "Lead us NOT into temptation". Why is Jesus led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan? It doesn't seem to add up. Jesus was about to start a 3 year ministry which would lead Him to the Cross. Why did He start with this?
So what is this saying? I believe that it's good to ask to keep you from evil, but God does choose to place us in positions that will test our faith at times, not so that we will fail the test but so that we will win over temptation and be stronger in our faith. That shouldn't stop me from asking to be kept from evil. But I know when God allows me to be tested it will never be beyond what I am able to endure. That's what happens to Jesus in this chapter.
Hebrews 2:17-18 (NLT) says "Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested."
Now notice something else about this. Part of having to deal with temptation is so we can learn to trust in Jesus who can defeat Satan's temptations. That's good. In other words He was tempted for my benefit! He faced what I face but He can lead me into His victory over temptation.
Hebrews 4:15 (NLT) says "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin." So all that makes some sense. I kind of like the idea that Jesus has done the hard yards so that I can win victory in my life.
God bless you Church as you trust in Jesus for victory over the temptations in your life.
Pastor Ross
Matthew 4 - I don't know about you but I try to remember to include in my prayers each morning that God will keep me from evil. I don't want to be put in positions where there is a possibility where I will compromise my faith. I know how weak I am. I don't need to be put in harms way. But am I going to led into temptation like Jesus was? Is God going to put me in harm's way deliberately?
It doesn't make any sense. Why would Jesus go into the wilderness to be tempted? Not only that but did you notice that it is the Spirit who leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil! You'd think the Holy Spirit would want Him to be led away from anything to do with temptation and the devil but no, Jesus is led to confront Satan head on. How strange that God would do this? Why?
What about us. Are we led into temptation? The Lord's prayer says "Lead us NOT into temptation". Why is Jesus led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan? It doesn't seem to add up. Jesus was about to start a 3 year ministry which would lead Him to the Cross. Why did He start with this?
So what is this saying? I believe that it's good to ask to keep you from evil, but God does choose to place us in positions that will test our faith at times, not so that we will fail the test but so that we will win over temptation and be stronger in our faith. That shouldn't stop me from asking to be kept from evil. But I know when God allows me to be tested it will never be beyond what I am able to endure. That's what happens to Jesus in this chapter.
Hebrews 2:17-18 (NLT) says "Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested."
Now notice something else about this. Part of having to deal with temptation is so we can learn to trust in Jesus who can defeat Satan's temptations. That's good. In other words He was tempted for my benefit! He faced what I face but He can lead me into His victory over temptation.
Hebrews 4:15 (NLT) says "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin." So all that makes some sense. I kind of like the idea that Jesus has done the hard yards so that I can win victory in my life.
God bless you Church as you trust in Jesus for victory over the temptations in your life.
Pastor Ross
