This week we are starting a new series on temptation. What it is, what to do with it, and how to resist it. Temptation is anything that comes into our life that leads us to disbelieve or disobey God; or provides an opportunity to walk in greater faith or obedience with God. From the series Temptation, at Apostles Raleigh.
Hebrews 2:14-18
Matthew 4:1-11
Temptation: Anything that comes into our life that leads us to disbelieve or disobey God; or provides an opportunity to walk in greater faith or obedience with God.
The same thing that God would use to grow our faith, Satan uses to tear us down.
The Bible assumes the Devil/Satan is real. The linguistical root of the word “Devil” comes from the idea of splitting. The Devil wants to split us from God.
What is not in this passage is a physical representation of a physical being.
In Matthew 4, the Tempter temps with words. The Tempter goes after our mind, affection, and will, with ideas.
In the first temptation the Tempter goes after Jesus’ stomach. The Tempter attacks Jesus at the point of his most obvious weakness.
When we are alone and/or tired, we are more vulnerable to temptation in our natural places of weakness.
In the second temptation, the Enemy appeals to Jesus’ love of scripture.
The Enemy will use Scripture to justify behavior that is clearly in contrast to the heart of Scripture. The Devil is wise enough to use Scripture against the people of God.
In the third temptation the Tempter goes after Jesus’ love for the Father’s world, his vocation.
The enemy will try and confuse our desire to love and serve God’s people, with the reality of God himself.
The enemy will exploit our desire to do good, for his own ends.
Even the biggest, strongest, scariest enemy is weak when we have the right weapon.
We have two weapons: Scripture & Our High Priest (Jesus).
We can use scripture to “talk to our selves” when we are tempted to sin.
Jesus was made like us in every way, yet was without sin. We can call upon him to help us in our temptation.