Fighting the Good Fight of Faith #5-Satan S Temptations

“FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH #5-SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS”

MATTHEW 4:1-11

INTRO: There was a little boy named Willy in the kitchen one day with his

hand reaching down into the narrow top of the cookie jar. While in

this position, his mother walked in on him and said, "Willy, what are

you doing?" Willy answered his mother bluntly, "I am fighting

temptation." Willy was not fighting temptation. He had allowed his

emotions to get involved and had thought his action through. He

watched for when his mother was out of the kitchen, figured out how

to get onto the counter, and remembered to carefully lift the lid so

that it would not make any noise. He had thought about that

temptation and allowed the desire and lust to come to pass. A.C.

Green once said, "We all have the power of choice, but once we

exercise that choice, it has power over us." (Bible Illustrator For

plan ahead for it.

In Matthew 4:1-11 we read of the temptation of Jesus by Satan in

the wilderness. He came to Jesus with three great temptations.

Satan’s goal was to destroy Jesus and the kingdom of God. Just as

the devil was our Lord’s enemy while on this earth, you and I face the

same enemy today. Satan will use the same temptations on us that

he used on the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord truly “was in all points

tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15b). “He was s

subjected to all the kinds of trial to which we can be, and he is,

therefore, able to sympathize with us and to aid us.” (Albert Barnes’

“Jesus is our role model. The way He responded to temptation is the

way we are to respond to it” (Charles F. Stanley. When The Enemy

Strikes. p. 130). Folks, when temptation comes knocking at our

door we must know how to respond to it!

In the verses before us tonight, our Lord shows us how to properly

respond to temptation when it comes our way. The mighty Niagara

River plummets some 180 feet at the American and Horseshoe Falls.

Before the falls, there are violent, turbulent rapids. Farther upstream,

however, where the river's current flows more gently, boats are able to

navigate. Just before the Welland River empties into the Niagara, a

pedestrian walkway spans the river. Posted on this bridge's pylons is

a warning sign for all boaters: "Do you have an anchor?" followed by,

"Do you know how to use it?" Faith, like an anchor, is something we

need to have and use to avoid spiritual cataclysm. -- Paul Adams in

Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors

of Leadership. Friends, temptation is going to come, but the question

is, “How will we respond when we are staring it in the face?” I want to

speak on the subject tonight, “SATAN’S TEMPTATIONS”. Let us look

at these three temptations Satan placed before Jesus and how our

Savior responded to each temptation:

(1) SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO DOUBT AND DISBELIEVE

MATTHEW 4:3—“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be

the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

A. THE DOUBT SATAN INFERRED. I want you to listen to Satan’s words to

Jesus, “…If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made

bread.” "If" suggests a doubt, and, perhaps, a taunt. It is a cunning appeal

to Christ to work a miracle to satisfy his hunger and to display his power

(B. W. Johnson. The People’s New Testament. e-Sword. Version 7.6.1.

you know that one of the greatest of all temptations that Satan uses

against us is the temptation to disbelieve? “If Satan can get you to doubt

God’s presence…love…forgiveness…purpose…commandments, he is well

on his way to getting you to yield to temptation” (Charles F. Stanley. When

The Enemy Strikes. p. 38). Satan’s suggestion to Jesus to turn the stones

into bread was his way of tempting Jesus to act independently of God. He

wanted Jesus to take the initiative and no longer trust and follow the will of

God. Satan said, “You are hungry because of divine appointment, and yet

in this divine appointment there is no provision for your hunger.

Therefore, it is right for you to act on your own to satisfy your need.” Satan

wanted our Lord to despair and doubt the Father’s goodness. I want you to

note something here: one of the wiles of the devil is to take advantage of

our outward condition. V2 tells us of our Lord, “And when he had fasted

forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry.” When Jesus began

to be hungry, out in the wilderness where there was nothing to be had,

there Satan assaulted him! Friends, when you find yourself in want and

poverty Satan can easily tempt your to doubt and disbelieve the goodness of

God.

B. THE DEPENDENCE THE SAVIOR INSISTED. When Satan suggests to us

that God cannot be trusted or that He doesn’t care about us, we must

respond by affirming our love and dependence upon God. Jesus answered

Satan’s temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3—“…man doth not live by

bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD

doth man live.” That verse is part of a passage given to Israel so that they

would understand how God sustained their lives while they were in the

wilderness. The only HOPE they had was God! He sustained them,

provided for them, guided them, and protected them. Jesus simply said to

Satan, “I depend solely upon God!” Friends, when Satan tempts us to

doubt and disbelieve God’s goodness, mercy and grace we simply need to

affirm, “Lord, I believe in YOU. I trust YOU and believe that YOU are who

YOU say YOU are! I believe YOU are able to meet my every need. I depend

Upon YOU and wait upon YOU!”

ILLUS: This is almost overwhelming when you think about it. Moses and

the people were in the desert, but what was he going to do with

them? They had to be fed, and feeding 2 or 3 million people

requires a lot of food. According to the Quartermaster General in

the Army, it is reported that Moses would have to have had 1500

tons of food each day. Do you know that to bring that much food

each day, two freight trains, each at least a mile long, would be

required! Besides you must remember, they were out in the desert,

so they would have to have firewood to use in cooking the food.

This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains,

each a mile long, just for one day.

And just think, they were forty years in transit. And Oh yes! They

would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and

wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day and

a freight train with tank cars, 1800 miles long, just to bring water!

And then another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea at

night. Now, if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line

would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to

get through. So there had to be a space in the Red Sea, 3 miles

wide so that they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.

But then, there is another problem...... each time they camped

at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state

of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles

long...... think of it! This much space for camping.

Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think

not! You see, Moses believed in God. God took care of these things

for him. Now do you think God has any problem taking care of all

your needs?

ILLUS: “Immediately after World War II the allied armies gathered up many

hungry, homeless children and placed them in large camps. There

the children were fed and cared for. However, at night they did not

sleep well. They seemed restless and afraid. Finally, a psychologist

hit on a solution. After the children were put to bed, they each

received a slice of bread to hold. If they wanted more to eat, more

was provided, but this particular piece was not be eaten—it was

just to hold. The slice of bread provided marvelous results. The

child would go to sleep, subconsciously feeling he would have

something to eat tomorrow. That assurance gave the child a calm

and peaceful rest.

In the 23rd Psalm, David points out something of same feeling in

the sheep when he says, ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not

want.’ Instinctively, the sheep knows the shepherd has made plans

for its grazing tomorrow. He knows the shepherd made ample

provision for it today, so will he tomorrow, so the sheep lies down

in its fold with, figuratively speaking, the piece of bread in its hand”

(Charles L. Allen. God’s Psychiatry. Revell. 1988).

Friends, every believer can say “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” if he is willing to rest in His presence, rely on His protection, and rejoice in His provision!

SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO DISBELIEVE but also note…

(2) SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO DIVERT AND DEMAND

MATTHEW 4:5-7—“Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and

setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou

be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give

his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall

bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Jesus said unto him, Itiswrittenagain,Thoushaltnottemptthe

LordthyGod.”

A. SATAN’S DESIGN. Friends, we must always remember, “The devil tempts

us to bring us down, but God tests us to bring us up.” -- Jerry W. Mixon in

Along the Way. Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 13.(Bible Illustrator For

Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple to corrupt and pervert the

purpose and plan of God for the Lord Jesus. Satan said, “You’re the Son of

God, you have faith in God to provide for your needs. So show your faith

by casting yourself down.”

B. SATAN’S DEMAND. This demand of Satan is a oft repeated demand:

“God, if you’re real, give us a sign.” “Lord, if this is Your will, provide us a

miracle!” “Christian communicators ... face the temptation, as Jesus did, to

test God and find a shortcut to success. If Jesus had jumped from the

pinnacle of the temple, it would have been the ultimate publicity stunt. But

that wasn't the way God wanted to usher in the Kingdom.” -- Ron Wilson in

The Next to the Last Word. Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 7.(Bible

sign from heaven," to make a display of his power to secure popular

applause. Perhaps the evil spirit whispered to him to perform one

stupendous miracle in Jerusalem, in the presence of all people, and to

secure such fame that he would reach the throne without treading the

thorny way of the cross. To have done so would have robbed the world of its

Savior. "It behooved him to die, and to rise again." (B. W. Johnson. The

Our Lord replied to Satan again using SCRIPTURE. Exodus 17 tells us of

Israel’s experience at Massah. They had no water and began to complain

against Moses. We read in Deuteronomy 6:16 that God instructed Israel—

“Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.”

Jesus used this verse of Scripture to rebuke Satan refusing to do anything

that might be considered as a demand on God. Folks, it is dangerous

business to presumptuously demand anything from God! We must beware

never to be presumptuous and demand anything of Almighty God! How are

some ways we tempt God? :

WE TEMPT GOD BY DEMANDING SIGNS, MIRACLES, AND EVIDENCE INSTEAD OF SIMPLY TRUSTING HIM. These demands show that we are walking by sight and not by faith.

WE TEMPT GOD BY PUTTING OURSELVES INTO SITUATIONS WHERE WE CAN BE TEMPTED TO SIN EXPECTING GOD TO PRESERVE US BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 commands us—“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

WE TEMPT GOD BY DEMANDING TO THE DETAILS OF OUR FUTURE: HOW AND WHEN GOD WILL DO THIS OR THAT. The resurrected Lord told His disciples after they asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?,” “Itisnotforyoutoknowthetimesortheseasons,whichtheFatherhathputinhis ownpower.” (Acts 1:6-7).

WHEN TEMPT GOD BY OUR PRAYERS WHEN THEY BECOME DEMANDS INSTEAD OF REQUESTS. Folks, our Lord never promised to give us everything we ask of Him. But He did say, “Andwhatsoeveryeshallask inmyname,thatwillIdo,thattheFathermaybeglorifiedintheSon.” (John 14:13). Also 1 John 5:14 assures us—“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.”

WE TEMPT GOD BY BELIEVING THAT FAITH IS BEST EXPRESSED IN THE SENSATIONAL AND UNUSUAL RATHER THAN THE COMMON EXPERIENCES OF LIFE. The real test of faith is not the ability to do something sensational or unusual but rather it expresses itself in the change it make in your daily life!

WE TEMPT GOD BY ATTEMPTING TO DO GOD’S WILL IN OUR OWN WAY. Spiritual results are never achieved by fleshly means. Any thing we attempt to do for God apart from His enabling and power is unacceptable in His sight! A. W. Tozer said, “If the Lord is in it, it flows. If it is of the flesh it is forced.” “One of the greatest failures of the Church is that we often try to accomplish with human systems what only God can do” (Fred Smith. Leadership. Vol. 1, no. 1). “Some people think the prayer of faith is crawling out on a limb and then begging God to keep someone from sawing it off. But that is not real prayer, that is presumption. If God makes it clear that he wants you out on a limb, fine—you will be perfectly safe there. If not, it is presumptuous to crawl out on that limb, expecting God to keep you there” (Ray C. Stedman. Man of Faith. Christianity Today. Vol. 40, no. 7).

SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO DOUBT AND DISBELIEVE, SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO DIVERT AND DEMAND and finally…

(3) SATAN TEMPTED JESUS TO DESERT AND DISOBEY

MATTHEW 4:8-10—“Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding

high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence,Satan:foritiswritten,ThoushaltworshiptheLordthyGod,andhimonlyshaltthouserve.”

A. THE OFFER. “…the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain,

and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And

saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and

worship me…”. Jesus came to be a King, but the pathway to the crown is

weary, painful, beset with thorns and blood. Satan proposes an easier way.

He will rally the Jewish nation around him, set him on the throne of David,

make him the Messiah King of the world, if he will only consent to give up

his idea of a spiritual kingdom, "not of this world," and worship the god of

this world by conforming his kingdom to the worldly ideas of Israel. The

temptation is to turn away from the path of self-denial, the cross and the

tomb, and to establish an outward, worldly domain. (B. W. Johnson. The

appeal to Jesus here was, “Give me the worship, adoration, and allegiance

instead of Your Father and I will give you all these things.” Friends, Satan

still uses everything in his power to make sin and the false gods of this

world look appealing and attractive to us!

ILLUS: In August of 2003, a study was released revealing that money

can't buy happiness. Beginning in 1975, University of Southern

California researcher Richard Easterlin surveyed 1500 persons

annually and found:

“Many people are under the illusion that the more money we make,