March 16, 2014 - Sunday

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End Time:

Title: The temptation of Jesus

Scripture: Luke 4:1 – 13

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted^[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’^[b]”

NOTES:

Ø To live a victorious life on earth, we need to live a life full led by the Holy Spirit!

Ø Satan uses our “needs” against us but Jesus replied that we can’t live by bread alone.

Ø The word of the Lord gives life – it gives us hope and life to continue and when we are filled with His words (where His love and support and care is written), we live a life of positive outlook and no matter what negative feedback or comments the devil or people throw at us, our ears are closed to it for God’s words is stronger in our hearts and mind and it will sustain us as it gives us life.

→ The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.

NOTES:

Ø Satan uses our “Wants” or the desires of our hearts against us too – it is not a sin to want good things; to become rich, to own a house, or car, or have money, etc… but be careful as the devil can use it against us.

Ø The word of the Lord gives us purpose and a sense of direction – when we are betrayed, our hearts are hurt and its natural response is revenge, yet the word of God places us in the right direction when it speaks of loving our enemies, or loving our neighbors as ourselves.  Despite of the deception of our hearts, when we are filled by God’s words, it leads us back to the right path!

→The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;  they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[d]”  Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[e]” When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

NOTES:

Ø Satan is the accuser and every day, he is accusing us.  He says, aren’t you a Christian… so how come u have debts?  So how come you are sick?  So how come you lied?  Etc…

Ø The Word of the Lord gives us assurance of our identity in Him.  So no matter what the devil says about us, we can stand firm because we have the Word of the Lord and it tells us exactly who we are in Christ, leaving no doubts, no questions, no wavering! 

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for Your Word!  Thank You because Your Word is alive and it works amazingly in us even when our eyes are blind to see it.  Thank You because no matter what the devil says or what attacks he uses against us, Your words can defend us and counterattack those attacks.  Thank You because Your word remains forever and no matter what it does not change.  Thank You because I have life because of Your word, I have direction and purpose because of Your word, I have assurance of my identity because of Your word!  Thank You Lord, help me to meditate in Your Word always and to never depart from it ever.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!