11/03/2020
SATAN IS STILL WORKING
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all temptation, he departed from Him for a season (Luke 4:12-13).
The present world systems are grounded by the destructive rule of Satan. The devil (Satan) is a evil angelic being, hostile to human beings, he exercises great Influence in this world to shape societies to appeal to that sin nature that is in man (Ephesians 2:2). Test, trial,and temptation are situations that places us under great pressure to bow to ungodly deeds and acts. But he is far from all powerful. Believers can use the resources God supplies to stand against his schemes (Ephesians 6:10-18).
We are reminded in that God never lures people in any wise to do evil ( James 1:13 ). God does test, as He permitted the devil to test Jesus, to demonstrate to us and to all that we can over come in His strength not our own. The three temptations in Luke 4:1-13, were only typical of a much wider struggle in which Jesus engaged with the devil. The attacks continued throughout Jesus ministry.
Satan frequently raises questions about what God has said. He knows that once we began to question God, it is far easier to get us to do what he wants. Times of questioning can help us sort out our beliefs and strengthen our faith, but they can also be dangerous. If you are dealing with doubt, realize that you are especially vulnerable to temptation. Even as you search for answers, protect yourself by meditating on the unshaken truths of God's Word.
Sometimes what we are tempted to do isn't wrong within itself. Turning stones into bread wasn't necessarily bad. The sin wasn't in the act but the reason for it. The devil was trying to get Jesus to take a shortcut, to solve a immediate problem at the expense of His long range goals, to seek self-comfort at the sacrifice of His discipline. The devil often works that way, persuading us to take action even right action, for the wrong reason, or at the wrong time. The fact that something is good is not wrong in itself does not mean it is good for you at a given time. Many people sin by attempting to fulfill legitimate desires outside of God's will or ahead of His timetable.
Often we are tempted not through our weaknesses, but, through our strengths. Satan tempted Jesus where He was strong. Jesus had power over stones, the kingdoms of the world, and even angels, and the devil wanted Him to use that power without regard to His mission. When we give in to the devil and wrongly use our strengths, we become self reliant. Trusting in our own powers, we feel little need for God. To avoid this trap, we must realize that all our strengths are God's gifts to us, and we must dedicate them to His service.
The devil misinterprets Scripture. The intention of Psalms 91 is to show God's protection of His people, not to incite them to use God's power for sensational or foolish displays. Christ's defeat of the devil in the wilderness was decisive but not final. Throughout His ministry, Jesus would confront the devil in many forms. Too often we see temptation as once and for all. In reality, we need to be constantly on guard against the devil's ongoing attacks.
