"Let's Make A Deal"

Scripture Text: "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth 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." Matthew 4:8-9 (KJV)

I'm excited about being alive in this day and age. I've got some great stuff I'm going to be bringing to you in today's Prophecy Notes Message here yet this morning - current events that will show you that God's plan is beginning to unfold.

All of us are currently on that journey to God’s "spiritual" Promised Land we call "Christ’s earthly millennial reign" and of course eternity beyond. And I have had several tell me this past week - and I have experienced first hand how the Devil likes to come along and try to "make a deal" with you. He wants to block your right of passage and if he can... keep you enslaved in Pharaoh’s land. How does he do it? Through compromise. 

We see there in the text for today that the old devil even tried to tempt Jesus - the very son of  the God of the universe! In essence He was tempting God  himself. First he sees that Jesus is hungry - so he says, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." (vs 3)

Jesus replied, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Mat 4:4 (KJV)

The Devil then takes him up into the holy city, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple,and he tells him that if he was the Son of God to cast him self down - for it is written says the devil... "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." (Ref., Matthew 4:5-6 KJV) 

Then the Devil took Jesus up on a exceedingly high mountain - high enough so that Jesus could see for miles... and told Jesus that he would give Him all of the Kingdoms of the WORLD if he would fall down and worship him. to which Jesus replied,

"Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (verse 10)

Hunger, Faith and Power. Do these areas of life look familiar to similar struggles you have had on your journey HOME?

One of Satan's favorite penetration point is in our appetites. I'm not just speaking of hunger for food, I'm speaking of those areas in our life where sustenance has been extracted and all that is left is pleasure for a season and then death.

What about Faith? There is no greater adversary along the way HOME in regards to our Faith than that Old Devil. He's a robber, and his greatest desire is to steal your JOY so that when the Pastor to "rejoice in the Lord" in your praise and worship service - you don't feel like it. In fact, you look around at the others rejoicing and clapping your hands - Praising God, and you feel nothing but disdain for them and say to yourself, "Bunch of Hypocrites".  Ever feel that way? I have, and it wasn't until I stood on my feet ANYWAY and Gave the LORD a SACRIFICE OF PRAISE that I was delivered form it.

Lastly, that inherent desire in all men to be somebody! To have purpose and make a  difference. Those are good healthy desires and are actually evidence of a Creator God who has etched upon your very heart and soul to reach for the skies and to seek Him. If we were a bunch of mealy-mouthed old possums... our greatest purpose in life would be to try to cross those old highways in the middle of the night and not get hit by a car. But Oh God had something so much better planned for you my friend. He wanted you to seek and Know HIS POWER! But what happened? Our first parents set us up. Not intentionally having us in mind - but the old serpent said, God knows if you eat of that Tree of Good and evil you will become like Gods. (ref., Gen 3:4-6) Eve desired not just the fruit of satisfaction - she wanted to be like God; and her partner our first Parent in the Lord, partook too.

POWER! Something that God meant for Good - and the Devil tempted them to eat of it and they lost all power - and were even forced from the graden to toil with their hands from then on.

Oh My friend.... beware of the devil’s lies today. He is already enticing God’s blood-washed throng with voices of "religious sophistication" which tell us that the Bible is merely a book of folklore. He is asking - always enticing with words which split the Truth of God's Word from it's literal meaning and telling us that Jesus wasn't the SON of God - that He didn't raise from the Grave, and that the whole story about the immaculate conception of Mary was a hoax and Jesus is not truly the Son of the Living God.

Satan’s words are all lies. Truth comes from God alone my friend. Today when you are tempted... answer everyone of his lies with the Word of God: “It is written!” Read the first eleven verses and understand them in relationship to your daily journey with Christ and begin Submitting yourself to God. Resist the devil, and he will will have to go. It's in the WORD!
(Ref., Jas 4:7)

Let's pray.

Father God, don't allow me to get caught up in Satan's lies and his temptations. I submit myself to you just now, trusting solely in the Power of Your Blood to have delivered me from all of my sin, and In Your Name Jesus, I RESIST THE DEVIL right now, and YOUR WORD SAYS HE MUST GO! I STAND on YOUR WORD TODAY and I go forth in the Assurance of your WORD and the Power of Your Blood Alone, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

 

 

출처 : http://inthegarden.us/devo2010/itg081610.htm