The grand design in the heart of Satan down the ages in bringing temptation is to EMPTY us from our STATIONS.
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Just like he unseated the first Adam from his lovely station in the garden of Eden, his preoccupation has always been manipulations of holy saints to send them out of their godly inheritance.
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But as believers, we have the Captain of our salvation right before us, whose godly examples He admonished us to follow.
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Looking unto Jesus the Author and the Finisher of our faith. (Heb.12:2.)
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As the second Adam, He was tempted in all points and yet without sin. His victory shows to us today that we can also emerge triumphantly out of the fiery flame of myriads of temptations that daily confront us.
The Master’s Steps
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A cursory look at the temptations of our Lord in Luke 4:1-13 gives the following insights regarding overcoming temptations :
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1. Luke 4:1
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The Spirit of God led Him to the wilderness, the place of mighty temptations. We should not count it strange today when we see ourselves confronted with many temptations, even when we are in the place of God’s will or leading. It may be in our career, marriage, friendship, discipleship (like Peter to Jesus) etc, that He Himself has led us into.
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2. Luke 4:2
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Fasting and other self-mortifying activities do not exempt us from temptations. Sometimes, the more spiritual we become, the more of the tempter we see. Our Lord was tempted for 40 days!
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3. Luke 4:3
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In temptations, we are enticed to doubt the veracity of what God has said and thereby make God a liar.
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Satan employed this method for Eve: Has God said? (Gen.3:1).
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To the Master, Satan said “If thou be”, in a way asking him “has God said”, because the scriptures have already said in Psalms 2:7 “Thou art my Son.” Satan does not come with new strategies. He will make the old look new through illusion so that the temptation will be very appealing.
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4. Luke 4:4,8
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The only potent weapon permitted to be used against temptation is IT IS WRITTEN!
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The reason is that this weapon is too quick for the devil to squash, too sublime for him to subdue. The words of scholars, self-thoughts, human ideas, quotable quotes, and sound philosophical jargons are all in the realm where Satan can manipulate. But the Word of God is forever settled in heaven and there, Lucifer cannot decipher its potency.
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5. Luke 4:5-7
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In temptation, you will be presented with an offer that is actually yours in the purest sense so it wouldn’t be yours after senseless lust.
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In reality, one day the Kingdom of this world will become that of our God and of His CHRIST. The devil wanted Christ to prematurely have what God had ordained in His own terms, but not on God’s terms.
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If we fall to this kind of evil plot, it makes us drink our water for money and our wood to be sold unto us. (Lam.5:4)
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6. Luke 4:14
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For every significant season before you, be ready for serious temptations. Just like Christ, for us to enter our next level of prophetic manifestations, it is imperative for us to gain victory over the temptations before us, for us to have circumstances behind us.
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7. Luke 4:13
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Every plot and temptation of the devil has an end because he himself has an end. But the plan of God has no end because He is an endless God.
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The temptation always has an end. The pressure will not continue – For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off (Pro.23:18).
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For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. (Luke 22:37)
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Therefore, brethren be resolved to overcome like the second Adam – Jesus – did and it shall end well. Amen.
