But with that there's a parallel passage. If we just turn over to Matthew chapter 4.
Matthew chapter 4 and from verse 1. We're just going to see the Matthew account of this.
Matthew chapter 4 and verse 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to
be tempted of the devil and when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights he was
afterward and hungered and when a tempter came to him he said if thou be the
Son of God command that these stones be made bread and 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. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and
seteth 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
dashed thy foot against the stone. Jesus said unto unto him it is written again
thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil taketh him up into an
exceeding high mountain and shaeth 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 for it is
written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve then
the devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministered unto him. Okay the
title of my sermon today is three ways that the devil tempts believers three
ways that the devil tempts believers and if you go back over to Luke 4 you know I
could have preached on either passage there they're pretty similar there's
actually a slightly different order to Matthew which I want you to think about
as well in a minute but Luke there's just a bit a little bit more description
in a few of the verses so I chose to preach it from Luke chapter 4 and just
have a look there let me look from verse 1 just a couple of points here Luke
chapter 4 verse 1 and Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness I want you to notice there
that he was full of the Holy Ghost and he was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness now Jesus has just been baptized he's just about to start his
ministry and then we have this this 40 days of temptation it's not 40 days and
the temptation come he's fasting for 40 days and he's tempted during that those
40 days it says in verse 2 being 40 days tempted of the devil it in those days he
did eat nothing and when they were ended he afterward hungered okay so he's just
done a full today fast now that sounds like a tough time being tempted fasting
for 40 days also there's only two other people in the Bible that have done that 40
day fast now these three particular temptations are recorded here and in
Matthew 4 and like I said in Matthew 4 there's a slightly different order where
the second or third temptation is swapped over and I think they're
recorded for obviously for a reason that we can learn from them like we said he
was tempted for 40 days but these three temptations are ones recorded in both
both passages there now I've heard different preacher I've heard some
people preach that they're just three you know just particular temptations on
as you can see them on surface level there's nothing wrong with that that
they're just many kinds of sin that Jesus tempted with and that's not
untrue but I don't know I studied this this week and I believe they do picture
three different types of temptation too and so hear me out here while I preach
this to you and have you look at verse 3 there of Luke 4 in verse 3 the Bible
says and the devil said unto him if thou be the Son of God command this stone
that it be made bread and Jesus asked him saying it is written that man shall
not live by bread alone but by every word of God okay so what's the
temptation here he's hungry he's just he's done the 40-day fast turn the
stones into bread is that bad is that that bad to turn the stones into bread
didn't Jesus make wine juice from water didn't he multiply fish and bread to
feed thousands of people now have you ever wondered what the application is
for us because I do believe this is for us to apply apply this to our lives
apply this to ourselves what's the application here don't turn stones into
bread I don't think so I don't think anyone's going to try that maybe they
will but you need to sort yourself out if you do think that you've got some
sort of magic powers like that maybe it's hard you know now that's time for
hard preaching on bread making well you could switch it around don't turn bread
into stones because I know that some people I know my wife's done that
sometimes as well when you make a mistake with that bread maker it's a
bad result isn't it but I think the key here is in verse 1 where it says that
Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and had been led by the spirit into the
wilderness he was full of the ghosts are led by the spirit into the wilderness
now Matthew 4 one says that then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted by the devil so he's been led to fast and led to be
tempted by the spirit and he's just completely relying on the Holy Spirit
the leading of the Holy Spirit here okay God the Holy Spirit has led him
into the wilderness to be fast and tempted now that I believe it the devil
is tempting him to stop relying on God to stop trusting his leading and to do
it his own way because he's been led into the fast being led into the
temptation surely he's then going to be led to the food but the devil saying do
it yourself he's saying turn the bread in turn turn the stone into bread and I
think that Jesus is setting an example to us here if you turn to Matthew 6 turn
to Matthew 6 and verse 31 and this is Jesus speaking where he said therefore
take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal
shall we be clothed for after all these things that the Gentiles seek for your
Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things but seek ye
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall
be added unto you so Jesus could have made stones into bread I don't think it
would have necessarily been that sinful from that respect but he was trusting in
God to provide for him wasn't he he was he had been led he was filled with the
Holy Ghost being led by God and he was trusting God to provide for him so if
the Holy Spirit is going to lead him to fast he's also going to lead him to food
it's God that provides for us isn't it right that the first temptation I think
is subtle here and you know there's something that really dawned on to me
even more this morning but that the when you compare it to Genesis 3 and in
Genesis 3 1 he said yea hath God said you shall not eat of every tree of the
garden and I think it's a subtle temptation here to start relying to or
to sorry to put doubt and to stop trusting fully God and it's just that
little bit of doubt into God turn these turn this bread turn these stones into
bread so three ways that devil tempts believers I'm going to show you this in
Genesis in a minute number one the temptation to stop trusting God I believe
that the temptation is to stop trusting God now there are many ways that we're
tempted to stop trusting God aren't there there are many ways well you know
right now we're just getting hit aren't with constant so-called evidence for big
bangs for billions of years all this sort of stuff we're getting hit with all
the time basically you can't trust Genesis 1 you can't really trust the
Bible was he right when he said that now how does he do that because it's easy
for us say oh the devil does that and and some people might might not be that
aware of this but let's make it clear right now the devil has a lot of
influence in the world okay the devil has a lot of influence in the world and
sadly there are a lot of Christians that don't really seem to believe or accept
that they don't they think oh well there's a spiritual thing with
unbelievers now the devil has a lot of influence in the world
Ephesians 6 12 says for we wrestle not against flesh and blood against
principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world
against spiritual wickedness in high places second Corinthians 4 4 calls him
the god of this world now if you think that the mainstream media Hollywood
music industry world governments financial institutions and medical
industry aren't either controlled at least influenced by the devil than you
a fool you're a fool look at the filth look at the evil that's promoted look at
it the crime committed by these people in power and openly as well the support
of the mass murder of what what is the abortion industry mass baby murder
supported across the world it's all of the devil it's all of the devil clearly
okay oh you're a conspiracy theorist that's what you then get called you
must be a conspiracy theorist you think that no I'm a realist I think most
people here realists as well and anyone that believes that there are no
conspiracies is a naive fool you've got to be a fool to think that there's no
such thing as conspiracies in the world I'm not saying every conspiracy like
there's a lot of lies and I think as well the devil is behind a lot of the
lying conspiracies as well because there's some muddy water out there don't
get me wrong but proverbs 22 3 says a prudent man for seerth evil and hideth
himself but the simple pass on and are punished and we should be prudent we
should foresee the evil we need to be wise okay now the devil wants us to not
trust God to not trust his word to live in fear doesn't he fear of climate
change we get a lot of that don't we fear of climate change oh the world's
gonna suddenly melt away but Genesis 8 22 says well the earth remain is seed
time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall
not cease so if you're believing in that you're not trusting God are you the
earth isn't going to suddenly melt away fear of war but Matthew 24 6 says and
you shall hear of wars and rooms of war see that you be not troubled for these
things must come to pass but the end is not yet that means don't worry don't
have to worry about it fear of harm through crime and other things such as
that are we that that's pushed on us a lot I feel Matthew 10 29 says are not
to spare a soul for farthing one of them shall not fall on the ground without
your father but the very hairs of your head are all numbered fear ye not
therefore ye of more value than many sparrows we don't have to fear we don't
have to be in fear of these things now there are many ways that you want start
God and no surprise when we look at Satan's first appearance in the Bible so
have a look at Genesis 3 so all the way to the front of your Bible Genesis
chapter 3 and verse 1 now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the
field which the Lord God had made and he said unto the woman yea hath God said
ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden and a woman said unto the
serpent we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of
the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said ye shall not eat of
it neither shall you touch it lest you die and the serpent said unto the woman
ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then
your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil so
verse 1 the first thing he did was he put doubt didn't he first thing he did
was he questions he questioned God's Word and in verse notice here in verse
4 he says ye shall not surely die and verse 5 he's saying here basically you'll
be as gods and he's tempted them with the power by basically following what he
says now that's exactly the same order in Matthew 4 of these three temptations
of Jesus first is to doubt God's Word secondly he says to him cast yourself
off because it because the angels will look after you you won't die if you cast
yourself off the pinnacle of the temple at number 3 he's basically tempted him
to seek power to seek power by basically following what the devil says
rather than God it's the same order now that's in Matthew 4 Luke it's they just
switch around the other two but I definitely see some some similarities
there to Satan's first temptations of Adam and Eve there and
Satan's temptations of Jesus okay keep a finger there go back to Luke 4 and verse
4 the Bible says and Jesus answered him saying it is written that man shall not
live by bread alone but by every word of God okay now Jesus is referring to
Deuteronomy 8 3 which reads and he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger
and fed thee with manner which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers know
that he might make thee know that man does not live by bread only but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth the Lord doth man live okay so God had
made the children of Israel have to rely on him to trust him he had told
them clearly clearly in Exodus 6 you don't have to turn there just quickly he
said in verse 7 and 8 and I will take you to me for a people and I will be to
you a God and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God which bringeth you out
from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will bring you in unto the land
concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and
I will give it you for an heritage I am the Lord so he made it clear what he was
going to do but they were constantly doubting weren't they we read that a
lot they're doubting murmuring thinking that they're going to die so God showed
them in a remarkable way you know there was no food they're in the wilderness
and he's raining at this special bread from heaven called manna and he's doing
that every morning six days a week now I think that's to show that we can trust
him because that was a and I'm you know they're in the wilderness thinking how
on earth we're going to eat and he's raining down bread and he's showing them
that we can trust every word every word that comes out of the mouth of God for
of 35 says every word of God is pure he is a shield unto them that put their
trust in him and Jesus reform reinforced it as believers we need to trust every
word of God okay every word of God if we need every word of God to live there
has to be every word of God somewhere doesn't there if if we're told we need
every word of God there has to be every word of God doesn't there okay praise
God that we have it here in the King James Bible praise God that we have
every word of God here in the King James Bible and unlike these liberal
wishy-washy sort of namby-pamby type churches we believe God when he said he
preserved his word because that's the truth when they when they stand ago well
we below and believe it was only in the originals so you're basically saying he
didn't preserve his word so you're down in the Bible and that's the truth of it
they're saying he's a liar they're saying he didn't preserve his word he couldn't
preserve his word and we believe that he preserved his word it's as simple as
that really isn't it Psalm 12 6 7 says the words of the Lord are pure words as
silver tried in the furnace of earth purified seven times thou shalt keep
them Oh Lord thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever Matthew 24
35 says heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away
Isaiah 48 says the grass with with the flower fadeth but the word of our God
shall stand forever forever okay and I believe God I believe God that we have
the preserved Word of God and like I said if you're saying it's only in the
originals then you don't believe in preservation you're calling God a liar
it's as simple as that it's as simple as that where art because there are no
originals there are no original manuscripts so what and there's two
choice we make and that's why this church we preach the King James Bible
and we can say God have said yeah thou shalt not sayeth the Lord we don't have
well did he really mean that not so sure who I make my mind up myself about that
and you can just decide what do you think he said he said okay so back to
Genesis 3 the serpent first questioned God's Word then he lied didn't he he
lied changed it and called God a liar okay so in verse 4 Genesis 3 4 and the
serpent said unto the woman ye shall not surely die for God doth know that in the
day ye thereof then your eyes shall be open and you shall be as God's knowing
good and evil and that's exactly what happens with these false Bible versions
that's exactly what happens so these joke churches they say well the NIV says
they see RSV says this and the you know new new living translation says this but
I believe that it means this so suddenly we've got a situation where it's thus
saith the pastor the pastor has become as God hasn't he ye shall be as God's
and that's what they do at the same time they're trying to really impress him
now everyone's like wow pastor you know so and so pastor so he knows he's Greek
doesn't he because he knows more than all these different translations he's
decided and I've been in churches where they've done that and and the whole
places and they're just gazing at this pastor oh wow what a linguist he doesn't
understand a word of it he's just got a few different different dictionaries and
lexicons and he's just decided which one he's going to choose and he has become
as God hasn't he he's become as God now there's different angles of attack with
this so you're going to get different angles of attack you probably already
have you got the intellectual angle haven't you that somehow we're just so
stupid because we don't we don't understand the scholars when they
explain the differences and everything else and they'll go through the
manuscripts to show us how we've got these older manuscripts and we're
intelligent enough to know that they're actually more accurate in these places
or you've got the easy-to-read lie you've got the opposite one haven't you
where basically this is so difficult yet apparently we're stupid to be thinking
that it's a preserved Word of God and this is actually so difficult that we
need an easy-to-read version which is kind of ironic anyway isn't it but um
but we have got every Word of God here haven't we we have every Word of God
here in our King James Bibles but if I want to live by it if I want to live by
it I've got to read it don't I I've got to read it if you want to know God and
resist the devil's temptations and not trust him you've got to read his word
you have to read his word and that's going to help you with another way the
devil tempts you not to trust God and that's through false doctrine and false
doctrine a lot of the time comes from false Bibles but they've been false
doctrine ever since the beginning there's been false doctrine but the the
new Bibles do help with that if you read your Bible enough that repent of
your sins it's not going to even touch you is it you're not gonna start
wondering well maybe you got to give up sir and I'm not saying anyone here if
you're saved you're saved but but there is doubt put into people's minds the
Galatians got bewitched didn't they they got bewitched but if you know your Bible
you know surely that for by grace you say through faith and that not of
yourselves it's a gift of God not of works as any man should boast and you
know that turning from your evil way God saw their works that they turned
from their evil way and God repented evil that he had said that he would do
unto them if you you know your Bible you know those verses you ain't going to be
touched by that but you can read that verse and five years later you ain't
read it again is that going to come into your mind maybe you hear it preach maybe
you won't and not and obviously being in church is important as well lordship
salvation as well lordship salvation but but to him that worketh not but
believeth on him that just fires the ungodly his faith is counted for
righteousness but how much do we hear that that you're gonna you've got to
make Jesus Lord of your life you had to have done to have been saved you had to
follow him but the more you read your Bible the more you see that's not the
case Zionism Zionism you and these guys that preach that stuff hard they don't
read it they don't read their Bibles I know because I've spoken to him and they
don't they have their little favorite passages they have their little little
notes that will come around for Bible College or what they preach on but they
don't read the Bible otherwise how on earth do you read the Bible and come
away with that with that racist Zionist octree it you can't the pre-trib rapture
how does that cut if you read your Bible over and over again not through the lens
of someone else how'd you come up with a pre-trib rapture it's not going to
happen is it women preaching how do you come up with
women it's okay for women to preach how how do you get that from when you read
your Bible how'd you get that you suffer not a woman to usurp authority over the
man how does how does that or the all the anti soul winning doctrine when the
Bible's so clear to go ye therefore and preach the gospel it's clear as day
isn't it to go out and save people pull them out of the fire you know the fruit
of the rights of the tree of life and he that win of souls is white there's so
much isn't there yeah then you get these church and again it comes from not
reading their Bibles from doubting God's Word or from from they start to hear
that and it starts to strike over them because they don't know God's Word so
then the doubt that then the don't you can't really trust what God said or did
he really say that are you sure you're really meant to go out and preach the
gospel and it appeals to the flesh doesn't it but it's not just man shall
not live by bread alone but will read every word of God is it it's man shall
not live by bread alone but by every word that's living by every word to turn
a James chapter 1 James chapter 1 and verse 22 James 1 22 but be ye doers of
the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer
of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in
a glass for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was but who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and
continueth therein he being not a forgetful hero but a doer of the work
this man shall be blessed in his deed okay look at verse 24 there he forgets
straight away so he looks at it he sees it and then he forgets straight away and
that's what happens when you're not in the word of God isn't it you hear it you
hear the preaching you read a little bit and then you're not in it you're not
hearing it it goes it goes we we're not just going to retain every single thing
we hear it has to be repetition and but you also have to do it you have to live
it it's no good just me oh well I know where this is I know everything about
the bar but I'm not living it and I gave this analogy the other day the analogy
of a textbook for example and think about your particular professions and and
I was saying to brother Alex say brother Alex who was a chef and say you had a
textbook like this at best chefs in the world and they had written every single
in and out of exactly what to do and how to cook the best meals in the world and
he read it through time and time and time again but he never once went into a
kitchen and even turned on a hob who's gonna be a better chef him or the guy
that cooks a couple of times a week the guy that cooks a couple of times we and
you think about how with any profession you're in it's all well and good reading
our bar was young I've got so much knowledge I read my book but I don't
live it I don't do it I'm not doing the work I'm not trying to follow what God
has told me to do how on earth how am I how on earth am I living by every word
of God it ain't happening okay so three ways that devil tempts believers I
believe the temptation to stop trusting God okay have a look at verse 5 of Luke
4 ok Luke 4 verse 5 and the devil taking him up into an high mountain showed
unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and the devil said
unto him all this power will I give thee in the glory then for that is delivered
unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore will worship me all
shall be thine okay so he takes him up verse 5 and shows him all the kings of
world in a moment of time now notice it's all the kingdoms of the world not
just the most ungodly oh well that nations of the devil but that one's not
because it's got a few Christians our leader that claims to be a Christian or
something else he shows him all the kingdoms of the world okay and in a
moment of time so this is definitely spiritual this is definitely spiritual
it's not he's not physically up on a particular mountain in the world the
way you can see every kingdom of the world this is spiritual and I think in
the same way what what he wants in return isn't necessarily physical either
it's spiritual as well now in verse 6 and the devil said unto him all this
power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and
to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore will worship me all shall be
thine and Jesus answered said unto him get thee behind me Satan for it is
written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and
the three ways the devil tempts believers number two is a temptation to
worship him the temptation of worshiping him and ultimately the temptation is
through stuff of the world isn't it okay now he says the glory and the glory is
abundance wealth treasure and honor but he also talks about the power doesn't
he the power and glory of the world and there's a lot of temptation there for a
lot of people now notice how the devil says that the power and the glory is
delivered unto him it's delivered unto him now he says he chooses who gets it
and I think about this verse a lot when I talk about the real power in the world
and I think I've mentioned this in preaching before this verse and
obviously from Matthew as well talking that the devil Jesus didn't turn around
and say you can't even do that what are you talking about no because the devil
does have that he does that the power is is is his to give to people and that's
through basically deals and people worshiping the devil in one way or
another but notice here how he's he's offering power and glory to Jesus but I
believe that this can apply to us too okay I don't think this is just
something to look at for non Christians so can save Christians worship and
Matthew 4 9 says to fall down and worship the devil can save Christians
worship the devil well turn to first Kings first Kings 11 we've looked at
this before but just quickly first Kings chapter 11 first Kings 11 and from verse
4 this is King Solomon who wrote obviously Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of
Solomon for it came to pass when Solomon was old that his wives turned away his
heart after other gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was
the heart of David his father for Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess
of the Zidonians and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites and Solomon
did evil in the sight of the Lord and went not fully off the Lord as did
David his father then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh the
abomination of Moab in a hill that is before Jerusalem and for Molech the
abomination of the children of Ammon and likewise did he for all his strange
wives which burned incense and sacrificed unto their gods okay clearly
being saved because Solomon was clearly saved being saved does not make you
immune from this temptation clearly King Joash we looked at the other week
served groves and idols in 2nd Chronicles 24 Saul consulted with the
witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28 Aaron with the golden calf in Exodus 32 okay so
what are some ways then what are the ways that believers today fall down and
worship the devil what are ways today that believers can fall down and worship
the devil have a look at 2nd Corinthians 11 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 and from
verse 13 for such a false apostles deceitful workers transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also be transformed as a ministers of righteousness whose end
shall be according to their works okay through false prophets through false
prophets and false prophets aren't just for the unbelievers error believers I
believe there are many false prophets I believe they're probably many believers
as well that listen to these scumbags that put them on that put them on a
pedestal that fallen that want to listen to them want to listen to them tickling
there is in one way or another and that happens and we've probably a lot of
people in probably listen to false prophets at some time some time or other
and maybe it took a while maybe they realized maybe some haven't I hope not
okay but I believe that that's one way I also believe that it's not just the
it's not just the independent fundamental Baptist false prophet or
maybe the evangelical Christian false prophet I believe that there are various
ministers of Satan worldly academics there are you know the moral example of
the world who's trying to show everyone how you need to care for the world or
the or whatever it is that basically becomes an idol I believe that they're
ministers of Satan turn to Ephesians 2 though Ephesians chapter 2 second
Corinthians 4 4 remembers calls Satan the god of this world Ephesians 2 verse
2 says wherefore in time past he walked according to the course of this world
according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience so the course of this world the prince of the
power of the air that prince is a ruler it's a principle it's not that he's
second-in-command there he's a ruler he's that he's a ruler of the power of
the air turn of 1st John 2 this is 1st John and chapter 2 John 12 31 calls him
the prince of this world that's the ruler the ruler of this world and 1st
John 2 16 says for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh and the lust
of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world
so the way I see that is that seeking fame riches treasures putting it above
God it's of the world and he's a god of this world so you could you could you
might not you could put that together and be like is that worshipping the
devil in one way or another when I'm worshipping this world when I'm putting
it of more importance above God things of this world the stuff of this world
now you might not be physically bowing down and worshipping him but maybe maybe
that is spiritually when people do that now you okay what so I like worldly
things I want riches yeah you know I'm bit sinful treasures but am I really
worshipping the devil well how far will you go though for your stuff for your
treasures for your things of this world don't go soul winning because you need
to earn more for that holiday or that new car so you need to work late those
nights is it really just to survive or you're missing church services to earn
more money to work on a Sunday or maybe to keep popularity with your unsafe
family people do that don't they or you don't read your Bible because you're
surfing online shops for treasures or whatever else you know you know you've
got your Bible reading time but I really want to buy that and you you know you
fill in the blank there okay how about you you cut it all out well you work
long hours and you just focus on getting more money because I need to buy that
house I need to buy that new how I need to get that mortgage that's that house
that's as in that house now come above God has it I think so are you worshipping
those idols yet then is that worshipping them have they not gone above God I
think and I'm not saying people here but I think that will happen you you talk
to many Christians they'll say their times their lives that I've done that
with things of the world have come above God okay now here's an extreme one but I
guarantee you there are saved Christians that have done this sadly okay turn to
Psalm 106 okay Psalm 106 and from verse 34 Psalm 106 and verse 34 they did not
destroy the nations concerning whom the Lord commanded them but were mingled
among the heathen and learned their works and they served their idols which
were a snare unto them yea they sacrificed their sons and their
daughters unto devils and shed innocent blood even the blood of their sons and
of their daughters whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan and the land
was polluted with blood how about abortion baby murder how about that
sacrifice the idol of money the easy life I guarantee you there are
Christians that had done that and sat and if that is you you know God God
will forgive you for sure and we've forgiven by it by the blood of the Lamb
aren't we but there are Christians who have been forgiven and will still go out
and worship the devil in that way see how verse 37 38 there yeah they
sacrificed their sons their daughters unto devils and shed innocent blood even
the blood of their sons and of their daughters whom they sacrificed unto the
idols of Canaan I think the devil's and idols of Canaan or the world are used
interchangeably there aren't they they use interchangeably and talking of idols
first Corinthians 10 20 says but I say that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice they sacrifice to devils and not to God and I would not that you
should have fellowship with devils behind the old the idols are devils and
ultimately the devil yeah yeah okay with that in mind go back to Luke 4 and
verse 8 Luke 4 verse 8 and Jesus answered and said unto him get thee
behind me Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him
only shalt thou serve okay Jesus said get behind him Jesus is God now he
seems to be referring there to Deuteronomy 6 13 which says thou shalt
fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shout swear by his name so listen to
that again in Deuteronomy 6 13 he said thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and
serve him and shout swear by his name okay here he said thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God and him only shout thou serve now he used worship for fear
didn't he he swapped worship with fear and I think true true worship of God
requires fear doesn't it it requires fear and not just respect as again these
worldly sort of liberal oh well they actually mean I've heard this they mean
they mean respect it means respect they're not real fear no we should fear
God you're gonna worship him properly you need a fear him don't you when we
truly truly fear and worship him and serve with all our hearts it doesn't
leave any room for idols and does it if you're really fearing God you're really
worshiping him are you really then gonna be gonna have in your mind just that
time for those idols of the world those devils of the world I don't think so
Matthew 22 turn to Matthew 22 famous verse verses here Matthew 22 and from
verse 37 Matthew 22 37 Jesus said unto him thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart and with all thy soul with all thy mind this is the first and
great commandment and I think that that's the sort of worship we should be
thinking of if we you know if we want to beat these temptations of the devil and
and not see I'm talking about temptations I'm not talking about
direct attack of the devil it's the temptations in the world and I think
that's what these are standing for the temptations of the world because the
devil is the god of this world but if we want to beat those we need a focus all
our love our heart our soul our mind on God don't we okay so three ways the
devil tempts believers number one the temptation to stop trusting God the
answer was to relearn and live by every word of God number two the temptation to
worship him and the answer was to worship God properly okay verse 9 from
Luke 4 Luke 4 and verse 9 and he brought him to Jerusalem and set him on a
pinnacle of the temple and said unto him if thou be the Son of God cast thyself
down from thence for it is written he shall give his angels charge over thee
to keep thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou
dashed thy foot against the stone and Jesus answering said unto him it is said
thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God okay three ways that devil tempts
believers and number three the temptation I think this is to destroy
yourself with sin to destroy yourself with sin so have a look at this yeah and
he brought him to Jerusalem set him on a pinnacle of the temple and said unto him
if thou be the Son of God cast thyself down from thence for it is written he
shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee okay um just before I go
there just just remember what I saying from Genesis and Genesis the temptation
there isn't it is to destroy themselves with sin okay and he says ye shall not
surely die and what's he saying here cast yourself down basically you won't
surely die because he's given his angels charge over thee to keep thee now he's
quoting one of my favorite Psalms here Psalm 91 so if you turn to Psalm 91 I
believe this is a picture of sinful self-destruction if you turn to Psalm 91
okay have a look at verse 10 there shall no evil before thee neither shall any
plague come nigh thy dwelling for he shall give his angels charge over thee
to keep thee in all thy ways now you are okay he's only missed off in all thy
ways notice in if you keep a thumb there I hope you have in Luke 4 he said he
shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee but in Psalm 91 he says in
all thy ways now there's a difference between angels just keeping you which
sound like keeping you alive you could you could have maybe apply that to that
or keeping you in all your ways which is keeping you on course keeping you on
the right path keeping you on course now that's only a little change but look at
the next one he does verse 11 of Luke 4 but keep your finger in Psalm 91 verse
11 of Luke 4 he says and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time
he's added in here at any time thou dashed thy foot against the stone now
both Matthews and Luke's account so the devil added at any time Psalm 91 look at
verse 11 here Psalm 91 verse 11 for he shall give his angels charge over thee
to keep thee in all thy ways they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou
dash thy foot against a stone okay so again well it's only a little thing at
any time why is he added at any time well all believers all believers have
guardian angels I believe this church will be a spiritual machine-gun turrets
at the top there we've probably got them encamped around as I said this before but
I do believe that been some 91 the protection is conditional it's
conditional okay look at verse 9 of Psalm 91 okay so verse 9 because thou
has made the Lord thy God which is my refuge even the most high thy habitation
there shall no evil before thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling
and then he goes on for he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee
in all thy ways they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot
against the stone so verse 9 to 10 he's saying therefore because of verse 9
because you've made the Lord your refuge the most high your habitation therefore
shall no evil before before thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling
it's talking about danger coming to you danger coming to you so the devil is
just taking a verse here slightly out of context added a little just a little bit
here and hey presto you have a false doctrine where God will protect you when
you willfully sin just a little change a little bit out of context take the verse
on its own don't use the beginning verses and God will protect you if you
willfully sin and look we're all sinners okay that's clear we're all sinners here
everyone here is a sinner Ecclesiastes 7 26 for there is not a just man upon
the earth that doeth good that sinneth not okay we know that we're all sinners
and praise God that he not only forgave us but he continues to forgive us
doesn't he he continues to forgive us but there's a big difference there's a
big difference I'm talking about in life we're all going to heaven for sure
everyone who's put their faith in Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior is going to
heaven but there's a big difference when it's willful presumptuous sin there is
a difference to how God looks at that to how he deals with you in the day to day
life and how much protection you get when it's willful presumptuous sin
numbers 15 turn the numbers 15
numbers chapter 15 and verse 27 numbers 15 27 and if any soul sinned through
ignorance and he shall bring a she-go of the first year for a sin offering and
a priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly when he
sinneth by ignorance before the Lord to make an atonement for him and it shall
be forgiven him you shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance
both for him that is born among the children of Israel for the stranger
that sojourneth among them but the soul that doeth ought presumptuously whether
he be born in the land or a stranger the same reproach of the Lord and that soul
shall be cut off from among his people because he had despised the word of the
Lord and the broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his
iniquity shall be upon him and due to on me 17 12 says and a man that will do
presumptuously and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister
there before the Lord thy God or unto the judge even that man shall die and
thou shalt put away the evil from Israel okay now the answer to this oh well
that's just a mean old God from the Old Testament that's that mean old God from
the old he's just that little bit stricter isn't he and you know praise
God praise praise God that you know Jesus just come to just be that little
bit more relaxed with us a little bit easier with us and the devil starts and
spreads those false doctrines no doubt about it the devil starts to spread those
false doctrines the judge not we look we hear that all the time don't we the
judge not judge not they didn't miss out the rest of the verse but judge not or
you're so unloving you're so unloving because you preach on sin you're so
judgmental because you preach on sin you're a legalist you're some sort of
lead you just try you know you're just trying to try to put the standard too
high look we're all under grace that's clear but did Jesus die so we can enjoy
sin did Jesus no Jesus did not die so we can enjoy sin purposely willfully sin
and just go well I'm not perfect well I'm you know that's just the way it is
no Jesus didn't die for that Jesus didn't die for that you need to take it
seriously now the devil also floods our culture our minds with sin too doesn't
he that's clear that's clear everywhere you look there's all sorts of temptation
everywhere isn't there and those temptations will destroy you when you
start going down that road sin is a horrible right when you start getting
into those sorts of sins where the devil's just on you all the time now he
also tries to change your understanding of who Jesus and God the Father is
doesn't he doesn't he just you think that's not of the devil that the hippie
Jesus the peaceman Jesus or the God the Morgan Freeman God you know he's just
like hey come up into heaven you know everyone could come up to heaven you
know it's just such a cool old granddad you know that's not the God of the Bible
that's not the God of the Bible yeah he's a loving God he sent his son to die
for us but but the way the devil depicts him and tries to brainwash us is not the
God of the Bible and all it's constantly doing is trying to encourage us into sin
trying to encourage us in the sin now why does the devil want to encourage to
save Christian to willfully sin why because sin destroys us in our testimony
because it destroys us in our testimony you're out of the spirit when you're in
sin when you're willfully sinning you're out of the spirit and we know that
getting people saved is a spiritual thing isn't it and even that journey to
getting people saved because different people have different levels with that
don't they it's not that people get saved the soul in the next week and some
people it will take a while some people it won't okay but but being in the
spirit to get to that point to be that point where you're an encouragement in
church where you're all these things sin destroys that and you become a bad
example then when you're just willfully sinning and trying to excuse it and
justify and laugh it off you're a bad example to your kids so what are they
gonna grow up to do they're gonna grow up to be to be spirit filled Christians
bad example to your friends to the church as well that's why the devil he's
constantly pushing he's constantly trying to encourage you that sin isn't
that bad you'll be all right you're saved by grace oh well it's okay well
I'm saved oh well that's all right it doesn't matter you know I'm the only
human no we should be trying to up the bar we should be trying to live right
all the time take it seriously and look when you start going down the route it
only it won't last a long time oh well I'm still soul winning yeah I might live
completely I might be really sinful and willfully sinning and just ignoring this
ignoring that preacher ignoring what I read in the Bible oh well you know I'm
all right look you know still read my Bible you know I still do it it will
only last a little while and even if you you can keep it up maybe for a few years
I don't know how long that is because sin will take you down but but you're
gonna affect everyone else around you well what about the chastisement do you
really want the chastisement and I think many people don't realize sometimes when
they're being chastised either and we should always everything that happens
yeah we go through tribulation yeah we get persecuted for Christ as well and
yeah we go through life we have to live life but we should always be looking the
first thing you should do is this chastisement yeah we should be constantly
reflecting constantly thinking now verse 12 there Luke 4 so Luke 4 and verse 12
Jesus is answering Jesus answering said unto him it is said thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God now this is from Deuteronomy 6 16 where it says you shall
not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted him in Massa Massa actually
apparently means temptation so they named the place temptation and in Massa
they were complaining about Moses and God they were complaining about Moses
and God okay they weren't throwing themselves off off buildings or whatever
else so that's why I don't see this is all that's just that particular type of
sin you know daredeviling or something else well well they tempted him they and
the temptation was basically complaining about Moses complaining about God but
that is a wicked sin that's a wicked sin they've got God's man there they're
complaining about him and ultimately and as well anyway they're complaining and
murmuring about God and that's a wicked sin and that's gonna take you down now
Acts 5 turn to Acts 5 we see another presumptuous sin here in Acts 5 and and
how God views that Acts 5 from verse 1 but a certain man named Ananias with
Sephira his wife sold a possession and kept back part of the price his wife
also being privy to it and bought a certain part and laid it at the
Apostles feet but Peter said Ananias why have Satan filled thine heart to lie to
the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of land whilst it remained was
it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power why has thou
conceived this thing in thine heart thou has not lied unto men but unto God and
Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost and great fear
came on all them that heard these things so it was Satan that filled Ananias
heart to a preconceived lie wasn't it it was Satan it says there why has Satan
filled your heart but look at the result look at the result the result was that
he died was it he fell down and died and okay I'm not saying you're gonna when
you pre when you plan and plot preconceived lies and preconceived sin
you're necessarily going to fall down and die but you could and it is an
example to us of what God thinks about it and look willful sin results in
chastisement and we need to fear the Lord we need to fear the Lord like I
said before that worship is fear in the Lord as well and it is it's so easy to
then just to listen to preaching on on sin or to read your Bible on stuff and
then just go well yeah I'll do my best but do you really and look we're all
sinners every one of us sins that's that's clear but we should our hearts
God wants to see a contrite heart doesn't he he wants us trying our
utmost doing our best and taking it seriously taking that sacrifice
seriously okay Jesus said thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God okay and I
think that the answer is to recognize and fear the chastisement of God we
should recognize the chastisement of God and we should fear the chastisement of
God now it doesn't always come straight away does it it does always come
straight away you do think well well I did all right oh it seems you know
that's fine but it does come just what he said it comes isn't he he said for
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth
not just some oh well I did some good stuff for him so so it's not gonna
happen now well I'm so winning well I mean I'm going to church each week so
he's not going to chastise you know it does chastise you okay but look we can
be I think we can beat this particular temptations temptation to destroy our
lives through sin this temptation to destroy ourselves this temptation to
just think oh well it's all right I'm saved I've you know the angels will look
after you it will be okay God's not going to mind I'm covered by the good
works I've done it's okay if I do this sin it's okay if I do that look when
it's willful when it's presumptuous God hates it okay when God's made it clear
to you he's told you not to do it he's made it clear as day to you don't do it
and pray to God if you're finding it still hard pray to God get on your knees
and worship him and pray to him please help me with this sin not just try and
laugh it off fob it off you know oh well one of those one of those strict
Christians one of those ones that you know thinks that you can't be at all
sinful no we shouldn't be we are we all are but we should be trying to utmost
not to be okay that's what God expects that's what God wants okay verse 13
there verse 13 and when the devil had ended all the temptation he departed
from him for a season now Matthew 4 11 it said the angels came and ministered
unto him and I reckon that's when the food came I believe that's probably when
the food came he got ministered to what he needed then now three ways that the
devil tempts believers number one was this temptation to stop trusting God the
answer was to relearn and live every word of God number two the temptation to
worship him the answer was to worship God properly and number three the
temptation to destroy yourself with sin and the answer was to fear the
chastisement of God right now notice how Jesus answered all three temptations
with the Word of God didn't he all three temptations Jesus answered with the Word
of God and that's something we should aspire to shouldn't we we should aspire
to be able to answer temptation with the Word of God for the Word of God to come
in your head and when you read it a lot and you're living it you're living it
you're reading it you're worshiping God you're in the spirit when those
temptations come it pops up doesn't it I'm sure everyone said that were little
verses will pop into your head there's a little challenge a little test a little
something or other and verses will start you'll start to think of a little verse
something will come in your head that's what we want that's that comes from
reading reading reading and living and doing it yeah okay and that's where we
want to be that's that's how we should be aspiring to be a little we will fail
in many ways we all make mistakes we all get things wrong but we should be we
should be trying our utmost to go forward to move on from that and to live
right live for God follow his word follow the clear Commandments and then
the rest of it gets so much easier notice as well it said he departed from
him for a season in verse 13 the devil only departed for a season or a time
okay I don't know how long that was but he did he did tempt him again I mean we
see him saying that Peter get thee behind me doesn't he Satan to him and
there I'm sure you know there are many many ways we can look at in the Gospels
and look it's an ongoing battle isn't it it's an ongoing battle you don't just
resist one temptation that's it it's an ongoing battle it had 40 days of
temptation okay and then he only departed for a season and came back and
I think it's same with us and that temptation it's all around us it's there
the whole time but Jesus did show us how to win it didn't he Jesus showed us
the way Jesus showed us that the scriptures of verses showed us how to
respond how to deal with it and that we can do it and Jesus as as fully human
there as well as fully God showed us how we can do how we can win and defeat
temptation on that let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we
thank you for the example you set to us through through Jesus Christ through
through the way that that he responded to the temptations that we all deal
with in life we pray that you'll help us all going forward this help us that
they've had open ears and open hearts to it and to want to want to live for you
to want to worship you properly to want to live by every word of God to not want
to tempt you to want to worship you and just help us to get our hearts right
help us do it to want to do these things help us to do that going forward
today try and get out there soul winning but to do it with it with the right
heart the right heart of wanting to get people saved not not to to show others
not so we can just you know show off that we go out but but to be to be in
the right spirit and all that we do I'll see things in Jesus name Amen