Friday, October 31, 2014

NTDS (4): The Final Word Against Temptation

Matt 4:10 For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" NIV

Jesus had fasted for forty days while in the desert. He was hungry and in His human body, He must have lacked energy. Satan, called the tempter, tempted Jesus in three different ways. In all three cases, Jesus answered with scriptures taken from the book of Deuteronomy. Satan’s last attempt was to coerce Jesus into worshipping him. Jesus’ answer was a combination of Deut 6:13 and 10:20. It was His final word to the tempter as He ordered him to “be gone!”
O that we would learn the power of God’s word in resisting the tempter. This final word to Satan is at once majestic, instructive, and encouraging.

Majestic: in it’s description of God. The phrase for “Lord your God” here in the Greek uses Kurion (denoting supremacy in authority) and Theon (supreme divinity). But even more majestic is the language of Deuteronomy that was quoted. Yahweh (The I am, self existent, eternal) and  Elohiym (the plural name of a single God). The God that we are being told to worship and serve is eternal and supreme. He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is all omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. He is able to do far more abundantly, beyond all that we ask or think (Eph 3:20). He is worthy to be worshipped and served!

Instructive: Jesus really simplifies our duty in this life. Our lives as Christians are to be about worshipping and serving God and no one else. What we say and what we do should be guided by this commandment!

Encouraging: Notice it says the Lord, “your” God. It is personal relationship that a believer has with this Almighty God. He is a God who cares about us individually. In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us that He provides food and clothing for us. 1st Peter tells us to cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us. He died on the cross to prove His love for us! If you have trusted in Christ for salvation and are allowing Him to be Lord, He is YOUR GOD!

The Bible teaches that we are to flee temptation, using the way of escape provided by God (1 Cor 10:13), but it says that we are to resist the tempter (Jas 4:7) and that he will flee from us!

If you have not yet made this amazing God your God yet, I pray that today will be the day of your salvation. If you want to know how, on the right side of Coach’s Corner blog, there are instructions to help you do just that.

God bless you,

Coach

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