Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Jesus in the desert. Guess what? Satan tempts you and I everyday. Satan is nothing but a fallen angel gone bad. Satan is an evil spirit who disguises him self to us in deceiving ways. He tempts us into immoral things that make us want his way instead of God's way.
- Satan likes people tempting when they are at their most vulnerable, or when they are physically and emotionally overstressed.
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit to the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said," If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to be bread. "
Jesus answered, "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but every word from which God's mouth is from." Matthew 4: 2-4
Satan tempted Jesus after fasting forty days, and he was hungry and tired. This time of testing showed that Jesus was really the Son of God, because he overcame the temptations of the devil.
God will test all Christian's sometime in their lives. Our convictions are only strong if they will be under pressure of temptation.
Are you ready to be tested by Satan?
2.) Satan offered Jesus the whole world because he wanted Jesus to obey him.
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their splendor.
"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus told him, "Away from me!" For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and only Him. " Matthew 4: 8-11
Satan tempts you and I today in the same way by enticing us through love of money (materialism) and power in the world, and by our desires and desires (physical).
What temptations are you enticed?
3.) Sin comes in alluring and persuasive forms.
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "Throw yourself down." For it is written: "He will command his angels to be about you, and they will put you in their hands, so that you will not take a foot against a stone. "
Jesus answered him and said, "It is also written, Do not put the Lord your God to the test." Matthew 4: 6-7
Satan used scripture to try and get Jesus to do what he wanted, but Jesus did not falter. Satan made it sound so persuasive, and still Jesus did not sin!
When we are tempted, Satan will focus on 3 areas that he knows we are at our most vulnerable.
1.) Wants, desires (sexual) to sex before marriage, immoral and lustful acts, adultery, asststitution, homosexuality, perverted actions, etc.
2.) Materialism, money, power, striving for more money and power does not make us want to know God. Striving for status in life makes us rebellious to God's ways.
3.) Pride! Pride is in the way of humbling down to tempting situations. Pride is the root of number two!
Have you ever been persuaded or convinced to sin? How has Satan persuaded you?
4.) God will never lead us to temptation, but he will TEST us.
... "And Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:13
All Christians struggle with temptations. Sometimes these tempting situations are so subtle that we do not even know we are sinning. But God has PROMISED us that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear.
"No temptation has caught you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you do whatever you bear beyond temptation." But whenever you are tempted, he also has a way out under it. " 1 Corinthians 10:13