God Makes Space For Misfits Pt 10

[Music] then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights he was hungry then the tempter approached him and said if you are the son of God tell these stones to become bread he answered it is written man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God then the devil took him to the holy city had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him if you are the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he will give his angels orders concerning you and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone jesus told him it is also written do not test the Lord your God again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor and he said to him I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship Me then Jesus told him go away Satan for it is written worship the Lord your God and serve only him verse 11 reads then the devil left him and angels came and began to serve him thank you you may be seated the grass withers and the flower fades with the word of our God shall stand forever I want to talk to us tonight on this watch night service about the wisdom of the wilderness the wisdom of the wilderness the temptation of Jesus Christ is best understood when contrasted with Adams temptation Adam was tempted in his place of Lord with a small ill lord of creation and failing the test Adam lost it all but Christ had taken the place of a lowly servant acting only from and end obedience to the Father that he might redeem a fallen race and the creation that was under Adams curse Adam took a garden and turned it into a desert Jesus came and took a desert and turned it back into a garden again Satan's one objective in the threefold temptation of Jesus was to induce Christ to act independently of his father the fresh two temptations were a challenge to Christ to prove that he was indeed the son of God the third was the offer of Satan to divest himself of that which rightfully belong to Christ already as the son of man and the son of David but he offered it to him on the condition that Jesus accept the sceptre under Satan's term and Satan is using that same trick on us tonight he'll give you what you want but under his terms he'll give you power he'll give you the kingdom he'll give you the keys he'll give you whatever your heart's desire but you got to come under his lordship walk with me around the text I want you to hear me tonight brothers and sisters the wilderness is not a place of spiritual retreat the wilderness is a place of showdown between competing kingdoms and their rulers the wilderness is not a resort it's not a spa area it's not a place to go and relax because you will never be all that God wants you to be until you go through the discipline of the desert until you go through the the wisdom of the wilderness until you've been tried and tested in your own personal wilderness experience for too long brothers and sisters many of us have gotten to the promised land with no wilderness experience we've gotten our hands on blessings that we didn't suffer for we've gotten a hold of God's goods that came from somebody else's hands and whenever you get something that you didn't what I'll suffer for you have no appreciation for pastor pastor Westover the church without walls and I were talking about it the other day and I lament the fact and he and I speak of it often if I had to do it over again we would raise our children differently if we had a do-over he and I talked about it we would raise our children differently because we didn't want them to suffer we didn't want them to work hard we didn't want them to to go through any any trials and and struggle to get anything and and so everything has come to them to ease in there I want to help some powered here not to make the mistake that I made but because when you raise your children with a tender submitter tea they panic under pressure they can't handle storms that they can't handle trials because you raised them too easy someone ought to help me preacher tonight I confess I made my mistakes and I I repented before God if I had it to do over again I would do it differently I didn't do it right the first time because I raised my child under my protective presence without her struggling for anything and it is made a child who can't handle pressure who can't handle struggle and you have to be able to stand up under something if life is gonna make sense to you you have to be able to handle the trials and the tests and the storms or else the devil will get the best of you see I cried you got right there because many of us believe that we are turned on and tuned into these fortune prophets that tell us that that a miracle of day will keep the devil away and all you need is faith in God and and some water from the Jordan River and a prayer cloth and some oil and all your problems are gonna automatically vanish but I've come to tell you tonight is fool's go it's heresy it's false teaching because if you're gonna follow Jesus Christ you're gonna have to go in the wilderness you're gonna have to you gonna have to be buffeted you're gonna have to be pushed you're gonna have to strain and and be stressed and struggle because anything that God has you got to struggle for it everything that is worth anything is gonna cause something can I say that one more time everything that is worth anything is going to cost something we want to easy Christianity we want this laid-back faith where God just supposed to answer every prayer and and God is just supposed to come to your rescue as soon as you called him like God is some genie in a box and all you got to do is rub it and God will magically appear and give you what you want no that's not the Christianity of the Bible when God is getting ready to use you in a big way you're gonna have to go through the wilderness you're gonna have to struggle you gonna have to come under the discipline of the desert it's not a retreat it's not a spa Jesus is in the wilderness not only to commune with the Father but to engage with the enemy and everybody here God will use as an enemy and your enemy is Satan himself in the Texas he's called Diablos in the text that's where we get the English word diabolical the applause Dede applause Satan who is the accuser of the Brethren he is always after trying to push you off God's plan for your life the picture we see here is consistent with the picture we see of Satan's elsewhere in the Bible the enemy will not make a frontal attack I want you to get this picture of the devil out of your mind the devil does not have on a red suit he does not have horns long tail and a pitchfork that's a Hollywood version of the devil but that's not what the devil looks like as a matter of fact you can know what the devil looks like because he's an evil spirit and he will show up in a beautiful woman in a handsome man he'll show up in a job someone ought to help me talk here he'll show up in something that looks perfectly good and right but use that the wrong way I feel don't think I've got that over to you let me let me mean I can help you with this that's a difference between a temptation and a test a temptation is an enticement to get you to do something that's contrary to God's will that's what a temptation is but a test tries to get a person to prove faithful to God's will in a sense a temptation and the tests are two sides of the same coin let me explain a temptation in the hands of the devil is a test in the hands of God because what Satan means for evil God has a way of turning it around for good I wish I had one or two more witnesses in what may look like a temptation from the devil if you give it to God you'll turn it into a test to prove what you're really made of and anybody can talk about how good god is when your freezer is full anybody can talk about how wonderful God is if your mom and dad is still alive somebody'll help me preach it anybody can talk about the goodness of God when temptation comes in front of you that don't bother you see how glad you got right there if strong drink is not your temptation Nick Nick Nick and put a gallon of it in front of you and it's not gonna bother you and Satan is not going to put in front of you what does not tempt you talk back to me if you can you're not strong because you stood up against the temptation that you didn't care about I [Applause] wish I had two or three more witnesses it if marijuana is not your temptation you ain't strong because you didn't smoke a joint [Applause] if cocaine is not your temptation you're not strong because you didn't get a high on crack but the devil knows what your temptation is and if you resist the devil he'll flee from you and I think I ought to tell you you are not strong enough on your own to handle the temptation of the devil because if you are not the worst sinner you know you don't know yourself very well brothers and sisters when desire meets opportunity see how glad you got again you you you haven't gotten to it because you haven't had an opportunity yeah yeah you you you you strong cuts you in church which is going to do when you get out of here tonight talk back to me if you can Satan will not tempt you with what does not bother you but your temptations are tailor-made let me see if I can make the text make sense Satan does not doubt who Jesus is because in Chapter 3 a dove descends and the voice of God is heard and the voice says this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased so Satan does not doubt Jesus identity nor is Satan trying to get Jesus to doubt his identity rather he's trying to get Jesus to misuse his identity and when Satan comes against you he's not trying to get you to doubt that you're a Christian he's trying to get you to misuse your prerogatives he's trying to make you sin and think you've gotten away with it I wish I had my 7:30 cry he's trying to make you think that sin is not that bad that what you've done is not that bad and so Satan knows that you are a child of God he just wants you to misuse your being a child of God and so he comes to Jesus with the first temptation and the first temptation that he comes to Jesus with is you've been out here for today I know you're hungry you've got to be hungry you've been in this desert some forty days if you are the son of God make these stones loaves of bread now nothing is wrong with stones becoming bread because Jesus took two fish five loaves and fed a multitude so it's nothing wrong with Jesus taking something that's ordinary and turning it into a miracle but for Jesus to do what Satan is asking him to do is for Jesus to mistrust his father's provision and what Satan is saying that Jesus is what you ought to do right now is get instant food satisfy your appetite you will be relevant if you satisfy your appetite he's still using it on you and I tonight because we are seeking relevance by trying to satisfy our fleshly appetites we buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress folk that we don't like because we are appealing to a fleshly appetite and we think that to get stuff instantly makes you relevant but it's strange how some men worry themselves into nameless graves while other men forget themselves into eternity because relevance has nothing to do with your fleshly appetite because you are who you are not because of what you have but because of who you belong to and when you know who you belong to you get comfortable in your own skin you don't care who likes you you don't care who does not like you you don't care who's on your side you don't care who's not on your side because your relevance does not come from outside you [Applause] [Music] it's got to be uncomfortable using up all your time trying to impress people I mean it's got to be wearisome it's got to be tiring to go out of your way to make folk impress with you know you don't get your relevance from people you don't get your relevance from from instant food you don't get relevance from satisfying your fleshly appetites your relevance comes from the Word of God man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God now this is from Deuteronomy but it goes back to the children of Israel in the wilderness because when they got hungry in the wilderness they started complaining now put that complaint against the backdrop of God's goodness they've been in Egypt over 400 years and God brought him out they were in a desert with clothes that would not wear out sandals that would not wear out when they got hungry God fed them when they got faster God gave them something to drink and even if God did not provide the bread he would provide a way for them not to get hungry for bread I don't think I got that over to you even if God did not provide bread God would take away their appetite so that they wouldn't need bread in the first place God knows how to take care of your needs God knows how to supply all your needs according to his riches and glory through Christ Jesus stop looking for relevance outside the Word of God because you may be looking for love in all the wrong places you've heard me say it a thousand times the focal gonna love you gonna love you anyway and the folk who don't love you didn't love you to start with so you ain't gonna miss what you never had your sense of somebody nests does not come from outside you do not fall for the devil's trick of satisfying your fleshly appetite the second temptation the second temptation is the devil appeals to Jesus first of all with instant food the second temptation is about instant fame it's it's about popularity the first temptation is about relevance instant food and appetite the second temptation is about popularity instant fame and a need to be accepted a need to be accepted he takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple the highest point of the temple is 450 feet above the Kidron Valley and he says to Jesus if you are the son of God those people down there are watching if you want a crowd if you want to be popular if you want folk to follow you do something spectacular do something extraordinary throw yourself down and He will give his angels charge over you lest you dash your foot against the stone listen to the devil trying to quote scripture and when the devil tries this quote scripture he always missed quotes scripture he mixes a little truth with all of a lie that's part of what the verse says in Psalm number 91 verses 11 and 12 he does not put in a special part of the verse that makes you believe that Satan knows what he's talking about he says throw yourself down he'll give his angels charge over you lest you dash your foot against the stone that's not what the verse said the verse says throw yourself down and he will keep you in all your ways lets you dash your foot against the stone if you do something foolish gardening will stop you being a fool because trying to do the spectacular is trying to put God to the test God has just set some laws in place one of them being the law of gravity if you get on top of this building and say I'm full of the Holy Ghost I know I've been born again I've been Oh washed in the blood of the crucified lamb and throw yourself down off this building you are not going to fall up that's that's the silly God God's not in anything silly like that God is not in it in anything that's foolish that's that's foolish and crazy to do things to try to tempt God to make him show himself God God doesn't have to prove anything to anybody God is God whether you believe it or not God is God whether you praise them or not God is where they rather you say so or not God is powerful whether you trust them or not it's not to trust God foolishly but to believe God for the impossible throw yourself down and you will be popular that that too must be awful to be always trying to get accepted and always trying to get folk to like you and and always trying to make sure that everybody approves of you in always trying to make sure that you don't offend anybody and making sure that you dot all their eyes and cross all the t's that's got to be tiresome because brothers and sisters hear me acceptance has already been made for you in the prison of Jesus Christ and once I have been accepted in the beloved it does not matter what my friends say about me because friends just love you with all your quirks with all your hang-ups with all your problems with all your peccadilloes they know everything that's wrong with you but they love you anyway this this need to be accepted this need to be popular had this has destroyed a whole lot of ministries it has destroyed a whole lot of Christian witnesses people who would really be used by God but they got caught up in reading their own Facebook posts reading their own press clippings looking at themselves in the mirror and stop thinking that this thing can't go on without you but I've got some news for you tonight God knows how to put you back in your place God knows how to make you praise him like you've never praise them before sitting in act like you don't know how God is and who it is that kept you and who it is that brought you God knows how to make you open your mouth he can send enough trouble your way and enough trial your way to get you to understand that you have not made it by yourself popularity that lasts as long as folk like you but assume the luster and the shine wears off when was the last time you heard Archer Bell and the drills they were popular at one time temptations were popular at one time Chaka Khan and Rufus were popular at one time the lucious show was popular Carol Burnett was popular Red Skelton were popular you just heard those names when I called him just a minute ago because they have faded into obscurity because things that that that are that that are temporary and transient those things that we try to hold on to will soon slip through our fingers like good looks and youthful appearance and people who used to shout your name when you came in the room all of that stuff passes away because it's really not relevant in the first place man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and then when he tries to get Jesus to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple Jesus said you ought not tempt the Lord your God don't don't tempt God foolishly don't don't don't make a wish and think God is going to follow your command that's that's not faith that's black magic and don't don't don't write your prayer on a piece of people and put it in the Bible and think it's gonna come true that's that's witchcraft faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and when you have a right understanding of the Word of God in all your ways acknowledge him and he'll direct your path first temptation was about relevance and instant food and the appetite the second temptation is about popularity instant fame and acceptance well this last temptation and I'm through is about power instant fortune and ambition temptation number one is relevance instant food and the appeal to the appetite the second temptation is popularity instant fame and the appeal for acceptance but finally the third temptation is about power instant fortune and ambition he takes Jesus to this high mountain and and and I don't suspect that it's a mountain Mountain I think it's a vision now that that Satan supernaturally gives to Jesus He gives Jesus this supernatural vision and he shows him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time he shows him the power of Babylon he shows him the might of Persia he shows him the ancient splendor of Greece he shows him the imperial power of Rome and says to him all of this I will give you if you fall down and worship me my brothers and sisters you've got to get this Jesus and Satan are on this mountain alone only the two of them and Satan says to Jesus nobody's looking just you don't have to stay down just just get on one knee and hurry up and jump up and all of this will be yours don't don't don't stay on your knees just genuflect just hit one knee and jump up right quickly and I will give you all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time listen to the devil trying to give Jesus was already his and the devil will say to you this year coming just just just hit one knee and hurry up and get up nobody's around nobody's gonna see just bend the rules just bow down and worship me you don't have to stay down just just give me an hour just give me 45 minutes just give me a day and all the stuff you after will be yours we're brothers and sisters have no hurry to the clothes you don't have to bow down to the devil to get anything that God has because what God has for you is for you and the devil will try to steal what God has for you and substitute it with something that he thinks is just what God wants you to have but you got to realize everything the devil sins is counterfeit it doesn't last it's not worth anything but you've got something and I got something that didn't come from the devil because the devil Satan comes back for to steal to kill and to destroy but Jesus said I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly I'm trying to get finished here now but just like Jesus stood up under the devil's temptations he stood up because he knew the Word of God and I'm here tonight to tell you let me grow there is still power in the Word of God there is still strength in the Word of God there's still joy and peace hope and love in the Word of God somebody ought to help me close right here when it looks like you're not gonna be able to make it another day fret not yourself because of evildoers it's right here in the Word of God is that our witness here whenever it looks like you are about to give up it's right in the Word of God weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning if you be not weary in well-doing it's right here in the word you will reap if you faint not the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid when the wicked even my enemies and my foes came upon me to heat up my flesh they stumbled and they failed thank God for the word I said thank God for the word thank God for the word the devil can't fool you when you know the word the devil can trip you up when you know the word word is a lamp to my feet and it's a light to my pathway you'll help me close this won't you he said hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against thee haven't got a witness here that's power in the Word of God that's stress in the Word of God that's joy in the Word of God whenever I read the Word of God I get encouragement from the word I get stress from the word I get hope for tomorrow from the word I'm able to stand up under temptation because I know the Word of God I'm able to do battle with my enemies because I know the Word of God do you know what the word says don't you put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil having done all understand the word says just stand any way put on the helmet of salvation put on the breastplate of righteousness get the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God the lines girdled with truths put on the shoes of the gospel of peace I wish I had one or two witnesses here because when you know the word you can stand over your enemies when you know what the word says the devil can't do you any harm is there anybody here know the word is a powerful is sharp as a two-edged sword cutting between the marrow and the bone I thank God for the word because in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father is there anybody here no that's power in the world if you don't believe the word has power I dare you to call that name right now there's a sin killing name imparting name in that name I'm talking about don't you is there anybody here no power in that name there is a name to see it's worth it sound like music in my ear it's the sweetest talking about he's Adams Redeemer he's Abel's wind ochita Abraham's sacrifice he's Noah's Ark y'all know in don't you it's rock in a weary life is a shelter in a time of stone he's a friend when you're friendless bread when you're hungry when he invested in don't you let me call that name [Applause] [Music] in the name of Jesus help me worship in Bethlehem and Nazareth and one Friday he died didn't he [Applause] Jesus name [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] yeah [Applause] [Applause] [Music] when when the temptations were over the Bible says God send angels to minister to him and when you get in trouble he will send angels to minister all night [Music] war day angels ministering but be careful here because when you read the account in Luke Luke's Gospel said Satan left him for a season just like he messed with you last year he's coming back because if you will be used by God put it in your mind right now the devil egg will ever leave you alone but God will send ministering angels to take charge over you [Music]

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Id: TSfrsUCkzJI

Length: 46min 48sec (2808 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 31 2018