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Am I fully prepared for battle?. Luke 4:1-13 Matthew 4:1-11. When will life get back to normal?. Trials are ordained by God. Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
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Am I fully prepared for battle? Luke 4:1-13 Matthew 4:1-11
When will life get back to normal? • Trials are ordained by God Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1-2 Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. Mark 1:12
When will life get back to normal? • Trials are ordained by God • Temptations are caused by Satan, our flesh, and the world order Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. James 1:13 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit… to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
Is there a target on my back? “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:13-14
Is there a target on my back? • Lust of the flesh (physical appetite for pleasure or comfort) – Luke 4:1-4 • Lust of the eyes (desire to possess at no personal cost) – Luke 4:5-8 • Pride of life (ambition for prestige or significance) – Luke 4:9-13
Is there hope for victory? • Anticipate Satan’s strategies • Consecrate yourself to God’s purposes • Train for battle
Reflection Questions • What strategies does Satan use to discourage you and tempt you to sin? • Knowing Satan’s strategies and your own vulnerabilities, how can you “train” more effectively? • How does the example of Christ offer instruction in your own battle?