10 My son, if sinners ENTICE YOU,
DO NOT GIVE IN TO THEM. Proverbs 1
We must learn to ‘SAY NO’ and mean it, Jesus did!
Jesus first public appearance was the baptism scene at the Jordan river where He convinced His cousin John to baptise Him. Next we’re told that He was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
15 For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. HE WAS TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY THAT WE ARE, BUT HE DID NOT SIN. 16 Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it. Hebrews 4, New Century Bible
The devil was given the right to tempt, OR ENTICE THE LORD while in His humanity here on earth and it happened more than once e.g. when Peter tried to persuade Him not to go the way of the cross. Matthew 16:22
Sometimes the temptations were straight forward,
‘3 The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Matthew 4
At other times they were more plausible, when scripture was quoted, or more accurately misquoted. We must discern the spirit as well as the words spoken.
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the temple. 6 ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written:
‘“He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”’ Quote from Psalm 91
We’ve already mentioned when the devil used Peter, one of those closest to Jesus, to try and get Him to forego the suffering of the cross. When the stakes were highest the devil used someone very close to plant his own suggestion. We can be sure Peter said it forcefully because it meant the end of the Lord’s time with the disciples on earth, inconceivable to them at that time.
There’s a well known story about Smith Wigglesworth waiting for a bus and a lady coming for the same bus. She was being followed by her little dog and she spoke kindly to the dog and told it to go back home. However, it kept following her and then she became cross, stamped her foot and told it sternly to get home. Wigglesworth laughed out loud and said, ‘that’s exactly how we should speak to the devil’. When we slam the devil’s doors shut we can find all the Lord has for us.
10 Jesus said to him, ‘AWAY FROM ME, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Matthew 4
When we learn to SAY NO and mean it, then we can discern God’s good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives. I would add a footnote to this, don’t live vicariously I.e. by someone else’s faith and revelation. Build your own relationship with the Lord, just we read in Hebrews 4 above, He wants us to know Him personally.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.