(Genesis 3:1-19, Ephesians 2:1-22, Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 16:22-23, John 14:30, John 16:7-15)
When insincerity makes us search for portions of the Bible that seems to support our disobedience, the devil is always there to “assist” with needed supports. Each time we begin to see the Lord’s demand upon our lives as burden, the devil quickly offers us the type of substitute we desire. He “helped” Eve to see no harm in eating the forbidden fruit and she was able to disobey God confidently.
He helped Jonah with the option of traveling with a ship to Tarshish. He helped Peter with intention to prevent Jesus’ death (Matthew 16:22-23). He helped Peter to deny Jesus though he once tried to kill for Jesus. He helped Judas to betray Jesus. He helped him to commit suicide quickly and effectively end his life. He helped David with a successful plot to kill Uriah, just like a Jezebel against a Naboth. He helped Solomon with busyness, till he forgot about God and was filled with vanity.
When God would show us our victory over the devil he allowed him to tempt our Lord Jesus. Then we saw how to conquer him. Satan wanted our Lord Jesus to derail but the Lord never envisage such help. Our Lord Jesus Christ had nothing in Him that covets sinful acts, He always rebuked the devil and his antics at the very spot. He did not give room for sinful thoughts or ideas to grow in Him. He refused to nurture popular but sinful acts. Again, we must note this, JESUS USUALLY REBUKED THE DEVIL AND HIS ANTICS RIGHT AT THE SPOT, SO NO PLACE AND TIME FOR THEM TO GROW IN HIM. In John 14:30, the Lord says,
(John 14:30 KJV) …for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
What the devil have in every man and woman that fall into temptation is the willingness to sin. To deny Godliness. To kick against God’s love and instruction. Willingness to be able to serve the Lord “more comfortably”. To this end, he searches for a portion of the Holy Bible that seems to support our “waywardness”. When the devil helps with the confident to disobey God, he brings to mind, such passages, quotes them out of context, supersaturates and rules people’s mind with lies and deceit. Satan could not find anything related or connected to him in Jesus, so he was on a failed mission. If he had anything in Jesus, such would have served as a platform for him to control Jesus. Let us guide our heart. Let us rebuke every wrong and sinful thought/idea, right at the spot, before the devil can lay claim (for control) on us because of such sinful idea. May the Holy Spirit continue to fill, help and guide us in Jesus mighty name.
Prayer Points
1) Lord remove the willingness for sins from my heart, in Jesus name.
2) Holy Spirit, release Your power and grace over sins into me in Jesus name (John 1:12).
3) Lord Jesus, create in me a new heart that breathe and live for You, always.
4) Every connection the devil has with my life, through wrong and sinful thoughts be consumed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name.
5) Lord, remove the love for vanity from my life and fill me with the love for Your will and the kingdom of God, in Jesus name.
6) I rebuke the devil and his gimmicks of incomplete obedience to God, in Jesus name.
7) Lord Jesus, I confess that Your yoke is easy, and Your burden is light (Matthew 11:30)
