How
do you handle temptation? Not some little temptation that really has very
little allure or enticement. I am talking about the temptation that seems to be
a constant companion in your life. The one that you know is wrong and that you
really don’t want to do but seem to be drawn to all the time.
In
Ephesians 6:17 we are told to take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of
God. God’s Word is the offensive weapon that He has given to us to defeat our
enemy, Satan, and the temptations that he attacks us with.
In
Luke 4 Jesus is attacked by Satan with three temptations.
The
first temptation is in verse 3. Satan says to Jesus, “If You are the Son of
God, command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus
replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that comes from God.’”
Jesus
uses the Word of God to defeat Satan’s temptation of trying to get Him to use
His power to benefit Himself. Jesus says no, it is not about satisfying My
personal needs but about what God says.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about obeying what God says in the Bible.
The
second temptation is in verses 5-7. Satan takes Jesus and shows Him all the
kingdoms of the world, and says to Him, “To You I will give all this authority
and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.
If You then, worship me, it will be Yours.”
Jesus
replied, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall
you serve.’”
Again,
Jesus uses the Word of God to defeat Satan and the temptation that Satan
attacks Him with, which is to worship someone other than the one true God.
Jesus makes it very clear that the Bible teaches that God is the only one who
is worthy to be worshiped.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about worshiping the one true God and Him
only.
The
third temptation is in verses 9-11. Satan takes Jesus to Jerusalem and up to
the pinnacle of the temple. Satan says to Jesus, “If You are the Son of God,
throw Yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command His angels
concerning You, to guard You. And on their hands they will bear You up, lest
You strike Your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus
replied, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Jesus
for the third time uses the Word of God to defeat Satan and his temptation to
test God. We are not to intentionally put ourselves in a position that God does
not want us in and then expect God to get us out of it.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is about obeying and trusting God but not
testing God by our disobedience.
The
way Jesus deals with Satan and his temptation is with the Word of God. This is
in contrast to the way Eve dealt with Satan and his temptation in Genesis 3
where she listened and tried human reasoning. Satan overcame Eve, but Jesus
overcame Satan.
The
reality is that Satan is smarter and more powerful than we are. Jesus is more
powerful and smarter than Satan. When we depend on ourselves to deal with
Satan, we will succumb to the temptation and enter into sin. Sin when it is
fully grown will lead to death.
Raise
the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing the Word of God, believing the Word
of God, and using the Word of God to defeat Satan and every temptation he
attacks us with.
Using
the Word of God and Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
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