Topic: Jesus’ Temptation
Text: Matthew 4:1-11

Satan is extremely subtle. He is not stupid. Do not expect him to tempt you with something completely out of your way. If the devil knows you are extremely religious, he would appeal to your to your religious sentiments. For example, when Satan tempted Jesus, according to our text, he quoted a distorted version of Psalm 91:11-12. Verse 5-6 of our text says, “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” As earlier on, Satan got this Scripture from Psalm 91:11-12. Satan uses the Scriptures to confuse people at times. If you are versed in the word of God, you will know how to answer Satan. Is it written that it is when you fall from the top of a hill that the angels of God will guard you? No. The Psalm says that the angels will guard us in all our ways, not when we deliberately take an unnecessary risk. Satan deliberately deleted this part. Why did Satan ask Jesus Christ to jump down? Why did Satan take Jesus Christ to the top of the temple? Let us read Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.” Satan knew that it had been written that when the Messiah comes, He would come suddenly into the temple. Satan thus wanted Jesus Christ to throw Himself suddenly into the temple and appear to the people. He knew that if Jesus Christ jumped, He would die because it would mean that He was putting God to the test. We must be careful not to put God to the test. Jesus Christ answered Satan in Matthew 4:7: “Jesus said unto him, it is written again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” The Bible says if those that believe touch any poisonous thing it will not harm them. This does not meant that we should take in poisonous things deliberately . If people try to poison your food, you have no fear once you pray over the food in the name of Jesus Christ. However it is wrong to put poison in your food and eat it in order to show the world that you cannot be harmed.

Memory Verse: Matthew 4:7 - “Jesus said unto him, it is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”