GOD’S CHAMPION

LUKE 4:1-13

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE PATTERNS OF TEMPTATION

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1. Lust of the Flesh- physical appetite [v. 1-4, 3:22]

2. Lust of the Eyes-aesthetic nature [v. 5-8, Gn. 3]

3. Pride of Life-spiritual ambition [v. 9-13, 1 Timothy 3:6]

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

II. THE POWER OF TWISTING

Satan questioned the Father’s love when he tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. He questioned His hope when he offered Jesus’ the world’s kingdoms this side of the cross. Satan questioned the Father’s faithfulness when he asked Jesus to jump from the temple and prove that the Father would keep His promise. Thus the enemy attacked the three basic virtues of the Christian life- faith, hope, and love. - Warren W. Wiersbe

1. Satan Twists Normal Desires [v. 3, John 8:44]

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

2. Satan Twists the Word of God [v. 10-11, Ps. 91:11-12, 2 Peter 3:16]

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

3. Satan Twists the Plan of God [v. 5-8, Acts 13:10]

And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

III. THE PATHS TO TRIUMPH [2 Corinthians 2:14]

2 Samuel 23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
2 Samuel 23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

1. Jesus Was Spirit-filled [4:1, Ephesians 5:18]

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

2. Jesus Was Scripture-filled [4:4, 8, 12, Colossians 3:16]

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith

3. Jesus Was Fully Surrendered [4:1, Colossians 3:17]

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.