This week we’re studying the personal story Jesus retells of his 40 days in the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil. He didn’t accidentally wander his way into the wilderness, he wasn’t running away – no, he was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness for this encounter. An encounter that would allow our savior to fully understand every temptation we would ever face. And here, in the wilderness, being tempted by the devil in every single way you and I will ever be tempted, Jesus himself made a way out of that temptation.
Yesterday, in episode 1750 titled “Take the Out”, we read the first 2 verses in Luke 4 and we learned this powerful prayer in the middle of temptation, “Lord, show me the way out and help me take it.” Jesus has made a way out of whatever it is that has threatened to trip you up, distract you, derail you, and cause you to become entangled as a slave to the tricks of the devil. There is a way out. Ask for it. Look for it. Take it.
While the devil tempted Jesus the entire 40 days in the wilderness with all the things, Jesus comes back and tells of 3 specific twisted offerings of the devil. At face value, they don’t seem to apply to us all that much … oh, but girl, they do! Let me show you.
Today, we will look at the first of the 3 specific twisted offerings of the devil in Luke 4. Now remember, Jesus has been in the wilderness for 40 days, he hasn’t eaten anything, so he is very, very hungry.
Y’all I did a 10 day juice cleanse one time where I ate nothing but fruit and vegetable juice that entire time. My belly button was gnawing on my back bone. I was hungrier than a tick on a skinny dog. I was running on fumes and food fantasies. On day 7 of the cleanse, it was my youngest daughter’s birthday and she wanted Olive Garden for dinner. I could smell every pasta dish in that restaurant. I was lusting over some strangers fettuccine alfredo. I would have seriously paid $5 to just lick someone’s fingers after they ate that bread stick.
Have you ever been hungry? I mean really hungry? Jesus was hungry. 40 days no food hungry. I don’t even know what that feels like, but I know this much, when you’re hungry you are weak. You would eat anything from anyone, even just a bite. And in this weakness of extreme hunger, the devil comes walking by. I imagine he had his arms folded, maybe flicking his chin with his finger, one eyebrow raised, and a belittling tone in his evil voice and says in verse 3, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Verse 4, Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.'”
When does the devil show up with his twisted offerings? Absolutely any opportunity he has. And his greatest opportunity is when we are weak. In our weakness we are vulnerable. When we are tired, when we are lonely, when we are bored, when we are hungry, when we are hurting … this is our most vulnerable state. And we have an enemy who roams around like a roaring lion looking to devour absolutely anyone he can. Lions know when to attack. They attack when the opportunity is greatest. The opportunity is greatest when we are weak.
Girl, when you’re feeling weak, that’s when you reach out to your strongest girlfriends. That’s when you get yourself in the middle the circle and let them protect you. Did you know that’s what elephants do?
In the wild, when a female elephant is weak and vulnerable, the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. With their butts in, they form a circle around the one who is weak, heads out on alert. The stand so close, the one in the middle cannot even be seen. They kick up dirt so her scent cannot be tracked by the enemy. Basically, they’re acting like a pack of gangsters you don’t want to mess with. They send the signal, if you want to get to the one who is weak, you have to first go through us. We’re 40 tons of female aggression, so good luck with that.
Girls, that’s us. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing for one another. Circle up when one is weak. Protect her. Kick up some dust. Why? Because the lion is on the hunt and he’s looking to devour one.
But here’s what you do when you’re struggling and feeling weak … you run off and hide. You silly girl. Haven’t you ever watched a nature show? Don’t you know that one who runs and hides alone is the one who is eaten?
You have a real enemy and he absolutely, without a doubt wants to eat you for lunch. He wants to devour you, tear your whole life apart, and leave your family in the wake of his destruction. You can’t afford to hide out. Get in the circle … you have sisters here!
I digress … Jesus is hungry. The devil slides in with his twisted offer of using his power to turn the rocks into bread. Jesus shuts that down! Absolutely not, Satan!
Here’s why … there’s great danger in meeting a legitimate need in an illegitimate way.
There it is, that’s one of the twisted offers of the devil you have been dealing with. You have a legitimate need. There’s nothing wrong with the need.
You need to be loved. You need to be happy. You need to feel better.
The problem is the twisted ways you are willing to meet that need.
Jesus could have turned the rocks into bread, but it would have been the wrong use of his power. He was there to create a way THROUGH the temptations you and I would face, not to miraculously feed himself. The need was real, but the way would have been wrong.
Your need is real … but honey, has the way been wrong? Really … have you accepted a twisted offering from the devil? Have you been tricked?
Satan appeals to legitimate desires, and he offers a twisted way to fulfill you.
You need to be less stressed at the end of a really long, hard day … girl, have a drink. Here, have two. Don’t worry about all that right now, just feel better as you drink your worries away. Twisted offer.
You’re lonely and you just long for the love of someone to make you feel not alone … girl, here’s that familiar ol’ someone. You can send them a little text just to see what they’ve been doing. You could chat, maybe hang out. All while you know you have absolutely NO business in that relationship.
You want to feel good about yourself, but you just can’t get over the way your belly hangs over those jeans these days. And that back fat, gag me. You’re disgusted with your own self. Girl … you can lose 25 pounds in 2 months. Just buy this crap, put this crap in your body, and watch the fat just fall off you. What are you doing to yourself?!!!!
You’re weak in your need and the enemy has a twisted offering for you. Have you been blindly accepting it?
Legitimate need, legitimate desire … illegitimate ways. Do not settle for doing this the wrong way. The enemy of your soul is behind that, don’t be tricked. He’s been looking for a way to trap you, chain you up, and hold you as his slave in his prison. But Jesus has made a way out for you!
Jesus shuts the devil down in 2 very specific ways.
- He does it immediately.
- He speaks truth.
Jesus doesn’t he-haw around with this twisted offer. No, he knows … you dance with the devil and you’ll end up burned. I also would like to suggest if you dance with the devil, you can’t be surprised when you end up in hell. Life here can be like a living hell because we dance around with the devil and his twisted offerings.
Jesus shut down this twisted offering of the devil immediately. In fact he does it with one word, and that word is followed by an exclamation point. Meaning he likely yelled it. NO!
No, Satan! Not today Satan, and not tomorrow either. Shut him down. Don’t entertain his twisted offerings. Don’t imagine how good it will feel for just a moment, how good it would taste, how happy you would be, how much fun you would have, how alive you would feel. That’s dancing … and it’s with the devil. No!
And Jesus speaks truth. He quotes scripture to the devil.
What are you going to tell the devil when he tells you you’re not good enough? When he tells you you’re not important. When he tells you’ll never be strong enough to stick with this. When he tells you that you will be alone for the rest of your life. When he tells you you’re broken, worthless, and hopeless.
You better know the truth about you.
I know the truth about you. Let me circle in around you right now and remind you of a few truths. You are God’s masterpiece. You are supernaturally strengthened by his Spirit and made to be more than a conqueror. You are loved, wanted, treasured, cherished, and of tremendous value. You are never alone, not for one second. You were specifically designed for great things and your future is worth living for.
I’m going to kick up some dust for you, Sis!
The devil has tempted you with some twisted offerings. But they’re not right. Your spirit knows that. Declare right now, just as Jesus did, I will NOT meet my legitimate needs and desires in illegitimate ways. No, Satan. I know the truth! I am not fooled.
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