This week we’re studying the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. The devil has swooped in when Jesus was weakest from not eating for 40 days, and he’s making his twisted offers. While the devil is convinced he is going to defeat Jesus with these temptations, Jesus knows he is here to defeat these temptations and make a way out for you and I. He faced it all so that you and I could make it through too. Defeat is not our destiny, there’s an out!
Yesterday, in episode #1751 titled “Twisted Offerings” we read of the first specific temptation Jesus told about. The temptation to meet his legitimate need in an illegitimate way. He was legitimately hungry, so the devil tells Jesus to just turn the rocks into bread and eat. But that would defeat the purposes for which Jesus was there. He wasn’t there to use his supernatural power to battle the devil, he was there to show you and I how to overcome temptation when we ourselves are weak. And here, Jesus is showing us how we can be tricked into meeting real needs the wrong way.
Ahhhh, Jesus is helping us untwist the offerings of the devil and see them for what they really are! Jesus, keep going, your girls are ready for more.
Now, we read of the second specific temptation of the devil. Luke 4: 5-8, Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”
Just reading it, that really doesn’t seem to apply to you, now does it? I’ve skimmed over this scripture many times and gotten absolutely nothing from it. But now I’m seeing there is sooooo much for us here. So much that meets us right where we are today and addresses some of the exact temptations we’re dealing with.
To understand it better, let’s read another translation. The Passion Translation says it like this, “The devil lifted Jesus high into the sky, and in a flash showed him all the kingdoms and regions of the world. The devil then said to Jesus, ‘All of this, with all its power, authority, and splendor, is mine to give to whomever I wish. You can have everything!”
You know what this shows me … this shows me not all dreams and visions are from God. The devil is literally giving Jesus a vision of how good his twisted offer will be. But Jesus knew who he was dealing with and he knew, if the source is Satan, he wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with it.
Girl, not every dream you have is from God. Not every vision you receive is divine. Sometimes the devil is all up in your head twisting things. And sometimes those wild fantasies you have are because of the crazy crap you watch on Netflix. Before you go running after a dream and a vision, you better check the source. It’s not all Godly.
About a year ago I started having day dreams about going on the show Survivor. I’m being for real. I could see it. I would be the mother figure that would speak wisdom, pray before we eat our 1/4 cup of rice, and turn it all into an awesome adventure. Sounds good, right? But, I checked the source and soon I realized that wasn’t from God.
What’s the source of that bright idea you have? What’s the source of that dream, that vision, that possible next step? Have you asked, “God, is this from you?” I can’t even begin to tell you how many times in a single month I pray the Wreck It Prayer. Have you heard about it? It goes like this …
God, if you’re in it, I want it. If you’re not, I don’t.
I’ve come to the place of understanding if God is not the source of the dream, I absolutely DO NOT WANT to go off chasing it. If the dream isn’t from him, it will end up being a nightmare. So, God is invited to wreck anything that doesn’t come from him. And he does … and I’m glad. By the way, I’m not going on Survivor … but you know you would have watched if I would have! 🙂
Jesus knew the source of this vision he was seeing was not of God. The source was Satan, and if it comes from Satan, it’s twisted.
The devil is offering him all the kingdoms of the world. He’s offering him glory, power, fame, dominion.
Hmmmm … was that even the devil’s to offer? Actually, yes. In the beginning, God had given Adam dominion over the earth, but Adam and Eve were fooled and forfeited it to Satan. Jesus refers to Satan in John 16:11 as “the ruler of this world.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 refers to him as “the god of this world.”
So yes, actually, the devil had all of this to offer Jesus. It was a legitimate offer. But, here’s what Jesus knew … Jesus already knew the end of the story. He knew Matthew 28:18 was coming … He knew after giving his life on the cross, after rising up out of that tomb, he won back the world and he would say, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” He knew Revelation 11:15, “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”
The power, the authority, and all the kingdoms of the earth were going to be given to Jesus, the devil was just offering him the easy way.
Oh yes, THE EASY WAY!
The devil says, “Jesus, you don’t have to suffer. Let me show you an easier way. That cross sooooo isn’t necessary. You can avoid all of that. You don’t have to die. In fact, you don’t even have to wait. I’ll give it all to you now.”
Jesus was tempted with the easy way. Jesus was tempted with immediate gratification, he could have it all right now. And all he had to do was worship the devil.
Whew … aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t fall to the temptation of the easy way? Aren’t you grateful he went to that cross, he suffered, he died, and he rose again all so that you and I could be forgiven and redeemed?
Jesus, thank you for not taking the easy way … and thank you for showing us not to take the easy way either.
The devil is still roaming this earth with his twisted offering of taking the easy way. The shortcut, the hack, the backdoor, the pill, the shot, the fast pass. Girl, CHECK THE SOURCE!!!!!!!!!
The devil loves the hack because he knows how susceptible we are to wanting something for nothing, or a lot for a little. If you spend 5 minutes on TikTok, you’ll see how you can have a flat stomach, a big booty, puffy lips, flawless skin, thick hair, a gorgeous man, all the clothes, all the money, all the fame … all the things. Just follow me. Just buy this. Just do that. Just click here. It’s easy. It’s fast. Eve, just eat the apple.
EVE … PUT DOWN THE APPLE!
Girl, you don’t need it all. You don’t have to have it now. And you certainly don’t have to get it the easy way.
Always seeking the easy way, the shortcut, the hack, is what has created a whole lot of the messes in your life. Honey, don’t you know God has promised he has good plans for your life? He promised he would be working in the details to make things good. You can count on that. You don’t have to settle for the easy way offered by the enemy.
Jesus knew fame, power and glory offered by the wrong source would be nothing but defeat of the divine plans he was here to fulfill. So, he wasn’t fooled. He wasn’t fooled by false visions offered by the fallen angel.
Jesus knew suffering was part of the plan, and skipping the suffering would shortchange our salvation. So he stiff-armed the twisted offer of the easy way. Now he says, “My girl, the easy way isn’t for you! I’ve shown you how to hold on to the promises of God and push through. I’ve shown you how to go through Hell and focus on Heaven. Do not be detoured from your destiny.”
Check the source. If that’s not from God, honey, you don’t want it.
Are you just trying to find the easy way? Are you falling into the trap of wanting it all so bad right now you’ll accept some twisted offerings along the way? That’s your apple. It’s twisted. Don’t take it.
The devil tempts us with the easy way. Jesus said no to the easy way and he strengthens us to do the same.
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