Satan always comes back with a vengeful counter-attack - are you ready?

March 29, 2019
Joyful beautiful warm day GCT!  This Sunday we are looking at Satan’s second and third vengeful tactics to tempt Jesus to embrace the path of abundance without pain and suffering by giving up the path of pain and suffering that His loving heavenly Father has lovingly led Him into.
That is our temptation each and every day as we as believers fix our eyes on the pains of suffering instead of trusting the hand of God that is lovingly leading us into strengthening and Christ-likeness.  

How often are we tempted to stop waiting on the Lord to fulfill our physical desires (pleasure, ease, money, fulfillment, recognition, etc) in the midst of suffering instead of waiting on the Lord to finish His work on us spiritually in the midst of suffering?  Do we short circuit God’s work on us by trying to alleviate the suffering?

In Luke 4, Satan used the desires of Jesus’ eyes to give up the path of suffering that lead to the cross and redemption for mankind and the title of King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Satan said, come on Jesus, I will give you the same rule over all the kingdoms of the world without the cross and suffering if you would just bow at my feet.  Satan said, you can have all these kingdoms through the suffering path going to the cross or you can have them through the easy path bowing at my feet.  What is it going to be Jesus?

How often are we tempted by the same scheme of Satan to give up God's painful path of strengthening sanctification for the easy path of stagnation, ease, pleasure and conformity to the world?

Satan works in subtle, illusive and intelligent ways through the desires of our eyes and desires of our flesh to short circuit God’s work in us by getting us to seek the path of ease and pleasure.  GCT, get to know the tactics of Satan so that you can defeat him as he battles for your soul.  Not only know the tactics but fight him by having God’s Word in your heart as Jesus did.  We cannot expect to win battles against Satan any differently than how Jesus defeated Satan in the battle - with Scripture and the Holy Spirit.  Church, seriously, without the Word of God and the Spirit of God we don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell winning against Satan.

Being immersed with the Holy Spirit is being immersed in His Word.  Jesus shows us that they are the same!  

What spiritual battle are you presently fighting?
What are your offensive weapons?
What are your defensive weapons?
How is Satan using your own eyes to defeat you with the desires of the eyes and the desires of the flesh?
Do you have any of God’s Word in your heart ready for the counter attack?
Are you relying on the Spirit tp fight for you?

Ephesians 6:16-18 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday!

Praying that you will be winning the battles and enjoying the tests - Steve

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