癤풲he Three Temptations
(Matthew 4:1-11)
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혻 While we live a life like 'the sea of trouble', big or small temptations come to us. Even Jesus was tempted before His public life. The three temptations that Jesus had may come to all people, too. We must be armed with the Word and filled with the Holy Spirit, and overcome all temptations like Jesus.
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1. The physical/material temptation (Mt 4:1-4)
혻 After fasting forty days in the desert, Jesus was very hungry. Then the devil appeared and tempted Him by asking Him to tell stones to become bread. People mostly have material problems. Material problems cause intimate people to became enemies and various conflicts to arise. God has given us materials to use them for good. When we hold materials only with greed, we will ruin ourselves.(1Tim 6:10) The Lord said to the devil, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.??We should live with a right attitude of materials by the guidance of the Word.
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2. The psychological temptation (Mt 4:5-7)
혻 The devil again tempted Jesus to throw Him down from the highest point of the temple and win popularity from people. After the material temptation, the mental temptation comes. The devil tempts us with worldly fame, authority, and popularity. These days the youths love some entertainers called "idol" that they are struggling to be like such entertainers. Furthermore, many people who dream for politics turn up before the national election and the presidential election. They try every possible means and way to win the election. That's why many different problems arise after them. Believers have to be righteous in every aspect. As the Lord defeated the temptation with the Word, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." so we should sternly defeat unrighteousness and greed.
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3. The spiritual temptation (Mt 4:8-11)
혻 The devil is patient. He holds on to our weaknesses. He tempts us with our vulnerable points such as materials, sex, fame, and power. The devil makes us compromise with him for the worldly honor. And the devil tempts those who are interested in the spiritual realm through spiritual pride and heresy. As Jesus defeated all three temptations with the Word, we must be armed with the Word. Moreover, we must depend on the power of Jesus' blood on the cross. In addition, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit and strongly resist any temptation of the devil with the authority of Jesus' name. Then the devil may come in one way and he will flee away in seven.
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혻 Temptation is an instrument and training course which leads to blessing. The bigger the temptation may be, the greater we are prepared as people of God. Therefore, I pray that you are always alert, hold on to the cross, and are filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word so that you will overcome all the temptations and live a victorious life.
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