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1) The battle vs. deliverance
The very fact that Jesus combated satan and his demons are recorded in the
gospels. Matthew 4:1 says,A Then
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.@
The sole purpose for being led into the wilderness was to be tempted. Jesus was
not
tempted by just any devil but How does this relate to deliverance? Too many times we think that attacks from
satan are to be avoided at all costs. We rebuke him with the hope of deliverance,
and we become discouraged when we are not delivered. There are some attacks we
need to endure." Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter
various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces It is in the battle that strength is acquired. God has delivered us from satan=s authority and placed us as the authority over satan "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you LUK 10:19.@ How do we come to the full revelation that we have authority over him? By being put into a place where he kicks us around until we begin to fight back. By fighting back we gain strength and wisdom learning about the extent to which our Savior saved us. And like Jesus we come out of the wilderness with not just the anointing but proven and tested character possessing the power and wisdom to defeat satan in other=s lives as well. So what are the weapons that we use to war with the devil? If we look at
Jesus= battle not only do we see his
weapons but we also can get some insight about the areas of battle that we will
have to contend |
the gospel of Mark says he was tempted by satan
(Mark 1:13). For many years it was not clear why Jesus needed to be tempted by
satan. It is true that he needed to be tempted to sympathize with us but also it
is the way to true ministry. Many people are in positions of ministry which they
have not been qualified to hold. What do I mean? Jesus was first anointed by the
Holy Spirit before entering the wilderness to be tempted. As seen in King Saul=s
life, anointing alone does not insure
longevity in the position. But anointing that is tested and tried, like King
David=s, results in true authority. So
Jesus had to be tested to demonstrate the authority of the anointing with which
he was anointed. We should not shrink back when being tempted but realize that
it is the way to true ministry. We can be like Saul who was ushered into a place
of power and authority with no proving and then be swept away at a critical
point. Or we can be like David who suffered for years at the hand of Saul, even
having to flee for his very life. King David was tested and tried and eventually
positioned for true anointing and destiny.
endurance. And
let endurance have {its} perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing JAM 1:2-4.@ The
words APerfect and complete@
should be understood as having all our parts and having them functioning. This
is not just having all our parts, being complete,
but having them operate correctly or perfectly.
with. The context we will be looking at comes from Matthew
4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. Jesus was led into the wilderness for the express
purpose of being tempted by satan. This was by design not by chance. Luke 4:1-2
states A And Jesus, full of the
Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the
wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil....@
Jesus was not just tempted three times but for the whole forty days. Just as
fire assays metals so the fires of testing assays our lives revealing its purity
and value.