OVERCOMING TEMPTATION

Matthew 4:1-11 NLT 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. 3 During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” 7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” 8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” 10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

• Even Jesus had to face temptation and overcome it to accomplish His mission on earth.
• DEFINITION – Temptation: an enticement to do something that goes against God’s will or principles
• We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us, including overcoming temptation.
• Turning away from our sin is called repentance and is generated through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Change your thinking, change your life.” – Marco Garcia

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

• God will never allow us to face a temptation that He has not already empowered us to overcome.

1 Corinthians 10:13b (AMP) … He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability to resist, but along with the temptation He will always provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy.

• FACT: We can resist and overcome every single temptation that we are facing through the power of Jesus Christ within us.
• KEY TO VICTORY – One of the ways to be spiritually strengthened to overcome temptation is by developing the discipline of fasting.

• Jesus responded to every temptation by declaring what the Scriptures say.
• Speaking the Word of God activates the power of the Holy Spirit in us to overcome temptation.
• Speaking the Word of God is how we take authority over tempting thoughts and desires.
• You will not overcome any temptation by your willpower, complaining about it, or feeling sorry for yourself.
• The spoken Word of God is our spiritual weapon to overcome every tempting thought and desire of the devil.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

“Whatever you are speaking has control of and power over your mind.” – Marco Garcia

• Knowing God’s Word is a major key to overcoming temptation.
• The Word of God in our hearts and in our mouths is how we overcome the temptation to sin.
• Jesus spoke the Scriptures that He already knew. It was already in His heart.

Psalm 119:11 (NIV) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

• We get the Word of God in our hearts and the power to obey it through hearing, studying, and meditating on it.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

• Before we can overcome temptation and live an obedient life, we must fill our minds and hearts with the Word of God.