The thing to keep in mind is that Satan is only partially interested in you and me. His goal is to steal the authority and position of God – not you. No human being is his primary target. If he could take away authority directly from the Son of God, then he couldn’t possibly care any less of us. What we have in these verses is the war to end all wars – at least as far as Satan was concerned. If he can take Christ, or make the Saviour sin, then he will have won the war.
When Christ Jesus first saved me, I was young, penniless and curious. I read just about everything that I could get my hands on in way of Christian material. But I couldn’t go out and buy the really good stuff. Besides, I didn’t know what the really good stuff was at that time. As a result I ended up reading a lot of material that was available free of charge. Things that are free are generally are not as high quality as things which are more costly. As it happened, I got into a crowd of writers with all kinds of conspiratorial theories. This was in the 60’s and my teachers saw communists under every rock; atheists in every classroom; and hypocrites every pulpit – other than their own. I was taught that all the problems of the world were prearranged; it was all a conspiracy. And my pastor didn’t help much because he was convinced that there was Jewish Illuminati which controlled everything from Presidential elections to the rainfall in Western Kansas. I read that secular humanism is a conspiracy, and so is the New Age movement. I was told that rock music was deliberately sent to North America as part of a treacherous plan to destroy the morality and minds of the youth – me. Drugs too, are a plague heaped upon us by a criminal master-mind, maybe the CFR or the CIA. There is no doubt that humanism, New Age Demonism, Rock music and drugs are all adding to the destruction of our society. I don’t doubt or deny these things. But I no longer believe that every detail of the sins of the world have been orchestrated by a select handful of white-collar, master-mobsters.
Perhaps I should rephrase – I do not believe in a conspiratorial plot against the world by any man or group. But I most certainly believe that there is a Satanic conspiracy. There definitely is one master-criminal; a master-sinner named “Satan,” and “Lucifer” – the Devil. There is most definitely a warfare going on in this world, and the stakes are very high. Governments do rise and fall, somewhat at Satan’s command, unless otherwise vetoed by the sovereign God. Sin and vice in North America are somewhat controlled by the forces of spiritual evil. The sexual-deviancy – the homosexual community – is being encouraged by higher powers. But these powers are not primarily man’s powers, nor are they highly visible and recognizable. This is not a guess on my part, or something that I’ve come to believe because some well-known preacher has been declaring it for years. This is what the Bible declares. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Satan has, as a prize, the authority and position of God. Satan wishes to knock Jehovah off his throne. He hopes to sit upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. He wants to be like the Most High. These are things which the Bible clearly declares. And as a result, the people of this world are all little Waterloo’s, Bull Runs, Midways and Antietams.
As I said last week, I have spent some time studying Satan, his legions and his work. I don’t claim to be an expert in things Satanically sinister. I hope that I never become an expert in such things. But there are several things that have been impressed upon me. For example, I have learned that Christians should not go looking for Demons under every bush, but when one rears up his head, don’t be afraid to stomp on it. For the child of God, who is in fellowship with the Lord, Satan is an adversary, but not a conqueror. I have met some professing saints who are much, too much, occupied with Satan. Some think they must have a sword in hand, fighting the occult at every turn. Some of those same people have a fascination on the occult which borders on real danger.
There are two errors that we can have in regard to Satan – Most of us have too little interest in him; we ignore him. And then there are some who have far too much interest in him – positively or negatively. Ideally, we need to be found somewhere in between. Paul spoke of us being not ignorant of Satan’s devices Christians can not ever be victims of demonic possession, but we can be demonically defeated. It is essential that we be aware of the nature of Satanic temptation.
Before we get to the specifics of Satan’s temptation of Christ, I’d like us to think about temptation generally, using these verses as our guide. You and I are the battlefield, and sin is the weapon used against us. But in this spiritual warfare the weapon is not as much used against us, as it is that we are forced to pick it up and use it upon ourselves. Even Christians are urged to sin against their Heavenly Father. And then the accuser stands before God, pointing to our failures and to the apparent failure of God’s grace.
Let’s think about temptation as we see it illustrated in this text.
Despite the dangers, “there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” There is a bond between the Christian and the Saviour which cannot be broken – by anything. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall angels? Shall principalities? Shall spiritual powers even in high places? The Christian is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. He shall present us spotless before the presence of His glory with great joy.
These things cannot be said about anyone but saint of God – the humble spiritual penitent. The deliberate sinner will always be at the mercy of his spiritual father – Satan. But the temptation that confronts the child of God can very often bring the Lord ever nearer.
But the likelihood of you and I ever going toe-to-toe with Satan is remote. There are a lot bigger fish in the ocean than any of us. Nevertheless, some people ascribe to Satan almost divine attributes. Some imply, for example, that he is omnipotent. But the Lord Jesus clearly showed that Satan is no match for the Son of God. More commonly, people picture Satan as omnipresent. For some people, whenever they sin and succumb, it is the Devil who made them do it. No sir, Satan has more important things to do than personally to tempt insignifcants like us. However, it is possible that every saint has been assigned a Satanic ambassador – An attacking demon to offset every guardian angel. Perhaps the Devil is in Heaven today accusing the brethren. Perhaps he is in his war room trying to determine the really big victories and how to bring them down. Whatever he is doing is probably not personally enticing you to sin.
And there you are? How are you doing? Perhaps you have been sick. Don’t think to yourself that Satan will take pity on you, and that he’ll leave you alone in your weakness. Now when you are weak, this may be the moment that he attacks your financial situation. Were you unable to get much sleep last night, then today expect temptations to irritability, grumpiness or worse. Have you been hit with financial troubles lately, then don’t be surprised if those problems intensify before they ease up.
Satan is the dirtiest fighter you will never face, but he has taught his demons be like himself. Look back over the history of your Christianity and see Satan’s army at work on you. He will never ease up on you until you are driven entirely out of the ministry of Lord.
Satan’s imps can knock the stuffing out of us, by casting upon us doubts about our spiritual condition. He will slander the Lord and His love toward us. “If God really loved you do you think that he’d permit these problems in your life?” “If you choose sin in this case, there will be no harm done at all.” But Christian, “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” And whatsoever is not of faith will be powerless before world, the flesh or the Devil. “Faith is the victory, which overcomes the world.” If there is any shield that can turn aside the fiery darts of the wicked one, it is faith which couples us to our omnipotent God.
This is why the Lord has exhorted us to be sober and vigilant; to watch and pray. Young person, there is someone who is watching you, and hearing you call yourself a servant of God. All Satan has to do is trip you up over one sin and perhaps that young person will never again consider the things of God. So along comes one of the Devil’s corporals giving you a new temptation, and you fall. He has accomplished his goal. Humanly speaking, another soul is eternally separated from God, and this time, because of your sin. Temptation is not some blind jelly-fish floating on the sea of life which might bump into you and hurt you. Evil is driven by intelligent and conspiratorial beings with perhaps a 100 billion agents trying to steer it in pre-designed directions. Some of that direction involves you and me.
Look at what the evil one did to poor Job. He sent natural disasters, like a tornado, and lightning to devour Job’s family. Satan sent enemy armies which appeared to have been in his control. And the Devil had the power to send a loathsome disease upon that poor man. The demon-possessed girl in Philippi had quite a prophecy business. That was due in part to the ability of demons to manipulate circumstances – some circumstances. She might have said that it would rain at 2:15 in the afternoon, but not before. Satan’s realm can include such things as that. The fact that you lost your job is not in itself temptation or sin. But it could have been arranged in order to later make you doubt God’s love or ability. That could have been Satanically arranged, but thank God, Jehovah has a veto over Satan. The Lord knows what evil has been thrown against you. Remember that Satan’s power is invertly proportional to his morality.
The Devil can always be beaten by Biblical faith. Faith calls down the power of God, and Satan is no match against God. He’ll whip us every time, but he’ll whip Jehovah never. So when the child of God humbly bows his knee to the Lord and submits to Christ, there will be victory. Obviously, our attention should be focused on the Lord Jesus, not the Devil.
But woe to the one who knows not Christ as Saviour and Lord. The man who says that Satan never bothers him, probably will never be bothered by Satan. Why should the Devil beat his own obedient slave?
I can tell you who will beat that sinful slave of Satan. It will not be the Devil – it will be the holy God. Jesus will say unto millions, “Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and His angels.”
There is a battle going on around us, but the prize is not you and me. The battle is over who will hold the glory of God – Jehovah or the Devil. You are not the prize; you are the pawn. And as long as you remain unconverted to Christ, you face the same defeat as Satan. Humble yourself therefore, repent and accept the mercy – and the victory – of the Saviour.