Birthright Blessing & The Coming Test
Gen 25:27-34; Gen 28:27-37; Matt 4:1-10
(Part 2 of 2)
Last week – America’s birthright blessing - Freedom
We saw Esau …
Despising Our Birthright
Sold his birthright for a bowl of stew…for what he could get now
That word “despised” in the Hebrew is “ba za” which means “to be worthless”
We now live in a time when our young people and even some older have forgotten our birthright blessing of Freedom
Second, there was a warning to…
Beware the Deceiver
Jacob deceived not only Esau but his father Isaac
Esau still EXPECTED the birthright blessing EVEN THOUGH he had sold it to Jacob
Time is coming in America – the same will happen – we will give away and sell our birthright – FREEDOM - LIBERTY
But still have an expectation to receive the birthright blessing of FREEDOM
Now couple other things I want us to notice here
Now that brings us to the second part of the message, The Coming Test
Read Matt 4:1-10 as we go - Pray
I believe there is coming a test like never before for us as believers
And know that we are not exempt from this testing
Just as Jesus was tempted, so we too will be tempted
Exactly what’s coming I don’t know…but my message to us is that we must ready ourselves and be on watch…on alert
Listen, temptation is never as great as when one has made a public declaration of faith as our Lord did when He was baptized
Now important to note here in vs 1 that Jesus was LED by the Holy Spirit
We must understand that Satan was given full permission to test Jesus
Just like Jesus tells Peter and all of the disciples later in Luke 22:31 “Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat”
Jesus’s temptations follow three patterns that are common to all men and I want us to see them so we can be on alert and recognize them
1 John 2:16 tells of these three patterns “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world”
Trans: The first pattern of temptation Satan uses to test Jesus is…
1. The Lust of the Flesh
Matt 4:3-4 (read) Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
Our Lord is hungry…our body needs food to survive
It can cause us to take desperate measures
Satan knew Jesus was hungry and challenged Jesus’ deity
Satan challenges Jesus to turn the stones into bread – I mean – He most certainly could
Notice here that the deceiver BELIEVES that God CAN turn the stones to bread, that it was possible
Notice how powerful Satan knows Jesus is
He recognizes that Jesus could just SPEAK…TELL or KJV says COMMAND these stones and they had to obey (my my my)
Why didn’t Jesus just do it?
Because it was not his deity being tested as much as it was humanness (flesh) being tested as a man
Jesus knew that if He couldn’t pass the test – you and I have no hope in passing the test
We too will be tempted and tested by the Lust of the Flesh and must be on alert
Jesus replies to Satan that “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”
Trans: The second pattern we see Satan tempt Jesus with is…
2. The Pride of Life
What is meant by pride of life? To love this world more than to love God
Anything that can lead to pride of life such as arrogance, pride in self, presumption, boasting
Matt 4:5-7 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”[b]7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”
Satan takes Jesus to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem…
If you are the Son of God – throw yourself down – take your own life
Satan knows that Jesus’ body is subject to pain and even death
If you are God, you will not die
Notice Satan even uses scripture as he quotes Psa 91:11-12
He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Now, I can see here that Satan is using this scripture probably in a sarcastic tone
Don’t think Satan doesn’t know the scripture…He was God’s #1 Angel
Don’t think either that he will not test your knowledge of the scripture
We see this same challenge of Satan to Adam and Eve – Did God really say?
Listen, there is coming a testing where you will have to prove that you love God more than you love this world or the things in it
Jesus replies to Satan again “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deut 6:16)
Trans: The third pattern of testing we see here is…
3. The Lust of the Eyes
Matt 4:8-10 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,[d] Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”[e]
Satan understands that if there was any way to get Jesus to bypass the crucifixion for which he came – this was the way
Satan took Jesus up and showed Him all of the kingdoms of the world
The word KINGDOMS here is “royal power, dominion, rule”
Satan was showing Jesus all of glamour and success and prosperity that Jesus could rule over IF He would just bow down and worship him
Satan told Jesus “All of this I will give you” ALL OF IT – the only catch – bow down and worship me
Satan already knew that Jesus was a King and what better way to rule than to rule over it all the world
Interesting to note here…Satan had the AUTHORITY to give Jesus ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD
To rule completely over everyone and everything IN THIS WORLD
Ephesians 2:2 (NLT) You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
Food for thought…if Satan has dominion to rule over the things of this world and to distribute worldly kingdoms to whom he wants
What about the kingdom of America? What about our rulers (Presidents)?
The Lust of the Eyes – look what you could have?
Satan was trying to get Jesus to sell His soul – He will try to get us to do the same
4. How Can We Pass the Test?
Eph 6:10-18 gives us the answer (turn there)
First realize, the war we fight is not physical but spiritual and it cannot be won with physical weapons
Eph 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
1. Be Ready for the Battle
a. Put on the full armor DAILY (vs 13)
2. Know the Scripture and how to use it (vs 17)
2 Tim 2:15 ”Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”
a. Jesus said “It is written” – notice he didn’t try to convince the devil – he stood on what the bible said
b. David and his sling – you can’t use what you don’t know
3. Pray in the Spirit (As the Spirit leads) (vs 18)
a. Be sensitive to pray what the Lord gives you
4. Be alert and Pray for each other (vs 18)
a. ALERT means STAY AWAKE – 10 virgins
b. 1 Pet 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”
Conclusion
Listen, America has forgotten it’s birthright blessing – we despise it and Satan knows it
He is deceiving people to freely give it away and not worry about the consequences
But the time of testing is coming and it will come…will we be ready? as
Good news is 1 Cor 10:13 (quote)
The test is coming and Satan will ask permission to sift us – question is, will we pass the test?
I pray so – Let’s pray together
