Three Devices

When satan sets out to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, He uses the same proven tactics he's been using for generations. And, for the most part, it has worked until now. The devil isn't all-powerful or all-knowing, and he doesn't have unlimited resources, but what the Bible does tell us is that he has "fiery darts."

 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”Ephesians 6:16

Those darts can be placed into three primary categories:

 1) Distraction

 2) Destruction

 3) Devotion (Yes, even devotion)

 Distraction 

Distractions: placing too much attention on the immediate.

“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

Matthew 4:3

Forget why you left Heaven. Forget what you're here to accomplish and forget your Father's will. The devil would've loved for Jesus to become consumed with the feelings and discomforts of the moment and forget the eternal implications of his decisions.

“³²But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. ³³Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him [ought] to eat? ³⁴Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. ³⁵Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”

John 4:32-35 (Emphasis mine)

In John chapter four, Jesus gives further insight into His previous conversation with the tempter. He hadn't come to earth to seek to satisfy Himself. Instead, he was on a specific mission. To "do the will of Him that sent me." Nothing else could interfere. He must not be distracted!

Our enemy still uses this same tactic today. The only difference is that he seems to have many more opportunities in our modern culture. So often, we are too absorbed with the immediate discomforts pressing on us to even care about more important issues. Distraction is one of satan's primary tactics because it keeps us bound with earthly things and sidetracked from the eternal.

“¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

In Psalm 2:7-8, we have the privilege of listening in on a sacred conversation between the Heavenly Father and His Son:

“I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession.”

Psalm 2:7-8 (Emphasis mine)

Pay careful attention in verse 8 to the Father's promise to His Son. "I'll give you the heathen for your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession." Now consider Jesus' words to His disciples (and to us) just before He ascended.

“⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. ⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Acts 1:7-8 (Emphasis mine)

Ask of me...I will give you the uttermost parts of the earth // Witness unto me...unto the uttermost part of the earth. The Father promised His Son the "uttermost parts of the earth" if He would ask. Jesus has completed the "asking" through His sacrificial death. Jesus then commands us to be His witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth. Did you notice the direct correlation? We are now sent forth as His laborers to gather Jesus' inheritance. What a privilege!

Remember the passage in John four? Jesus linked His Father's will with the harvest ready to be gathered. He also emphasized the limited time left to accomplish this and stressed the importance of fulfillment. If we allow satan to distract us, we risk losing out on the purpose of God for our lives and losing the souls we were intended to reach.

“God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Psalm 2:7-8

 “¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called [me] by his grace, ¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen.”

Galatians 1:15-16

 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.”

Hebrews 3:1 (Emphasis mine)

 
What earthly things could the enemy be using to distract you from your "Heavenly calling"? Begin to think about this in terms of your daily habits and choices. We are now sent forth as His laborers to gather Jesus' inheritance. What a privilege!

 
How to Defend Against Distractions

 One way to combat distraction is to intentionally move closer to The Lord.

“...O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is”

Psalm 63:1 (Emphasis mine)

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Matthew 6:33 (Emphasis mine)


Start each day with The Lord. I know that seems simple, but it's true. Start your day with Jesus before anyone or anything else has a chance to sabotage your day. It’s not about whether you’re a morning person or a night owl. It’s about priority. Don’t settle for giving The Lord your leftovers at the end of the day. Give Him the first fruits. The principle of the tithe isn't solely about money. It applies to everything. At least give the Lord the tithe of your day.

There is power in priority, make The Lord and His Word your primary focus, and set yourself up for lasting success!

Destruction

Destruction: If he fails to distract you, he will seek to destroy your faith and life.

“⁵Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, ⁶And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

Matthew 4:5-6

Cast thyself down. Here is a fun fact about the devil: he cannot destroy you alone! He may want to, but you belong to God if you are a faithful follower of Christ.

Remember, in the book of Job, the devil had to get God's permission to torment Job. But, strangely enough, it was God that suggested it. He also only allowed the enemy to go so far. The devil was never able to take Job's life.

So, satan's only option is to tempt you to do it. Spiritual suicide. "Cast thyself down." He will pressure and push until you feel as though you’re out of options. He wants you to quit. He wants you to walk away. He would love nothing more than to see your faith destroyed and your life ineffective for God.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.”

John 10:10

In the book of Genesis, we learn the story of a man named Joseph. He had been blessed by God from a young age. God had given him visions and dreams of how he would be used in the future. Only one problem. His brothers hated him for it. Eventually, they would seize the opportunity to get rid of him by selling him as a slave. (I suppose that was better than their original plan to murder him!)

Fast forward thirteen years, and Joseph is second in command in the most powerful empire on the planet—Egypt. When his brothers are brought face to face with him through the crisis of a great famine, he finally has a chance to share what God has been up to.

“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”

Genesis 45:5

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.”

Genesis 50:20

The devil may have destruction in mind, but God has the final say! Even when it feels like everything is out to destroy you, God is for you. Nothing gets by Him unnoticed. He controls the beginning, the end, and everything in between.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

1 Peter 5:8

 
...the devil...whom he may devour. He is powerless in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will only be by permission of God that the devil will have any access to you.

Devotion

Devotion: Yes, even devotion. Our enemy’s ultimate goal is worship.

“⁸Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; ⁹And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. ¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Matthew 4:8-10

That old serpent wants nothing more than to steal worship from Jehovah God. This pride disqualified him from serving in the presence of God. His insatiable desire for power and authority led to his eviction from Heaven. The prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse into what happened behind the scenes.

“¹²How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! ¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I willsit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

Isaiah 14:12-15 (Emphasis mine)

Before being cast out of Heaven, satan had risen up to declare his nefarious intentions. Five times he states what he plans to do. "I will..." Not what God wills but what "I will." This rebellion could not be tolerated by the eternal throne of God.

“[There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God.”

1 Samuel 2:2

“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God.”

Isaiah 44:6

“Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared [it]? ye [are] even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, [there is] no God; I know not [any].”

Isaiah 44:8

“I [am] the LORD, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.”

Isaiah 45:5

“Tell ye, and bring [them] near; yea, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient times? [who] hath told it from that time? [have] not I the LORD? and [there is] no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; [there is] none beside me.”

Isaiah 45:21


So then, what vocation is satan attempting to destroy? Remember, satan craves worship and needs the attention on him, not God. So he tempted Jesus to bow & worship him.

“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Matthew 4:10 (Emphasis mine)


Notice that Jesus interchanged the words worship and serve. What we worship, we serve, and what we serve, we worship. Jesus would never bow to satan because it would mean valuing him above the Father.

Fall down and worship me. The devil’s ultimate goal is worship—of him.

He desires devotion that belongs only to God. He'll even attempt to make a bargain with you to get it. He tried to convince Jesus that he could grant him all these kingdoms if only He would bow to him. You might think you would never bow to the devil, but what do you bow to? If you're not worshipping Jesus Christ, the devil has what he wants. That's because whatever doesn't glorify God serves the cause of satan!

Examine your time, your treasure, and your talents. We are constantly investing in something in the various areas of our lives. What consumes your thoughts? What has your emotional attention?

Worship is worth-ship. It means that something has worth or value. When we worship the Lord, we demonstrate He is worthy of our affection and admiration. By the way, worship isn't singing songs. We may sing as an expression of worship, but true worship is all-consuming. It's a lifestyle. I worship Christ through obedience to His Word, my relationships, and my life.