Standing in Authority
Matthew 4: 5 -10
The next temptation, recorded in Matthew 4: 5-6, the devil temped Jesus in the area of pride by means of tempting Jesus to make a decision independent of God, and then hold God responsible for the outcome. In the devil’s crafty attempt to camouflage his temptation, the devil quoted Psalms 91: 11-12. Satan will pervert God’s word to tempt you to exercise independence of God. When you exercise independence of God you declare that you are your own god (Genesis 3:5.) Although the devil doesn’t know what’s in our mind, he’ll make suggestions to the mind. When we yield to the temptation we reveal our areas of weakness, which he then capitalizes on. The devil may have tempted Jesus in the area of pride, but because Jesus was not proud, he did not yield to the temptation. Being tempted is not a sin, it’s when you yield to the temptation that you commit sin.
The devil then took Jesus [in his mind] to a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. These are not locations that the devil took Jesus to, but, he showed Jesus the secular power, and how the power of the world could advance his agenda, and his mission. Another attempt to get Jesus to exercise independence of God to and exercise his own will.
In the devil’s most cunning of the temptations, the devil appeared to offer the means to do what is good. How much good could you do if you were offered the right amount of money, the right position, or knew the right people?
But this is why spiritual sensitivity, and the gift to discern the spirits is important. Discernment will give you spiritual insight to see beyond how you feel. Those that are in Christ possess spiritual weaponry to bring every one of our thoughts and imaginations into the obedience of Christ. Just like the airports’ x-ray machine scans for weapons, when we yield to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit will scan your thoughts and your feelings to ensure they are in alignment with God’s word (2 Corinthians 10:3-5.)
Jesus’ respond to Satan was that he is the liar and the father of lies, meaning that he is the originator and transmitter of lies. The devil speaks lies into the thoughts of man. He is a deceiver. He appeals to our fleshly desires by making evil appealing and attractive. In 2 Cor. 11:14 it says that the transforms himself into an angel of light.
The lie that he posed to Jesus was that he could give Jesus kingdoms; however, Ps. 24:1 reads that the earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell within. The real issue was not about the glory of the kingdoms, but the devil will use the glory of the kingdoms as a mental images to lure you into worshipping him.
Many people will insist that they will never worship the devil, but the word worship means an action that acknowledges a beings worth. To yield to his temptation is an act of devil worship. To obey the devil, and disobey God expresses value in what the devil says over what God’s Word says.
Jesus’ response to the devil was first to call him who he is: Satan. Jesus then rose up in the authority of who he is, [God] to tell Satan, get thee hence—get under me. Get back to your place! You have no authority over me!
Since we are the Body of Christ we have are able to stand under the authority of Christ Jesus to send the devil to flight.