Taking Authority (Part 3)

It doesn't come as a surprise to you because you see it you hear it, even in the secular media how our culture and our generation is so characterized by a drive for instant gratification.

In fact if you look at the social policies that are coming out with a discrete in the school system or elsewhere. They all seem designed and planned for accommodating more and more and more to the drive by lowering the standards instead of training the younger generation and the power of self-control. We continuously lowering our standards but you know just in case you think this is a phenomena that affects us in the West, or just our generation. Not many years ago I read a story that comes out of Africa that will show you how insidious the lust for power and for instant gratification is there is a certain tribe in Africa where they have a practice of choosing a king to rule for seven years, but at the end of that seven years. He had to be killed during the seven year reign that given King has absolute power. Absolute authority has no limit to his indulgence. In fact, he has no limit to his power, except for one thing and that is, he cannot change. This custom of killing the king after seven years now.

You would think with this type of arrangement that they're not many candidates for the job but believe it or not. There always have been an overabundance of candidates who are vying for the job. Obviously, there were many people who preferred seven years of absolute indulgence and power than the long life. And if that thought makes you cringe you not the only one that is the truth. There are so many people in our society and our culture in the West in general who live just like that.

They live for the moment they grab for the gusto they seek temporary mirage of power they do not think of the consequences they do not even plan for the long term that they never give up any thought to the fraternity and where they want to spend their eternity. Someone said power can intoxicate just like alcohol but alcohol intoxication. You can recover from, but power you cannot recover from it intoxicate you for good and you don't need me to tell you that we have many politicians today who are like this intoxicated without. In fact, Margaret Thatcher said about power. She said being powerful is like being a lady.

If you have to announce it and if you have to tell people that you are, then you're not. We are in the third of three part series on taking authority. Looking at the model of our Lord Jesus Christ when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. The three temptations and how he took authority over Satan in the times of temptation in the wilderness. These 3 Temptations Took Pl. right after a great victory. You remember when Jesus was baptized at the river Jordan and their God the father in the voice of God, the Holy Spirit affirmed that God the son he said this is my beloved son, hear the crowd standing on the edge of the river watching Jesus being baptized here that voice from heaven, thundering saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased is saying this is it. I have no other plan here is my plan for salvation. He is the one without him no salvation without him there is no heaven, and after that great victory Jesus goes into the wilderness and there he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights where he spends time communing with the father in intimacy with the father and at the very end of the glorious time with the father. Satan comes in and tempts Jesus in three ways pleasure, popularity and power we saw the first two, and today we look at the fair than the last one. But before I get there. There is something of outermost importance that you must understand about temptation. And when you understand this, you will understand all the temptations that you and I face every single day. Remember this. There were no one in the wilderness other than Jesus and Satan, Matthew, Luke, John Mark going up there to record this. How do they know about this Jesus told him about it. It came out of his holy lips. He told them what happened, why because he wants to make sure that everyone of his followers do not live a defeated life. But like him take authority over Satan and defeat him. Every time. In fact, the Bible said that he was tempted in every way. And yet without sin. And that is why I told you at the very beginning that every temptation that you and I face that have to come under one of those three headings, pleasure, popularity and power.

And that means there is no temptation that you have ever faced in the past or even your facing now will let you know that I face in the future that Jesus had not finished.

None.

In fact, the same text. Hebrews 218 tells us that because he himself suffered when he was tempted to get that salmon is either suffering and temptation is a great deal of suffering, but all how sweet the victory when you have the victory over Satan's temptation. He said because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted was that me listen carefully, it means that none of us.

None of us can ever look to heaven, and said to God, God you don't know what I'm going through God you don't feel the pain that I am feeling God you don't understand the pressure that I'm under God you don't know the suffering that is involved in my situation.

No one can say that no one why because you will hear the sweet voice of Jesus coming back at you and saying I have experienced more pain, more suffering, more resistance, more rejections, more temptations, more pressure than you'll ever know. In 10 lifetimes. Let me ask you this. Are you going through the pain of rejection and your tempted to react with anger hear the voice of Jesus to say to you, I have experienced rejection by the nearest and the dearest are you going through the pain of injustice and unfairness hear the sweet voice of Jesus to say to you, I have experienced far more injustice than you'll ever know. Are you experiencing physical pain in your body hear the sweet voice of Jesus saying I have experienced the tearing of my flesh and the tearing of my limbs without the benefit of Venice and the siege or even painkillers are you experiencing false accusations. Are you experiencing being unfairly maligned. Hear the voice of Jesus saying being perfect sinless holy, righteous son of God. They accuse me of being demon possessed. Are you experiencing temptation to try to cook the books and take the easy way out here. His sweet voice saying I was offered the biggest shortcut was ever known, but I resisted and I took the power I have experienced temptations to do my thing to presume on the father for instant gratification of being there. I know how you feel. But I've given you my authority I have given you authority to defeat Satan beloved.

The reason many Christians lived on living a defeated lives is because they have never comprehended that incredible authority that Jesus has and he has passed on to everyone of us some time ago.

Somebody asked me a question about this three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness and in the question is really a legitimate one is whether Jesus talked to Satan what it even bother spending time talking aware that what in the league-leading monolith gone and tempting like this one just like them buzz off site not want to talk to you and the answer is very simple and already give you a partial answer because he wanted to show us how to take authority and defeat him in every area of life. Every time now I get to my text always get them a text turn with me please to Matthew four, beginning at verse eight. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all of the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I give you. He said if you would bow down and worship me.

Jesus said, away from me, Satan, for it is written, worship the Lord your God and serve him only than the devil left him, and Angela's came to attend to him the very first temptation. Satan tried to get Jesus to use his divine power to serve himself when that did not work so he come to the second temptation and he tried to tempt him to force the father's hand. The resume alone on the father's grace and use his power for the sun. And so, after he failed miserably twice. Finally, Satan tips his hand to tell you something resistant long enough. He will tip his hand take it from me will always be present. He finally reveals exactly what is after the very purpose of his existence and that is he's trying to induce Jesus to worship him to see that Satan's ultimate goal.

If he can get a person to turn away from worshiping Jesus alone and being committed to Jesus alone and nobody were chair Jesus on the throne of our hearts. If you can get a person just a little bit move away from that is halfway feeling that person to worship him. If these false preachers and false teachers are grabbing the headlines these days succeed in convincing people that Jesus is. Anyway, I'm not the way then Satan is halfway, getting them to worship him is halfway there and here in the third temptation Satan pulls a mask off his face and he lets us know the truth about him in every temptation of every kind. He has one ultimate goal, he will go to Naples around the ages. He will try all the other things he knows your Achilles heels and he come in and start harassing you in whatever area you struggling with, but the ultimate purpose is that he want to be worshiped. Remember that was a very thing that threw them out of the heavens. Don't forget that he was the angel of light. Lucifer, who was serving in the throne room of God, but he was so jealous of God envious of God, and he wanted to take God's place and he and the third of the angelic being thrown out of heaven he wanted to unseat God so he could be worshiped, so that the ultimate goal. That's exactly what he wants everything else leads the and that is the one thing he craves the most. How did this third temptation happened. Well, when the Bible talks about high mountain. The idea is that the supernaturally they were in a place where they could see all of planet Earth. They could see Egypt with all of its treasures.

They could see Rome with all of its might. They could see Athens with all of its monuments, they could see Corinth with its magnificence.

They could see the Royal city of David, with all of its glory and hear what Satan said to visit Jesus, I can give you all of that now. She now is the operative word material secret about Satan now is his word.

I give it you know now Satan you that it's all Jesus is anyway but not before the cross he sees Satan you currently his only ears, the voice of the father. There's is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

You that it is a plan of God before the foundation of the earth for Jesus to be the King of Kings, but not before Calvary. Satan knew that Jesus is crowned to be the Lord of all lords, but not before Gethsemane. See, he knew that and that is why he says now instant power instant gratification.

Now Jesus what you think it now. Why wait for what is rightfully yours. You and I know it's yours.

Take it while follow the father's plan when you can circumvent the process. Jesus, you deserve to have it now, Jesus you already done enough unitive done too much. You have already left the glories of heaven, and came in the form of a man, Jesus, you don't have to submit to the father as a servant when you can be kidding right now or Jesus Armand offering you what the father already has promised you, Jesus, don't you know that it was prophesied about you. In Psalm 28 ask me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. But don't miss this.

Don't miss this because it happens in your life and mine every time what the father promised the sun to get for his righteous obedience. Satan is now offering it. I can give it is offering it to him through unrighteous disobedience. Have you ever been there.

You ever heard his miserable voice offering you what is yours for obedience to the word of God and try to get you to grab for it through disobedience.

Why wait until marriage to get it now.

Why wait to be blessed through faithful stewardship do some creative financing while you wait for God's timing to takes place take matters into your own hand.

Do it now. Grab it now experience it now, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army once said that the greatest of any one's power is in the measure of his surrender another world will never understand. The only power we have is a surrender to the Lord. This is where he really blindside those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus is how he blindside us. There is nothing that Satan can offer us nothing that can even come close to others. Yours in Jesus Christ, nothing he offers you well through crooked means billions of the universe. Yours in Jesus.

He offers you some temporary power we gonna be sitting on thrones and judge the universe is he offering her some momentary pleasure. We gonna experience unimaginable pure holy pleasures in heaven. What Satan offers you an order get you to compromise your faith is not really much of an offer, it really isn't, and you've got to start seeing through that if Jesus is the Savior of your soul and the Lord of your life, then you have on told Richard unspeakable joy, power and splendor, all yours but not now.

Not our best life is yet to come. It's yet to come as a whole gospel that is the court of the gospel. That's why Jesus came from heaven. That's why he died on the cross. That's why he rose again.

That's why he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. And if you read the Scripture carefully.

You gonna find it every time. It never misses every time somebody jumped the gun did not wait for God's timing.

Every time someone moved in disobedience every time somebody was tempted by the Shawnee glamorous correctly when not only cause heartache to themselves but to everybody around the everybody around him read it in the Scripture, God promised Abraham and Sarah, a son from their bodies. So they waited and waited and they waited some more, nothing happening. I'm convinced Satan probably came to Abraham and his said Abraham is getting too late. All buddy is getting too late to get a hold.

It will probably have not heard God right seller is not getting any younger know that he went to Sharon is that there is a now little girl you're driving up like a prune there waiting for. It is perfectly acceptable in your culture of the day, everybody does it give him a concubine lead and produce an heir so we can keep his name. God is not gonna keep his promise. Bible said that Sarah sold to Abraham and Abraham did not resist. Had Sarah and Abraham said Satan get out of here. God promised us a son from our bodies and he will keep his word, Satan, we are gonna wait for God's timing, Satan will hold onto God's promises, but Abraham did not. And here we are in the 21st century we paying for that sin of not waiting.

I thought of how the sons of Aaron, the high priest.

When God sends the fire every time to take the sacrifice and one day he delayed and they would not wait for God's fire to come down and lick the sacrifice they let their own fire and ended up in a disaster. Every time now is Satan's operative word. Listen whatever Satan offers. You can give you anything whatever he offers you is always a counterfeit over-the-counter. It's an imitation of what God really has in store for you and Satan's price looks cheap.

In the beginning, the Back Bay is hefty someone here maybe asking the question will how can Satan offers the whole earth to Jesus.

How could he own there is to be able to even offer to Jesus was good question really is a great question.

I want explanatory when God established the earth. He gave the property deeds of the earth to Adam he said now you're the CEO you're the chairman of the board, you're in charge.

Your it is mine and I'm giving it to you.

Here are the deeds you handed in the deeds of the earth. When Adam fell for Satan's lie when Adam fell for Satan's temptation and would not take authority and resist, he forfeited that dominion over the earth. He surrendered not only his birthrights. He surrendered the property deed of planet Earth to Satan. Satan knew that the earth is Jesus. But after the cross, not before Jesus. The second Adam, the last Adam was going to arrest the property deed from Satan's hand, but only after Gethsemane, and that is why he was doing everything possible to stop Jesus from going to the cross for the superpowers in the cross of Jesus for Satan knew that after the cross piece of toast.

Satan you the cross will expose him as the usurper who is the cross will defeat him and depose him. The cross was spell and enter his reign, the cross would give Jesus's followers the authority to defeat him every time and everywhere and that is why the third temptation what Satan was trying to do is doing his doctors in order to save his hide. He knew it's over. Once Jesus gone to the cross. That is why Jesus Found His Way, Satan, the commandment said, you shall worship the Lord your God and him alone. You see, Satan knows that every human being is ever lived and will ever live will have to worship someone or something. Everybody that's it. You have to worship something or someone, and that is why he got millions of people worshiping him know them or not, that they may not know that but they are worshiping him was good. Have a God when it's a thing or a person. Philippians 319 Paul said that there are some whose God is their appetite. In Matthew 624 Jesus said, there are some whose God is Mammon. That's a God.

We know there are some people who worship themselves. They are their own gods and there are pendants in our culture you see it in the commercial all. It may be expensive, but you're worth it there forever worshiping themselves, their ideas, the thoughts that philosophies their way of life. But listen, here's how you can take the test. Whoever occupies the majority of your time, your talent and your treasure is, your God, whomever your love and obey with all of your heart that your God, but for those who love the Lord Jesus those who worship Jesus alone. Satan is forever holding the Shawnee Wunder glittery one. The grandma Wanda and says, coming come and get it.

Don't be surprised just take authority in Jesus name in the part of the blood is shed on the cross. If you want to be happy, gathered, if you want to gratify your desires, gathered you want to get it all just come and get it now if you want to experience real life, and get it but you and I are given authority not only to be able to see through these lies, but to take that authority in Jesus name and defeat him.

Every time every time every time Amon father. What a great God you are.

I don't know how to thank you Lord for your graciousness, for your mercy Lord Jesus you went to that cross willingly because he knew it is obedience to the father to the cross, followed by the resurrection is going to be your rightful place to be called King of Kings and Lord of lords, and we honor you today and will glorify you as our King. The King of our lives in the king of our businesses in the King of homes in the King of our church, Lord Jesus. We honor you in this place, for you are the only King that we want to worship your the only King Wanda love with all of our hearts. You're the only King that we won't obey father and we rejoice in who you are, Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us the authority that we know we cannot live at the feet of life because of that authority.

And for that we rejoice, give God glory.

Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael you set recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that's LTW.org