Resist

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

RESIST

Matt 4:8-11

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"  11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

NIV

We cannot be certain what high mountain the devil could show all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor from, but here they were. There is much discussion among our scholars about some physical mountain that would give sight to several of the surrounding kingdoms, but none see this as it is. If we believe that God sees into the hearts of all men, all over the entire world, if we believe that God sees the actions of all men all over the entire world, if we believe God is all seeing, all knowing, and all present then somewhere in a high and lifted place in the heavenly realms the devil and Jesus view all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. Perhaps it was a visual representation instead of in the physical, but the first two temptations appear to be physical, but then they too could have just been in a visual temptation, an illusion of sorts. This is how we consider his temptations within our lives. Seldom are we physically taken to some place to be tempted, but he gives us a visual illusion. However we could also be taken to a place by some events which would put us in grave temptation. Wherever they were actually located the point is in the temptation. The devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. First, we have to wonder, were they the devils to offer? Jesus has referred to the devil as the prince of this world.

John 12:30-32

30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

NIV

There are other references to this fact, the devil, Satan is the prince of the world. Therefore it would be right to consider he has them under his power. The prince of darkness reigns in the hearts and minds of all the kingdoms of the world in all its splendor. This is what he offered to Jesus, to relinquish his authority over the world and give all mankind to the authority of Jesus, if only Jesus would acknowledge that the devil was greater than God. This is why he was cast out of heaven in the first place. As Lucifer, one of the most beautiful angels, he challenged God, thinking himself as being better, greater then God. So now he attempts that same scheme with Jesus. Of course Jesus tells him the only one to worship is God. By his own authority he demands the devil to go away from him, and he must obey Jesus. This is how we are tempted in many areas of our life. The devil comes and shows us the splendors of the world, offering to give us much of that splendor. The drive many people have for the accumulation of wealth, the gathering of splendor, is nothing more than a temptation of the devil to keep people from worshipping and serving the Lord. Jesus has told us that we cannot serve two masters.

Luke 16:13

13 "No servant can serve two masters . Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." 

NIV

This is the splendor of the kingdoms of the world, material gain, money, wealth. The devil would want us to serve him, serve money and in doing so we cannot serve God. When the devil offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world, it also would have given Jesus no reason to go to the cross. If he was given all authority over the world, if the devil relinquished his authority to Jesus, then he would not have to die for the sins of the world in order for man to be reconciled to God. It was a ploy to keep Jesus from the cross, which in essence took the authority from the devil over the world anyway. This is why it is so important for us to remain in Christ. The devil has no authority over us as long as we are in Christ. That does not mean he has stopped trying to tempt us. In fact he most likely spends more efforts in tempting us, then those who have yet to escape his authority over them by repenting, having a change in their thinking, and accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. He already rules in their lives, he already has them captive in darkness, so he need not tempt them. He tempts those of us who have already had a change of mind and are believers in Christ. So he tempts us with the splendor of this world. He is deceptive as well. He may not come right at us with a frontal attack, but with stealth and underhanded methods he slips in little temptations, incrementally, so we may not be aware it is even a temptation. We have to be ever vigilant. This is why the Lord has given us his armor, to protect us from those attacks. But we must put the armor on. We have to wear it daily. It protects our mind, our heart, our loins, and our steps. We have our shield of faith which will extinguish any of the devils attacks. We need not fear his temptations, because we have the weapons to keep us from being overpowered by him and his temptations. Let us then take our stand, resist the devil as Jesus did, and he will flee from us.

James 4:7

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

NIV