Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16
(Part 3)
Your Adversary, the Devil: His Temptations
Intro.
1. If Satan is not real to us, then neither is sin and death.
2. When Satan is not real, then overcoming temptations becomes about “self-improvement,” not about our salvation from sin and eternal life.
3. The temptations of Satan are personal, directed and powerful; they are his specific opportunities against you and me, Lk. 4:13 (opportune).
4. Strong faith in Christ is essential to overcoming, Eph. 6:10-11.
I. SATAN, TEMPTATION AND YOU, 2 Cor. 2:11 (methods, Eph. 6:11).
A. Satan Entices us to Sin by Using Our Strong Desires (lusts), Jas. 1:13-14.
-Temptations of Jesus shows this, Matt. 4:2-4 (life), 4:5-7 (trust in God), 4:8-10 (rule the nations).
B. Some of the Enticements Satan Uses to Lure Us to Sin.
1. He presents sin as pleasurable, Heb. 11:25.
2. He presents sin as beneficial, Gen. 3:4-5. cf. Prov. 1:13
3. He presents sin as a personal right, Gen. 3:5.
4. He presents sin as the right way, 2 Cor. 4:3-4.
5. He presents sin as popular, Exo. 23:2 (cf. Noah, Gen. 7:1; Prov. 1:10-11).
To be continued...
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: July 3, 2016