Pray now like never before

James {1:13} Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of
God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth
he any man: {1:14} But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed


Heb. {11:32} And what shall I
more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and
[of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David
also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets: {11:33} Who
through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, {11:34}
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in
fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {11:35}
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others
were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might
obtain a better resurrection: {11:36} And others had trial of
[cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds
and imprisonment: {11:37} They were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword:
they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented; {11:38} (Of whom the world
was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in]
mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. {11:39}
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
received not the promise: {11:40} God having provided
some better thing for us, that they without us should not be
made perfect.


Heb. {4:15} For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without
sin.


***

Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. Some argue of course He was without sin, He was God's Son so He had extra power to keep from sinning. I beg to differ. To be tempted like we are He had to feel the temptation, He had to resist the temptation. True, He didn't have the sinful nature- He wasn't born into sin like we are, He didn't inherit sin, but He was tempted like we are and the same amazing miracle that created Jesus inside Mary, a miracle we cannot fathom and in no way could create ourselves also enabled Jesus to live a unique life as One who was tempted like we are. The Bible says so. The Bible doesn't say Jesus was tempted as Adam and Eve were. It could say that, it really could, but it doesn't. Jesus was in all points tempted like we are yet without sin; that's what the Bible says. Not just tempted like we are, but tempted in ALL points like we are. We know what it is like to be tempted don't we? We know what it means to deny ourselves something because we know it's wrong, and we also know what it means to fall to temptation, to give into it and not resist it, not fight it. Often we've embraced sin in our lives to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, you know, to have fun and do as we please.


Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. He resisted temptation, He didn't have to. He felt the pull, the want, the desire and yet he resisted. Satan went after Him full out, He didn't leave Him alone, didn't stop trying to get Jesus to fall into His web of sin.


Those who have faith aren't promised a good life. We are promised the opposite. We are promise deprivation, tormenting, affliction, those are the things we are promised, not happiness, a life of ease, a worry free existence, a pain free life. We are going to be attacked by Satan full out and in many ways, in lots of disguises. If Satan can't get us one way he'll try another, and another, and yes-- another. He won't give up and the only way we can defeat Him is through faith. Not faith in our own ability to do anything at all, but faith in Jesus Christ our Righteousness, our Savior. Faith in Jesus will defeat Satan and Jesus prays for us, prays that our faith won't fail, that it will be strong. In turn when we are strengthened by the love of our Savior we need to help our fellow followers of Christ because all around us and them Satan works without ceasing.


Few of us have trouble believing that Jesus is real, but many of us have trouble making Satan real. It's easier to believe in a good Shepherd watching over us, taking care of us, but harder to name Satan as the one who causes the misery in our lives. You have a bad day where everything seems to go wrong and you tell someone that Satan was really working overtime with you that day and they'll get that squinting look in their eyes that says they think you're a little off your rocker. Sure say you're having a bad day, but don't mention who might be behind it because well...we all have bad days and surely Satan isn't behind all things bad. He's not behind the waking up late and missing the bus, he's not behind the ruined dress that some how became torn in the dryer, he has nothing to do with your spilling that coffee on your trousers... those are just things that happen end of story. To say that Satan caused those things means he's a living enitity that actually controls various things, manipulating them and that just won't do- it's like having poltergiests about and that's just creepy. So, lets say it's true that Satan doesn't do those things, that they just happen. Satan influences our reactions to things that happen will you agree to that? No? So Satan doesn't nothing at all, he's not real? But Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan was surely influencing Him- tempting Him to change a rock into bread and such. Isn't that real? Jesus was tempted in all points like we are; Satan was there tempting Jesus to change a rock into bread so it stands to reason that Satan really tempts us and really puts obstacles in our way that make our lives miserable and then some.


Naming Satan as our enemy is a good thing because we recognize Christ's ability to defeat Satan. Christ DID defeat Him and we through Christ can too. But as long as we refuse to acknowledge the reality we live in we allow Satan to work without being seen, we allow Him to control so much of our lives. If you live knowing that Satan is in control of you and what you do by your choice and it doesn't bother you- pray. Pray that your heart will be pricked by the Holy Spirit, that you'll gain understanding and feel the desire to repent. Do you love this world you live in? Has it given you all you've ever wanted? Is this life pain free? Worry free? No, it's not and it's not for all of us. Even the richest, most beautiful, the luckiest person alive has heartache and pain. Is this life here and now truly the way you want it to be for you and in the end do you want to be as if you've never been? Do you want to never have existed? We only know existing because we are, and we can imagine not being because of those we've lost to death's sleep and are no longer with us. Their existence in our lives is over, but we live with the hope that it's not a permanent loss. There is a permanent loss for us, for them, and yet there doesn't have to be. This world is not our end, or rather it doesn't have to be our end as long as we cling to Jesus and accept His sacrifice for us.


Life now might be horrific in many ways, or maybe it's not so bad, but regardless of our existence now Satan is fighting for us and Jesus died for us. We choose.


Pray now like never before because Satan is working harder than ever before to tear down any faith you may have.


May God bless us and keep us, may our faith grow shielding us from the fiery darts of Satan as the evil one seeks to destroy that faith.


By the grace and mercy our our Righteous Lord and Savior now and forever, in Jesus.


Amen.