3 Major Temptations of life to Overcome

Matthew  4:1-11

1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  

2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.  

3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  

4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,  

6. And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.  

7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.  

8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  

9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.  

10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

11. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

1. Survival

One of the very first battles we'll have to win as Christians, is the fear of survival. The devil will always confront us with the challenge of survival.

How do you feed? Where will you live? How about your daily needs?

This was the first temptation the devil brought to Jesus Christ in the wilderness. (Matthew 4:3-4).

Usually, when the devil is bringing the temptation of survival, he always presents alternative survival strategies that will conflict with your Faith.

He's seeing how tight things are for you now, so he'll use the current happenings around you to tempt you with survival.

Watch carefully to ensure that you don't fall prey to the survival temptation of Satan.

Look up to God completely, and let the devil know that your survival is domiciled in God's Word.

2. Societal norms

Another very common trick of the devil I've noticed over the years, is what I like to call "generally accepted patterns".

This is a situation in which the devil tries to push you into doing something because everybody else is doing it.

You mustn't compromise to succeed.

Imagine the devil telling Jesus to jump from from a high place to tempt God? (Matthew 4:5-7).

This was because everybody else was tempting God, so he wanted Jesus to do the same.

But thank God our Lord Jesus Christ knew better.

The devil will always show you what everybody else is doing, which is wrong, so that you can be consoled in the fact that though it's wrong, everybody's doing it, so it's fine.

The devil will show you how other ladies are going to club every night, and coming back with lots of cash so easily, so that you too can go.

That everybody's doing it, doesn't make it right; if you do everything they do, you'll doubtless end like them.

3. Easy way out

With the devil, there's always an easy way out.

He'll tell you that, instead of suffering to read, just pay the lecturer and get easy good grades. Instead of being sincere, just lie and deceive everyone, so that you can easily get the contract.

Remember what He told Jesus? Bow to me now, and I'll give you the world. (Matthew 4:8-11).

Rediculous indeed!

The devil will always tempt every believer with these 3 things;

Survival,

Societal norms and

Easy way out or shortcuts.

Beware and guide against it.

Your easy defence is knowledge of God's Word and promises;

1. When the devil comes with survival questions, tell him; God is able to supply all your needs and meet all your heart desires.

Philippians 4:19

Luke 18:29-30

2. When he's showing you societal norms, tell him; I'm living my life in absolute confirmation to God's Word and Standard

Jeremiah 6:6

3. And when he comes to show you an easy way out, tell him; I'm prepared to work things out the right way until I reach success.

Hebrews 10:36

Hebrews 6:12

There's no shortcut to success, this is because nothing works over night.

You require patience, persistence and consistency to hit your target.

Christmas Message

Lord, in this season, help US understand the GREATEST gift You've given US.

The GIFT of Jesus Christ, by whom we're able to enjoy Salvation, Unity and Oneness.

Once a rejected people, now GLORIFIED and accepted by you.

Once without hope and love, now full of Hope and Love.

Once without any comfort, but now with the greatest comforter; our SWEET HOLY SPIRIT.

Thank You Lord for Your Precious Son Jesus Christ; we mark His birth in this season, and after so much reflection, we see what a Blessed Generation we're.

This is a Season of LOVE.

With JOY and Gratitude, we thank God for His Son Jesus Christ, the Head of the Holy Church, and the Holy Body of Christ, one we're PART of.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Living with PURITY Consciousness

1 Timothy  4:12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in PURITY.

-A Christian life of purity is the best way to live my friend. You never know the beauty of a peaceful life on earth, until you understand what it means to live pure.
Life is in phases; and every phase of life we step into requires one very cardinal sacrifice from us - PURITY!
Purity is highly relegated in this generation, and that's the reason for the so much challenges we suffer today. If you think purity is difficult, then try immorality and see what it's like.
Nothing wrecks the life of an individual like immorality, as a matter of fact, immorality kills faster than cancer!
Purity is the GOLDEN standard for living, without which you're sure to live a life in destitute. I've seen people again and again, most of whom are Christians, who've abused purity and are paying dearly for it.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:8;

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

The way of the Lord is a way of purity!

If you've chosen God's way, then you must love PURITY.
As such, we must consciously develope and live a life of purity.

What is Purity?
Purity is living a life free from immorality, especially sexual immorality.

DANGERS OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY
1.) It is God's WILL for us to live PURE

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

- God directly commands that we stay away from sexual sin
- This is because, nothing pollutes the life of a man or woman like sex outside marriage or before marriage
- Sexual immorality is a major limiting factor
- The setbacks you've suffered hitherto might just be that careless sex you had sometimes back
- If sexual purity is God's WILL for US, imagine what our lives will be like if we live in immorality (which will of course be outside His Will)

2.) Sexual immorality pollutes the conscience
- Do you ever wonder why an adult should rape a 14year old?
- The answer is very simple, his conscience is dead
- Sexual sin kills the conscience
- You become like the devil; without sympathy and humanity
- Tell me, how can a person like that ever succeed legitimately?

Acts  24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Acts  24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men. 
1 Timothy  1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
Acts  24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.  
1 Timothy  3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

- Sexual immorality makes it almost impossible for you to maintain a PURE conscience
- And without a pure conscience, you cannot have a right standing before God
- Now, what kind of life can a person ever live without God?

3.) Sexual immorality transmits evil spirits
- I'm a spirit, I was born by a woman, who got pregnant because she had sex with a man
- What does this say to you?
- If sex can impregnate a woman with another spirit being, then sex isn't just ordinary
- Till today, medicine have been unable to prove the connection between sex and the reproduction of spirits
- I've heard people repeatedly said, "is it not just sex?"
- That's why their lives are a mess
- Sex is is big thing!!!
- And doing it outside marriage is a death trap.

1 Corinthians  6:
16. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 
17. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 
18. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

- Sex is not shaking hands!!!

4.) Sexual immorality will reduce you to nothing
Proverbs  6:26
For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

- You see kings and very great men reduced to nothing because of promiscuity
- Small small children everywhere already know what sex is; why will there ever be able to excel in life?
- Sex before marriage or outside marriage is an agreement to fail already

5.) Sexual immorality increases vulnerability
- When we have careless sex, we open ourselves to all kinds of sicknesses and diseases; HIV, Gonorrhea, syphilis, etc. All from the pit of hell.
- All the STD/STI you know today can only be effectively transmitted through sex
- In other words, the only way the devil will ever gain access into your life is through sex
- This is because, your genitals is the only automatic access into your life

6.) Sexual immorality makes it difficult for you to have Faith
- And Faith is an essential for existence as a Christian

Habakkuk  2:4 .....but the just shall live by his faith.

- So, if Faith is what we live by, then anything that attacks our faith threatens our very existence

NB;
- Sexual immorality opens the door to grave dangers and misfortunes
- You cannot afford to live in immorality
- Purity is your easiest way to a better life
- I've seen very young people suffering from all kinds of sicknesses and diseases
- Sex before marriage or outside marriage isn't worth it precious people
- Sexual PURITY is possible
- Being a virgin is not an old fashion phenomenon
- As a matter of fact, so many of US have consciously vowed to remain virgins till marriage, and it's working
- Purity works, and you must enlist amongst this end time army of men and women who'll vow to keep PURE
- Even after marriage, you must maintain sexual purity by staying faithful to your partner

How to LIVE with Purity Consciousness
1. Depend on the Holy Spirit
- Nobody is strong in his/herself
- Self strength will always fail, no matter how strong
- Power and Might mentality will always fail
- Stop doing that rubbish today!
- Keep yourself till marriage my friend!
Jude  1:24
Now unto Him (Holy Spirit) that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
- But only the Holy Spirit will help you keep yourself
Isaiah  40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
2. Develop purity standards
- If you have standards, there are so many things you will not do
- Living without principles and standards will make you nothing different from an animal
Acts  10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:*
- God does not respect people, He respects principles
- Have a standard!
- Is not every body in skirt or trouser that you should follow