Are you bowing down to satan???

In the book of Luke chapter 4 we are told how Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to go out into the wilderness, where the devil tempted him for 40 days. We all know this story very well, but I was given, this morning a new wave of understanding.

What struck me was that Jesus was tempted with the world - “The glory of these kingdoms”, all he had to do to acquire this was to bow down and worship the devil. But our Lord Jesus replied with the scripture, “you must worship the Lord your God; serve Him only”.

In relation to our lives as Christians today, that little passage speaks a lot! What is meant then by glory of these kingdoms? Wealth, fame, power…? It is so easy to be after all these things, it is so easy to want to be like people you see on TV – famous, so easy to get carried away with wanting to have so much money, cars, houses, etc. These things are the glory of this kingdom here on earth. So many of us have been victim of wanting to acquire such glories. The question is however, how can these glories be acquired?

The devil said to Jesus, “I will give it all to you if you will bow down and worship me”. I know you might be thinking, that’s ridiculous, cause no one in their right mind would do that! But lets reel it in a bit, lets think about the things we do, or the things we are able to do in order to acquire earthly glories, such as money and material possessions i.e. some people would kill, steal or cheat to become famous, just to be that star on TV, or just to get this amount of money or for a certain status. The truth of the matter is the desire to get these things will inevitably lead us to performing adversely in order to attain at all cost. What I mean is, say for example a young girl really wants to become a superstar, and after striving for many years to no avail, she the sees an opportunity but it requires her to sleep with the director of a music video, she is likely to do so, because of the strong desire to succeed and become famous.

Therefore she is accepting the devils offer in Luke 4:7. Likewise, certain people that commit fraud in order to get money, or people that lie to maintain a certain dignified positions, or people that cheat one way or the other to get to the top… The sad truth is that in cheating, lying, etc to get to the top or to acquire certain things, they are bowing down to the devil.

It is so easy to fall prey to the temptations of the “glories of this kingdom” and want to conform to the ways of this world in order to attract these “glories”. Now lets rethink our motives and strategies… Am I doing what is right by God? What do I aim to achieve in doing this? Our ultimate goal should be God’s Kingdom, so everything we do should be towards this goal.

We must walk in the likeness of Christ. Not only following just some of what He did, but all! Jesus went about doing good and helping others, He lived life on earth to reconcile people to God, spreading the gospel, and he submitted his life to the will of God. We must remind ourselves daily that we are only passing through this world therefore we “must not lay up treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break through and steal. But lay for yourselves, treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume and where thieves do not break through also, for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

In neglecting every thing that seems to shine on the earth, we are rejecting the devils offer. In doing God’s work alone we are laying up treasures for ourselves in Heaven and subjecting ourselves only to the will and path ordained for us by God. Thereby fulfilling the commandment Jesus used to rebut the temptation of the devil, “You must worship the Lord your God; serve only Him.” Luke 4:8

Note that even as we have been sent into the world for the sole purpose of winning souls for God’s kingdom - Matthew 28:19 – we must equip and sanctify ourselves with God’s word, which is the weapon Jesus used to nullify the devils temptations.

This doesn’t mean that Christians will be poor or nobodies… far from it! Psalms 23:1 – “The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want…” But we must first make the Lord our Shepard, before we can enjoy the benefits of not wanting. How do we make the Lord our Shepard? By following and abiding by His word. We must be as sheep, then the Lord will be our Shepard and provide all our needs. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” – Psalm 37:4

The prayer Christ offered for the disciples towards the end of his ministry on earth as man, enlightens us greatly as to what Christ want for us as his disciples…

“I have given them thy word; and the world hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that though shouldest take them from the world, but that though shouldest keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. As though didst sent me into the world, even so sent I them into the world…” John 17:14-18

Action point: It’s those little bricks, as useless as they may seem that build a house… so every little effort counts. Trust in God and He will direct your path.

God bless! J

Joy xx