Converted Christians Not Immune

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Let’s return to the Christian. The fact that one has repented, been baptized, and received God’s Spirit (Acts 2:38) does not negate or automatically block Satan’s ability to attack, tempt, seek to influence, and probe for weaknesses.

Accept this fact! You have been practicing Satan’s way for your entire life. You have probably become very good at it. Believe me, as you strive to overcome and resist the pulls at work within you, you will find that Satan’s influence, in the form of human nature, is, like your habits, truly “second nature” to you—more than you now know! Overcoming will not be easy or happen overnight. It is a life-long struggle against an attitude and way of life that the Christian has rejected and turned from.

Remember, the devil appeared in the form of a serpent and successfully SEDUCED Eve through temptation (Gen. 3:1-6). Gen 3:1 reveals how he tempts people into disobedience and sin. It says, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field …” Satan deceived Eve by tempting her with the beauty of the tree from which God had forbidden her to eat.

Temptation never comes from God. James 1:13-15 states, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts He any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.”

Temptation always originates from “the tempter,” working on the lusts of people. The devil recognizes where human nature is vulnerable, where people can be “enticed” so that “sin is conceived.”

Ephesians 6:11 warns of the “wiles of the devil,” while Revelation 2:24 warns of the “depths of Satan”! 2 Corinthians 2:11 warns not to be “ignorant of his devices.” Christians are constantly on guard for his schemes.

James taught, “SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Christ Overcame and Qualified to Replace Satan Resisting the temptation of the devil was central to Christ’s having overcome sin. Let’s examine this account again, but this time in more detail.

It is found in Matthew 4:1-25, and begins in Mt 4:1: “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit … to be tempted of the devil” (Matt. 4:1). The devil repeatedly tempted Christ: “The devil took Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and said unto Him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9). Notice that Christ rebuked Satan (Matt. 4:10) and quoted Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.” At this point, the final temptation in this account ended and the devil departed. Christ had successfully resisted!

Comprehend this crucial passage! This account describes the temptation of Christ. What the devil offered Him was designed to tempt Him. If both Christ and the devil knew that the kingdoms of this world were not the devil’s to give, then where was the temptation? The offer would have carried no weight—it would have been hollow—if nations and empires were not the devil’s to offer.

For Christ to overcome the temptation there had to BE a temptation! Ultimately, Christ succeeded where Adam and Eve had failed. Christ passed a very real test! He overcame the world, the devil, and His flesh, in conquering sin and qualifying to pay the ransom price (His life) for man’s deliverance.

Grasp this truly vital point. Only by overcoming the devil did Christ qualify to restore thegovernment of God to this earth at His Second Coming!

After successfully resisting the temptation in Matthew 4:1-25, Christ began to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God. Recall Mark’s account: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.… Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:1, 14-15).

The “time that was fulfilled” was that of Christ’s SUPER VICTORY in His struggle to overcome Satan and his world. This victory literally authorized Christ to announce the return of God’s government, almost 2,000 years later, under His leadership. His installation into future office was now official.

In the meantime, God must call a few—a very few—to be prepared at the inauguration of that government for rulership in the kingdom of God with Christ. These few must also overcome, as Christ did, to qualify for rulership—and Satan hates all who are qualifying to replace him!

Overcoming Not Easy

Let’s momentarily return to the subject of character development through overcoming.

Like any muscle of the body, character is built by pushing against resistance. Successfully facing that resistance strengthens the muscle (in this case, the mind). We have repeatedly seen that building character means choosing to do what is right instead of choosing to do what is wrong. Character does not concern itself with what OTHERS say or do. It only concerns itself with what GOD says to do!

Never forget that the Christian must resist Satan, who is active at every turn. But it is not through human strength or effort alone that this can be achieved.

Earlier, we referenced Satan’s wiles, and that Paul recorded, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the RULERS of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [Greek: wicked spirits] in high places” (Eph. 6:10-12).

This scripture contains much to consider. Christians must forcefully “wrestle” against the power of the devil and his demons—“wicked spirits”—on a day-to-day basis. They must constantly struggle against feelings of offense, hostility, envy, anger, and many other attitudes. Many New Testament scriptures describe the extent to which human nature, unchecked by overcoming, has complete dominance over every aspect of people’s lives. And the fruits of human nature are evident all over the world. Carefully consider and think about the following four extensive passages. Reflect on the evidence of them in your life, and recognize that they represent a list of things you probably need to overcome.

Paul wrote the Galatians, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest [obvious], which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, ravelling's, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

Overcoming—eliminating these patterns of conduct and thinking—is directly tied to salvation and ruling in the kingdom of God! Now consider what Paul wrote the Romans: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind [void of judgment], to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Rom. 1:28-32).

This powerful list of wrong attitudes and conduct summarizes the condition of all humanity.

Paul also wrote to the Romans of an entire world under the influence and sway of the devil. Notice this: “There is NONE righteous, no, not one: there is NONE that understands, there is NONE that seeks after God. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is NONE that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways” (Rom. 3:10-16).

No wonder John commanded true Christians of all ages in the following direct way: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

The three phrases in italics identically match what Eve loved about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3:6). Take a moment to re-read the verse. It will be clear why John wrote as he did, 4,000 years later, about the world that Adam and Eve chose and indirectly helped build.

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