Binding the Strong Man (Pt.2)

Satan's first temptation of Christ in the wilderness was an attempt to magnify the Lord's immediate NEED, His hunger, above His true purpose. This was an attack directed against Christ's BODY, the most vulnerable part of the BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT trinity of man. The BODY is the most susceptible to attack because it functions exclusively on information provided through the five senses, taste, touch, smell, hearing, and seeing.

In this way, satan uses temptation to test me, to see if I'm willing to magnify my physical need above my commissioned purpose. The moment I turn from my purpose to my need he has won, because now he knows he can permanently keep my attention diverted from my purpose by simply surrounding me with an endless variety of physical needs. But when I, as Christ did, refuse to be diverted by physical need, satan must broaden his attack, from the BODY to the SOUL. This is represented by the second temptation of Christ.

Then the Devil took Him to the holy city, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning you and, they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Mat 4:5-6)

Notice what satan is attempting here. He's prodding Christ to magnify His ministry above His true purpose. In effect, he's saying that if Christ will but demonstrate His power and authority as the Messiah sent from God, the people will be amazed and follow after Him, paving the way for His ministry to advance. On the surface this would seem harmless, even rational. But in truth, Christ was not sent to the earth to represent a ministry, but the Father, Himself. This is why He was born in a manger instead of a palace.

Had Christ succumbed to this temptation to demonstrate His power, He would have been guilty of "testing God" by calling on the Holy Spirit to perform this sign and wonder merely to authenticate Himself and His ministry, instead of using that power for its true purpose -- to express the Father's love and compassion to His people.

This type of temptation is directed against the SOUL. Satan knows it's a natural thing for me to equate my ministry success with the Father's purpose. But the truth is, unless I put the Father's true purpose before my own soulish need for acceptance and significance, I become guilty of "testing God" everytime I pray for Him to provide something supernaturally for "my" ministry.

Once I fall to satan's temptation of the SOUL he has won the war. He can now keep me outside the Father's purpose by simply surrounding me with praise and affirmations for the "good" work that I'm doing for the Lord.

Jesus replied to satan, "It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God."
(Mat 4:7)

To be continued...