Recorded September 22, 2024, with Rhonda Harrison.

It's time for the Champions in Christ broadcast

with Rhonda Harrison on 1017 Bay FM. Good morning

and welcome to Champions in Christ. We're so

glad you joined us today. This is the day the

Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad

in it. Today we're going to talk about God's

love towards us. You know his love is so great

towards his creation He loves you today without

a doubt and that love never changes No matter

what we're doing. No matter where we're at. We

can't change the greatness of God's love towards

us He loves his creation and you're his creation.

I'm his creation Now he doesn't love when we

sin he doesn't like some of the things we do

but if we're quick to repent we're restored to

right relationship with him and Then he but either

way he loves us. Just know he loves us. He loves

us. He loves us It says while we were yet sinners

Christ died for us. He loved us so much That

he gave his only begotten son that who show Albert

who so ever shall believe in him Shall not perish

but have eternal life. You know, that's big love

when God will Send his only son to lay down his

life on our behalf No matter what we're dealing

with and today we're going to talk about temptation

the Bible hat does have some things to say about

it and So we're gonna find out, you know God's

love for people constrained him to say no to

temptation. You know, he was the only one to

say no to temptation. He could have sinned, he

had a free will. He was raised just as we're

raised with a mom and dad, and they raised him

in the fear and admonition of God, the same way

some of us are raised, yet he was without sin.

But he did endure temptation. And so let's go

to where Jesus endured temptation first. So we're

going to go to Matthew four, verse one, it says,

then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the

wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when

he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights afterwards,

he was hungry. Now when the tempter came, he

said, if you are the son of God, command these

stones to become bread. But Jesus answered and

said, it is written, man shall not live by bread

alone, but by every word that proceeds out of

the mouth of God. Wow. You know, here's Jesus.

He is hungry. He hasn't eaten in 40 days and

40 nights. And so the enemy comes and tempts

him with bread. And what happens? He doesn't

say, oh yeah, I want that and dive in. No, he

remembers what he's doing. He stayed focused.

on his love for you and his love for me and he

said no man does not live by bread alone but

by every word that proceeds out of the mouth

of god so then the devil verse three took him

up to a holy city set him on a pinnacle of the

temple and said if you are the son of god throw

yourself down for it is written he shall give

his angels charge over you and in their hands

they shall bear you up least you dash your foot

against the stone And Jesus said to him, it is

written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God.

The enemy knows the word of God. And if we don't

know it as well as he knows it, he's going to

twist it and try to make us as he was doing in

this example with Jesus, try and make us stumble

and fall. But thank God Jesus didn't do that.

He turned around and told him, told him again,

the devil took him up. And what did Jesus say

to him? You know, Jesus said, you shall not tempt

the Lord your God. He knew it was a tempting.

He knew the word. He knew angels are available.

He knew angels protect us, but he knew we don't

tempt God. to use angels we don't we don't purposely

do something to just get God to do something

in a negative way and so God Jesus used the word

of God against him that's our tool against the

enemy as well when the enemy puts thoughts in

your head oh do this do that and you know in

your spirit in your heart of hearts it's wrong

then we use the word against him. You know, James

says, submit yourself to God, resist the enemy

and he will flee. You know, Jesus used the word

to resist him and he's our ultimate example.

He's the ultimate champion. And so we follow

that example and we use the word against him

too. But Satan wasn't done in his tempting. He

again, in verse eight, again the devil took him

up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed

him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

And he said unto them, all these things I will

give you if you will fall down and worship me.

That was Satan's whole goal anyway. He wants

us to worship him. He wants us to make other

idols in our life besides God. That's what he

did when he was in heaven. He said, I'll exalt

my throne above God's. That's what he said. That's

what got him cast out of heaven was that pride.

And here Jesus, he's offering Jesus all these

kingdoms and the glory with them. And Jesus said

to him, verse 10, away with you, Satan, for it

is written, you will worship the Lord your God

and him only will we serve. You can't serve God

and mammon. It doesn't mean God doesn't want

you to be blessed and prosperous, have nice things.

No, all of that's in the Word. He just doesn't

want those nice things to have you. And in this

instance, he spoke directly to Satan again, which

is what we're to do. Satan is our enemy in all

his cohorts. So when you get things coming in

your in your mind because not every thought comes

from you. Sometimes the enemy will send a thought

into your mind. You don't have to take that thought.

You cast it down with the Word of God. You know

when you see something coming against your life

that the Word does not say can be there, you

speak to it. You say no in Jesus' name and you

declare the Word over that. You know and then

it says in verse 11, then the devil left him

and behold the angels came and ministered to

him. You know the devil left him for a time and

the devil can't be everywhere at one time. There's

one devil but there's many demons. You know he

took a third of the angels and now there are

demons with him when he fell out of heaven or

when he was cast out of heaven I should say.

And so he has cohorts and we have to stand against

those with the word of God. even when we're tempted

but Matthew 16 24 through 27 said and Jesus said

to his disciples now that's you and that's me

if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior we're

his disciples and he said if anyone desires to

come after me let him deny himself take up his

cross and follow me For whoever desires to save

his life will lose it, and whoever loses his

life for my sake will find it. For what does

it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose

his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange

for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in

glory of his father and angels, and then he will

reward each according to his works. Now he's

talking here when he says laying down your life.

You're having lived your life for God, not for

your own desires. Now does God want you blessed?

Yes, he's not talking about you staying poor

or Poverty is not of God. The Bible says Christ

became poor that we might become rich. So he

does want you blessed, but he wants you blessed

spiritually, physically, financially. He provided

everything. He restored us to that place that

originally Adam had before he fell. where we

are blessed on every side, but how do we stay

blessed? We stay blessed by not yielding to temptation.

You know, the Bible says, I'm bought with a price.

I am not my own. You know, when Christ died for

us and we receive him as Lord and Savior, He's

bought us with that price the price of his precious

blood. You know, he didn't have to but he chose

to why because he loves you and I so much, you

know. We're going to read James 1, 12 through

16. It says, blessed is a man that endures temptation,

for when he's tried, he shall receive the crown

of life which the Lord has promised to those

who love him. You know, when you love God, you

will not follow through when a temptation comes

because you so want to please him. It's just

like when you love someone in your life, someone

very special. Maybe it's the love of your life.

You've met them. What do you want to do? You

want to please them. You want to make them happy

and so doing things that make them unhappy. doesn't

even feel good to you because your love, your

heart is bursting for love for them. That's the

same way it should be with our hearts towards

God, but it can only be that way the more we

get to know him, the more we spend time with

him because there's more we'll find out why we

love him. And so verse 13, let no man say when

he's tempted, I'm tempted by God for God cannot

tempt with evil neither Is he tempted by evil?

But he tempts no man. But every man is tempted

when he's drawn away of his own lust and enticed.

Then when lust is conceived, it brings forth

sin. When sin is finished, it brings forth death.

And that's to any area in our life. So it says

in 16, do not air my beloved brethren. Christ

does not want us to err in this area. He wants

us to live life to the fullest, to be blessed

with every blessing. So when temptation comes,

we just have to say no. And does your flesh want

to yield to the temptation? Of course it does.

But guess what? Your spirit man is built up.

and God will give you a way of escape for every

temptation. You do not have to yield. God is

so faithful. He is so faithful. You know there's

a scripture it says that No temptation has overtaken

you except as common to man, but God is faithful

who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what

you are able, but with that temptation also he

will make a way of escape that you will be able

to bear it. Thank God, you know God's given us

provision in every circumstances to make right

choices and live and live to the fullest. Even

in temptation, he makes a way of escape. So if

your mind is being filled with tempting thoughts

and you're being drawn into things you know are

not right, you've got to change your thoughts.

What does the Bible tell us to do? Think on things

that are pure and lovely and holy and just and

of a good report. If there be any virtue or praise,

think on these things. We can't keep thinking

on what you think on is going to begin. That's

why we just read where those thoughts become

seeds so if you get a seed that's a temptation

to you and you think on it and you dwell on it

and you dwell on it eventually it's going to

drop in your heart it's going to be coming out

of your mouth and then eventually you're going

to act that out and you'll fulfill the temptation

now when you do and many of us have there we've

all been tempted and it happens all through life

but you learn as you grow as a Christian to say

no to those things because with every fall we

make in God there is a consequence but the good

thing is we don't get all that we deserve because

none of us deserve heaven that's for sure because

the Bible says our righteousness is as filthy

rags but because of Jesus He gives us, He crowned

us with loving kindness and tender mercies. And

you know, the reason He did is because He knows

the feeling of our infirmities. And I'll read

you a scripture, it's in Hebrews, it says, Seeing

that we have a great high priest that is passed

into heaven, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold

fast to our profession. For it's not that we

have a high priest who cannot be touched with

the feeling of our infirmities but was in all

points tempted like as we are yet without sin.

He's that ultimate champion. He's our example

and he chose to endure temptation that he could

receive the promise, the joy set before him.

So when our focus is on things on goals and things

that God wants in our life then when that temptation

comes we have to deny it so that we can receive

the fullness of the blessing it says let us therefore

come boldly unto the throne of grace that we

may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the

time of need In that time of temptation, you

can come to the Lord if you're really struggling

and I know many of you are. It says you can obtain

mercy and grace. God knows that temptation. He

has felt everyone. It says in all points like

us he was tempted. He's been tempted by everything

man can be tempted by, but yet he chose not to,

not to engage in that temptation. So we are trying

to be more like the ultimate champion. And guess

what? When you're born again, you become a new

creature in Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in

you, so you're well equipped to say no and make

a stand. Say no and make a stand. It will be

a blessing in your life. You will be rewarded

for it. You know 1st John 2 15 and through 17

says love not the world neither the things that

are in the world for if any man loves the world

the love of the Father is not in him for all

that is in the world the lust of the flesh the

lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not

of the Father it is not in him but it is of the

world and so when we are lost and undone and

don't know Jesus and haven't received the free

gift of salvation. The devil's got us. I mean

we are children of disobedience and we yield

left and we yield right to temptation. But even

after being born again the tempting doesn't stop.

It keeps coming. But we have to yield to the

Holy Ghost. We have to yield to the power of

God within us. You are well equipped to stand.

God just doesn't want us just to not yield to

temptation. He wants us to be victorious over

it. He wants us to have victory in every area.

He's got blessings lined up for you for every

temptation, for every test. You can't have a

testimony without a test. The trying of our faith.

will come forth as gold. It's just like when

they are breaking down gold, they're trying to

purify it. It goes down in this burning, boiling

fire to burn off all the junk. It gets dipped

down and then all the junk comes to the top,

cleared off, comes out, and guess what? It goes

back in again, purifying. When our love for God

is so pure, We will not want to yield to temptation

because we want to make him happy. We want to

make him happy. You know, James 1, 2 through

8 says, My brethren, count it all joy when you

fall into diverse temptations or testings, knowing

this, that the trying of your faith works patience.

But let patience have her perfect work that you

may be complete and perfect, entire wanting nothing.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God

for God gives all men liberally and does not

hold back and it will be given to him but let

him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that

wavers is like the sea driven tossed to and fro

by the wind for let not that man think he'll

receive anything of the Lord for a double -minded

man is unstable in all his ways. You know if

the devil's been tempting you and you've been

yielding no matter what level of temptation it

is whether it's a tempting to gossip or tempting

to doubt God and his promise or tempted to yield

unto a physical temptation such as sexual immorality

or yield to drug addiction or yield to alcohol

and you've been trying to break that you have

the power of God within you if you are born again

to not go that route anymore because you're a

new creature you're not that old man that old

man has died but it's that lives in you Christ

that lives in you if you need prayer call a friend

if you need to if you need prayer to break that

thing off of you and the power of agreement feel

free to contact us and we'll give you information

later or contact someone you know who knows God

they can pray with you and then say no turn change

your thoughts change your thoughts You've got

to change your habits. So if you're used to doing

something this time of the day and that time

of the day, Go a different route. Get a new hobby.

You've got to allow that addiction to be broken

off your life and fill that void with something

good. Get addicted to something else. Learn a

new language. Read a book. Start jogging. Play

paddle ball. Do something different. But a lot

of temptations are mental. A lot of them are

letting your eyes look at things. Maybe you're

addicted to pornography. Guess what? That's not

of God. And guess what? God has given you victory

and it's available to you if you will yield yourself

and let that go. Let it go. He loves you so much

that he will bless you. He will bless you. He

will bless you. He will bless you. He does not

want us yielding to idolatrous things. And those

are idols. You know, there's a scripture and

it says that all things are Lawful for me, but

not all things are helpful. All things are lawful

for me, but not all things edify. Let no one

seek his own, but each... another's well -being.

In other words, die to that flesh. Crucify that

flesh every day. The Bible says we're to yield

ourselves to the Holy Spirit every day. But you

know why? Because of blessings. Blessings you

cannot out give God. The blessings of God are

too big. We're going to break away to a couple

songs and I'll see you on the other side. The

Lord is my shepherd, there's nothing I need You

lead me to the safest places You lead me to the

safest places To walk in the meadow and lie by

the stream You meet me in the quiet places You

meet me in the quiet places Your goodness and

Your mercy will follow me All the days of my

life All the days of my life And I'll dwell in

Your house for eternity I'll be there by your

side You feel me too You're the shepherd of my

soul You lead me in the right direction My comfort

and my protection You're the shepherd of my soul

Oh, rejoice, take joy, my King, in what take

joy in what you hear and let it be your sweet

sweet all over this room sing we there in your

car he's right there he's right here with me

and he wants you to know he loves you if you've

never accepted Christ and or you want to come

back just pray this prayer dear Jesus forgive

me of my sin I do exalt you you are my Lord and

my Savior I decree it in Jesus name fill me with

your Holy Spirit that I may live victoriously

and be a champion If you prayed that prayer,

you can contact us at championsinchrist3 at gmail

.com. We'll send you a new Bible. We want you

to go out and make it a great day. Know that

God loves you, we love you, and you are a champion

in Christ.