What The Enemy Really Wants

Matthew 4 (Message)

The Test

 ^1-3 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread."

 ⁴Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."

 ^5-6For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, "Since you are God's Son, jump." The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: "He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won't so much as stub your toe on a stone."

 ⁷Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: "Don't you dare test the Lord your God."

 ^8-9For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth's kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, "They're yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they're yours."

 ¹⁰Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."

 ¹¹The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus needs.

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This passage is one of the most preached from passages in scripture. It is frequented by many a person who seek to understand just how we are supposed to attack this thing called temptation. Since the beginning of time, it has been with us, and will not even be done away with after the rapture. The enemy will be released after 1,000 years to try to rebel against God and anyone who joins in and is tempted to disrupt the Millennial Kingdom will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan, Death, and Hell, and the rebellious angels. As I was reading this time-tested scripture, the Lord showed me three things that the enemy wants from us. They are all tied to the lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 

1. The Lust of the Flesh. The enemy wants your belly (appetites) to be more important than your belief in God. If we aren't careful, our appetites, like Esau's can get the best of us, and cause us to lose our inheritance by handing it over to our appetites. The enemy knows what we hunger for. He's been study the nature of sinful man for thousands of years so he has a pretty good idea of what moves us. This is why we have to submit our appetites, our desires to God. We have to taste and see that God and His will is better than anything the enemy can serve up.

2. The Pride of Life. The enemy wants you to turn your purpose, your ministry, into circus entertainment. He wanted Jesus to misuse the miraculous power of God for entertainment rather than redemption. The pride of life causes many to pervert their intended purpose that God created them for. This is played out quite a bit through the professional arts. There have been too many destined for greatness only to end up behind yellow tape, a chalk drawing, their most remembered contribution to society. 

3. The Lust of the Eyes. The enemy wants your personal empire to be more important than the Kingdom of God. Your eyes have to do with your vision, what you allow yourself to entertain and engrave itself in your mind and then your heart after constant meditation. Many are sacrificing their call from God for cash from men. We are encouraged to set our affections on things above, we are challenged to keep our eyes from beholding worthless things. The eyes are the window to the soul. What is your soul setting its sights on? Will it bring eternal life or eternal death. 

We must be watchful and prayerful in order to not enter into temptation. Jesus was in a state of hunger simply because he had starved the carnal man and fed his spirit man heartily. When it came time to resist the attack, the enemy was ready, but Jesus was test-proof. He had submitted himself to God, he knew the Word that would empower his resistance to the devil, and the devil in turn fled for a season. Jesus encountered other temptations in his walk, letting us know, that resisting is not a one time thing. No matter how many times we are tested, if we are submitted to God, he will make a way of escape! 

Know that what the enemy really wants can only come if you say yes. The way to keep saying no to the enemy is to keep a continual yes in action, in mind, and heart to God. Want to have outrageous church? Tell the Lord, Yes!