Good evening.  Tonight we are going to continue to take a look at Finding Freedom From Sin.  Each week, we will be looking a different passages and having some discussion about how we might be able to find freedom from the weight of sin that we are trapped under.  So far, we have looked at 3 passage, and that leaves us with just 3 more.  Tonight, we are going to take a look at how Satan tempts us and what we need to do in order to avoid being hooked.  This discussion would be titled, “Satan’s Fishing Trip.”

Go ahead and turn with me to Luke 4:1-13.  As you get there, you will be familiar with this passage.  In this text, we find the temptation of Jesus.  Now before we read that text, can anyone tell me the things that Satan did to tempt Jesus?

Well, let’s go ahead and take a look at this encounter that Jesus had with Satan himself.  Luke 4:1-13 says, “1”

Now, before we move on, let’s open with a word of prayer.  Let’s Pray!

How does that passage relate to what you go through when it comes to temptation?

As Christians we are called to be fishers of men, but there is something that I think we don’t realize sometimes.  And that is the fact that Satan is a fisher of men also.  He would love nothing more than to lure you in and hook you.  We have all been bombarded with temptation and even Jesus was tempted.  The difference is, Jesus was not hooked.  Not even once did Jesus fall to the temptation and become hooked in any way.

As a fisherman, I have learned several things concerning fishing.  First, always fish where you know there are fish.  Second, know the conditions of the place where you will be fishing.  Third, find out what the fish are biting.  And finally, sometimes, you have to be persistent.

Now, something that I have learned over the years is that Satan is a good fisherman and he also uses these tactics when he goes out fishing.  Satan is not omnipresent, meaning that he is not everywhere at the same time, so he has to decide where and when he is going to go fishing.  Once he gets to his location, he figures out what lure will work and he goes to work.  And one thing that is true, is that Satan is always persistent it trying to hook what he is after.

Let’s look this evening at how to have victory over temptation and not become one of Satan’s catches.  And to do that, let’s take one more look at Jesus’ experience with Satan.  Once again, Luke 4:1-13 says, “1”

Now, I think that if we want to learn how to gain freedom from sin, what better way to do it than looking at how Jesus Himself did it.  And to do that, I believe that there are 3 main areas that we need to look at this evening.

First, We Need To Look At The Condition:

What are the conditions, or shall I say, when does Satan usually tempt us?

Well, you may agree or disagree with me, but I believe that there are 3 main times when Satan tries to hook us.  One, is during or after high spiritual experiences.  In Matthew chapter 4, it records that this temptation of Jesus happened directly after He was baptized.  Jesus had received the approval of His Father who said, “This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.”  Temptation often happens after a high spiritual experience.

Can you think of any times in your own lives when that has been true?

Okay, secondly, Satan attacks us when we are physically weak.  Jesus did not eat during those 40 days.  Imagine the physical strain upon Jesus’ body.  Temptations often happens during a time of physical sickness, or when the body is in a weak state or when hungry or tired.  Has that ever been the case for any of you this evening?

Okay, and the last way I think that Satan tries to hook us is when we are alone.  Jesus was alone during this time.  His disciples were not there with Him.  Temptation often happens to us still today when we find ourselves alone.  Can anyone give me an example of that?

Alright, now that was a look at the conditions or the times when Satan tries to tempt us.  Now let’s move on and take a look at what some of his lures are.

What are some of the lures that Satan uses against us to try and get us hooked?

Now, as you look at those lures, what is the purpose of these lures?

Well, there are many different “things” that Satan uses to try and tempt us.  So rather than going into them, allow me to make just a couple of observations as to what I think the purpose of these lures is.

First, I think that they are designed to cause us to sin against God.  Satan was trying to get Jesus to sin against God so that He would be disqualified from being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  All through these temptations Satan attempts to get Jesus to bypass the cross, by which He would save all believing mankind.  Satan knew that if he could get Jesus to short-circuit the cross that all of mankind would be lost, and must suffer in eternal Hell to pay the price for their sins.  So it was designed to make us sin against God.

But secondly, I think that Satan’s design behind his temptations is to make us doubt our relationship with God as well.  Satan wants us to doubt our relationship with God, and to become independent of Him in meeting our own needs.  Notice the first temptation that Jesus faced.  The devil said, “IF You are the Son of God.”  See how he attempts to cast doubt upon Jesus’ identity and relationship with His Father?

Notice again, that the devil said, “Tell these stones to become bread.”  He did not say, “Pray to your Father in Heaven and ask for bread,” but rather “take matters into your own hands and provide for your own needs.”  You see, the devil hates anything requiring humility and dependence upon God, and he loves to tell us of our own self-sufficiency.  The great thing that Satan aims at in tempting a Christian is to overthrow their relationship to God as a Father.  And in doing that, it cuts off their dependence on God, and they focus on themselves and meeting their own needs.  So Satan tempts us so that we will doubt our relationship with God.

So, if Satan is a fisherman, how do we avoid getting hooked?

Well, as we begin to wrap things up this evening, allow me to share with you how we can avoid getting hooked, and what we need to do in order to get unhooked.  We need to notice how Jesus was able to resist and overcome the temptation that He faced.  And then we need to apply those same truths to our lives.

First, Christ Refused To Comply With It.
In this one aspect, the teaching of the world to “just say no” is correct, but it falls short because it does not teach the next point, which is, that Jesus was ready to reply to it.  Jesus quoted from Scripture, saying, “It is written.”  Isn’t it amazing that Christ answered and baffled all the temptations of Satan with “It is written?”  Not only was He the Living Word of God, but also God’s Word lived in Him and He was strong and overcame the evil one by the Word of God.  In I John 2:14 it says, “I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”  So, Jesus resisted the temptation by refusing to comply with it, and on top of that, He used scripture to help Himself through it.

Secondly, Jesus Warded Off The Second Temptation.
Notice the second temptation.  Here, the devil showed Jesus all the splendor of the world.  All the beauty, the glory, the power, the magnificence, the grandeur, and the luxury of the world was shown to Him.  Notice how Jesus warded off this assault and conquered the enemy.  He did it with hatred and disgust.  Jesus hated the sin and He was disgusted at Satan for trying to get Him to do it.  If we are ever going to win the battle against sin, we must ask God to give us a hatred of it, as if we cannot bear the thought of it.  And once again, Jesus quoted scripture.  So Jesus overcame the second attempt by Satan with a hatred of sin and a good use of scripture.

And Finally, Jesus Beats The Third Temptation.
Notice the third temptation.  Here, the devil tempts Jesus to presume upon the promises of God.  If Jesus had purposely sinned by throwing Himself down from the temple, He would have been testing God.  And so once again, Jesus resorted back to scripture to defeat Satan.  “It says, “Do no put the Lord your God to the test.””

So, I believe that if we are ever going to be able to find freedom from sin, we need to be able and ready to say no to it, we must have a true hatred of sin, and we defiantly need to have a good knowledge and understanding of God’s word to help us through it.  So, the question is, “How are you doing with temptation?  Have you been hooked?”  And the thing that we need to remember is that Jesus has given us the blue print to total victory over temptation.

Now, before we close, does anyone have anything that they would like to add?

Well, if there is nothing else, in I Corinthians 10:13 it says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Let’s Pray!