Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Podcast. We started this series on facing your giants a few weeks ago. And yet last week we started with the giant of temptation. And this giant is just too big to do on one Sunday.

To be honest with you, it's kind of too big to do in just two. But we've just got other giants that we have to deal with. And so I want to begin in Genesis chapter 3, kind of where temptation began.

We touched here last week. And let me say this, it's really good for us to get to know how Satan works. Do you all understand that? It's really good for us to understand, be aware of how Satan works.

And that makes all the difference in the world. I don't know if any of you in the NFL, football is getting ready to start. I enjoy watching football.

I'm not really into it like I used to be, but it just, it's a good sleep aid, you know? On a Sunday afternoon and you eat and you sit down and watch football for some reason, you just zone out. It's like that way with golf with me too. And it's like that way with my dad's preaching.

It just kind of, you just zone out. That was a cheap shot wasn't it? That was horrible. I'm just picking.

I told you he's my hero. But I remember a couple of years ago, the New England Patriots, there was a big scandal because they were videotaping spying on another team. They felt trying to learn their plays and different things. And why were they doing that? I don't know the ins and outs. And if you're a Patriots fan, don't get offended at me. I'm just saying what they were trying to do is this.

If you can find out how the other team works, then it makes it easier for you. And can I say this that God did not leave us unchallenged in the Bible. He did not leave us uninformed. God shows us how Satan works. For some reason over the years we know how Satan works.

God's made it clear. And yet we are constantly defeated by his temptation, by his power. And yet the Bible says that the power that we have in us, if we've been saved, greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. We have victory already in us from temptation.

And yet we fall constantly. And so we have to know how Satan works. So first tonight with the giant, this morning, excuse me, with the giant of temptation, I want us to notice first Satan's plans.

Satan's plans. Look if you would at verse one of Genesis chapter three. Now the serpent, that was Satan obviously, was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, yea, hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden.

Now look at me. Let me, before I go any further, he said that Satan the serpent was more subtle than any beast that had been created. Can I say, can I tell you this? I want to remind you, Satan is smarter than you are. We all understand that? You say well I'm saved.

Doesn't matter. Satan is smarter than you. Let me say this. Satan is stronger than you. You say well wait, listen, Satan is stronger and smarter and sneakier and smoother than you and than me. The good news is that he is not stronger than God.

That's the good news. But if you and I try to fight against Satan in our own ability, we are in big trouble. And often times that's exactly what we do. That's why we keep falling into temptation so often. Now look at verse two if you will. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Now we talked about this last week. Look at verse six. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou? Look at verse 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me and I did eat. Father, we need your help this morning.

I pray that you'd bless in your name we pray. Amen. Satan's plans. You know what amazes me is that people say that the Bible isn't relevant. You know, the Bible tells you exactly what Satan did then and it's telling you exactly what Satan does now. This is as revelant now as it ever has been.

In fact, it is more relevant now than ever. Can I say this that you need to know how Satan works and it makes it very clear. But let me tell you this, Satan's goal, now everybody look up, I want you to get this, when it comes to temptation, Satan's goal is to get you to satisfy God given desires in a way that is not pleasing to God. Satan desires you to fulfill or satisfy God given desires but he seeks to have you satisfy and fulfill that in a way that is against God. That's exactly what Satan does. See a lot of times you and I we have natural things that we are created with, natural desires, natural tendencies and Satan wants us to fulfill that in a way that is against God and His goals.

Now he uses three ways. Now there's a lot of little things that he does but they're all in one of three categories and it begins right here with Eve. Notice this, look if you would at verse 6. The Bible says that when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that is the lust of the flesh. Notice secondly, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, the tree was good for food, that's the lust of the flesh, that it was pleasant to the eyes, that's the lust of the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, that is the third thing which is the pride of life. Right there, how he started, this is the first time Satan went to work in tempting, it's exactly the same way he does it now. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

The tree, she was hungry, that's the flesh, it looked good, that's the eyes, and she thought that this would empower herself, that is the pride of life. That is Satan's plans. In your life, one of these three things is exactly how Satan will tempt you. He will tempt you to fulfill the flesh, he will tempt you to fulfill your eyes, or he will tempt you to fulfill an ego, a desire to pride of life, something that you think would build yourself up, that's exactly how Satan tempts you.

Now, I want you to notice secondly, and we're gonna get into this in just a minute, I want you to notice our savior's promises. So, Satan has plans. His plans are to get you to fulfill God-given desires in a way that is out of God's parameters, and he does it in one of three ways, through the lust of the flesh, through the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. Now, secondly, you gotta turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and look at two verses. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and we wanna see here our savior's promises dealing with temptation. So, when it comes to temptation, Satan has his plans. But secondly, I want you to know that God, our savior, has also given promises about temptation. Look if you would at verse 12 and 13 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Fall what into temptation? There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man.

Now, you say preacher. I was in a unique situation. Satan did a job on me, he hadn't done to somebody else.

He put me, and it's unique to me because of the individuals involved. Look at me folks, it all comes down to one of three areas. Every temptation that you have faced is common to man. Why? Because it's either lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life.

You got that. Now, look if you would at verse 13 again. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. Now, notice these promises. But, God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. Do you know a wise person always prepares for the inevitable?

Heard somebody say this one time, I thought this was good. Opportunity knocks once, but temptation leans on the doorbell. Temptation is on you constantly.

Now, I gotta explain this for you to get it. Satan is desiring you to fulfill things in your life that is against God. And he will do it through the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. While he is busy working those areas in your life, pushing your buttons, knowing exactly where your weaknesses are, while he is doing that, God has also made some promises to you in the middle of this temptation. And these are the promises. First, he says this, that I will be faithful. God has promised to be faithful.

That means this, you can depend on Him. You are not stuck by yourself when Satan gets on you. Fat people say, boy, Satan just got on me and I just had no choice.

Yes, you do. God is faithful, and He has promised it, and so therefore God will deliver. Secondly, it says this, God has set a limit on the intensity of every temptation. God has promised that He would not tempt you above that you are able. Look at me, that means this, whatever you face, God would not allow that if it was not possible for you to say no. God says I will never allow more temptation on you than you are able to bear.

You say, well, I fell, I just couldn't take it. Well, you're lying because God wouldn't have put it on you if you weren't able to bear it. It's just that you chose not to. It's just that we chose to give in.

It's just that we decided that the enjoyment, the brief enjoyment, the satisfaction, the fulfillment that we thought it would bring, we just thought that meant more to us than the victory God's given. But God will never put on you more than you can bear. That means this, God put a gas tank in a car, and it has gas in it.

And when you drive by a Krispy Kreme restaurant, there's enough gas to proceed past it. God has given a way of escape. Not always do we take that. You say, preacher, I just, you don't understand the circumstances, I just, I was too weak. Look at me, you're always too weak. You just didn't depend on God. Because God promised He would never put on you. God controls the intensity. God would not put you in a position where you would have no choice and no capabilities through Him to say no to a particular temptation. Third thing is this, God has promised a way out. Let me read you a verse, 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 9 says this, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. Listen to that, it says God knows how to deliver you out of temptation, God also knows how to take care of those that do wrong on judgment day. See a lot of times we think, well man alive, I'm the one that gets caught, I'm the one that gets the problems and there are some people, they don't ever get judged, they don't ever face difficulty.

Oh, listen to me dear friend, their day's coming. God takes care of that. But God has promised you a way out. He knows how to deliver us out of temptation.

If we will just lean on Him, if we will just follow Him, if we will just obey Him, we can make it through temptation, we can go through it without falling, we can go through it without giving in, we can face that demon that has always been on our back, you can say goodbye, and that doesn't mean he's going to leave, it doesn't mean that Satan's not going to keep fighting and scratching and clawing every second of every day on your life, but you and I have inside of us what it takes to defeat that every second of every hour of every day. We don't have to give in folks. Can I tell you something husbands? You don't have to have an affair. You don't have to mess around on the side. You don't have to get hooked on stuff on the internet. You don't have to.

That's your choice. God has provided a way of escape. You say, well I just can't take it.

Like I said today, they get a sledge hammer and smash the computer. That's a way of escape. If that's what it takes, whatever it takes, God will give you a way out.

It's just up to us as to whether or not we take it. The Savior's promises. Thank God He's faithful. Thank God we're not stuck here in this evil world with temptation flaring everywhere we turn around.

Thank God we're not stuck here by ourselves without any help. He is faithful. He limits the intensity of what we're allowed to be tempted with and He has always promised a way of escape. Those are wonderful promises.

I want you to notice thirdly this morning the secret to power. Alright we know Satan's plans. We know what he's trying to do and how he's trying to do it. We know the Savior's promises that He's given us in the middle of it. So how do we execute this preacher?

Well let's look at the greatest example we have. Matthew chapter 4. Normally I'll have you turn one time but this thing of temptation you've got to look at some places to get the full spectrum of what's happening. Our time's good, it's barely 1130.

You'll be getting out soon so don't worry about it. That stomach ground that's just temptation that Satan is trying to do. Boy am I going to have this series of messages thrown in my face for the next, everything I preach on gets thrown back at me.

I want you to notice the secret to power. Matthew chapter 4, now you've got to follow, I know this is maybe a bit in depth for a Sunday morning but you've got to follow. Look at verse 1, Matthew chapter 4. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Wait a minute, wait, wait, wait.

I don't know if you've ever seen this. So the Lord was led by the Spirit right to Satan. So this is all part of God's plan for Jesus to be tempted in the wilderness by Satan. This was all part of God's plan.

What? Look at me folks, can I say this that God has promised you a way of escape. God has promised He's not going to put on you more than you can bear. Some of you say, well why did God even allow it? Well He's given you everything you need to face it. Well why did God even let that happen?

Oh look at me dear friend, instead of asking that say, hey how fortunate am I that God's given me whatever I need to face it. He was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Look at verse 2. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward and hungered. That means He was hungry.

He hadn't eaten for forty days or forty nights. Look at verse 3. And when the tempter came to Him He said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Now what is that? That is the lust of the flesh. Satan was tempting Jesus because he was weak, tired, and hungry. Satan appealed to his flesh. He was tired. He hadn't eaten for forty days or for forty nights. So Jesus, if there was ever a time to be tempted with food, it was now.

And what did Satan say? Command these stones to be made bread. Now look at me, what would have been wrong for God to just look at a stone and make it a piece of bread? He had the ability don't you think?

Y'all believe Jesus could have done it? Well He was hungry, what's so wrong about it? Well that's exactly the way Satan plays with us. He puts things in our mind and we say, well what's really wrong with that?

Well dear friend, what's right with it? Well what's really, what's the big deal about that? I'll tell you what the big deal about it, it's a stepping stone that Satan is trying to use.

And a lot of times we think, well this is not a big deal, it's just a little of this, and it's just a little of that, and it's not like I'm out doing such and such. Oh look at me dear friend, you and I can justify it any way we want with this fleshly mind of ours, but it's not judged with our mind, it's judged with the mind of Christ. So he appeals the lust of the flesh immediately, exactly how he tried to get Jesus. What did Jesus say?

Obviously you know the sword, but let's look at it. Verse 4, but he answered and said, it is written man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Alright he passed that test. Look at verse 5, then the devil taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple. And saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God cast thyself down, for it is written he shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against the stone, the pride of life.

Right there. Let's see if you're able to do what you said you can do. Let's see if you really can, now remember you said your angels would not let anything happen to you, and you said your angels were this, and you said you're able to do this, let's see you do it, let's see you prove it. Could Jesus have done it? But it would have been to prove something to Satan. God's not in that.

How did he answer? Well, look at verse 7, Jesus saith unto him, it is written, again, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Verse 8, again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain. Notice this, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, the lust of the eyes, and the glory of them. And saith unto him, all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. That means you're not going to have to die, you're not going to have to get on the cross, I'll give it all to you if you'll just worship me. Verse 10, then Jesus saith unto him, get thee hence Satan, for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold angels came and ministered unto him. This is a pivotal time in the Word of God.

Now, let's look at it. Number 1, say preacher how do I face this temptation? Well, this is again what I would call the secret to power. Number 1, in weakness use the Word.

In weakness use the Word. What did the very Son of God do? When He was physically weak, physically tired, physically hungry, and Satan tempted Him with something that would fulfill that flesh, it would meet that need, it would satisfy that need. Nothing wrong with eating food, but it was Satan's plan. And what did Jesus do?

He immediately responded with what? The Word of God. It is written.

Listen to me dear friend, there's going to be times that you'll be tempted and you're not physically strong enough to bear it, and your mind's not clean enough to bear it, and your life isn't clean enough to bear it, but let me tell you what you've got to do. You've got to respond with the Word of God. You've got to get in the Bible. You've got to read it.

You've got to study it. And you've got to claim verses. That's why I've always told people you've got to get a verse for every major decision in your life. Get a verse. Get a verse.

Get in God's Word. You know why I think it's so good? Because in order to get a verse, you get in the Word. You know why a lot of us fall? Because we're not in the Word. You know why a lot of us keep getting taken by the same thing? Because we're not in the Word.

This Word is just an afterthought in our life instead of the major part of our life. It's really hard folks, look at me. And I know it's hard for me too.

It's really hard. You take this and you read it. And after you read it and read it and read it, then God begins to show you some things. Then you study it. When you study it, then you meditate on it. Then you memorize it.

And then it gets in here. I can't tell you how many times you might come up and say, well, how many verses can you, and I might could just, you know, start mentioning a few or this or that. But it's amazing when I'm in a conversation with somebody, how many verses I'll bring out and give them the verse. And I couldn't just sit here and quote it to you, but they just become part of your mind.

In weakness, use the Word. Secondly, I want you to notice this, I thought this was very interesting, in temptation use the truth. Notice, if you would, what did God say the second time? He said this, it is written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

That's what's true. You see a lot of times when Satan begins to tempt us, he will lie to you. What did he do to Eve? He said, well, God doesn't want you to do that because he knows you'll become like God and you'll do this and you'll do that.

He was lying through his teeth. So how do you respond to temptation? What do you have to do? You've got to get the truth. You've got to find out what actually is the truth.

And once again, the only way to do that is through what? The Word of God. Whatever you do, however you look at it always comes back to whether or not you are in the Word. I had a man the other day, and by the way, look at me, Kerwin Baptist Church.

I hope that you are spiritually discerned. Don't listen to everything you hear on Facebook. Don't listen to what you hear people say, well, this person left because of this and this person does this and this person. Let me tell you something, don't be dumb.

Seriously? Don't be so easily swept across. You have no idea sometimes of the real story. I had a man this week tell me, he said, let me tell you something. Let me tell you why I believe what I believe. And if I told you what he believed, you would think this guy is off his rocker.

And he is. But he said, let me tell you why I believe what I believe because I'm in the Bible studying hours a day. Listen, let me tell you something.

I don't care if you study at 50 hours. If you're not going to let it change you and you're trying to change it, it's not going to work. This Bible is not used to somehow twist it to believe what you believe. You get in this Bible and believe what it says. In temptation, use the truth.

What is the truth? Don't let Satan lie to you. Don't let Satan tell you, well, this just isn't a big deal.

You just do this. It won't be that bad. That's a lie. You know what the sermon is? The sermon is realizing what he's saying, what he's impressing on my mind is not right. Let me tell you something. Satan tells you, well, you can just participate in this kind of lifestyle.

It's just a few this, a few that. It's okay. It's not that big a deal. You can still go to church. Don't listen to Satan. That's a lie. It's a lie. I want you to notice, third, in confrontation, give the command. Let me tell you what Jesus did.

And then I'll tell you what my mom and dad have told me for years. Look at verse 11. Then the devil leaveth him. Wait a minute. Three times. And he's on him.

What caused him to leave? Look at verse 10. Then Jesus said unto him, get thee hence Satan. What does the Bible say? You know what the Bible says? The Bible says if you resist Satan, he will flee. Let me tell you something.

When he starts confronting you, you give the command. This is what you say. Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ, leave me alone. Some of you guys, you're trying to clean your mind up, clean your life up. And you get to work and then you get to a restaurant and somebody, here's a waitress start flirting and some guy has a picture of this and you see this and you have opportunity here and you sit there and man, Satan's working on your mind and he's just giving you all these things and telling you why it's not going to be that big of a deal.

And this is what you say. You say Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ, who has power over you, get away from me. Get out of my mind.

Leave me alone. You know why Satan gets most of us? Because we don't kick him out. You know why he gets churches? Because churches don't kick him out. We bring him with us to church. He works on our minds while we're sitting in church and we let him do it. He constantly works on us and works on us and works on us and all it takes is you saying, hey, greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.

In the name of Jesus Christ, who defeated you already, get away from me. You know why he stays? Because we don't kick him out. You know why he's constantly on us? Because we don't get rid of him when he comes. We just let him sit there. Let me tell you something, God says, hey Satan, get the hints.

You know why he had to leave? Because who's in charge? God. God is.

Guess who lives inside of you if you've been saved? God does. Satan doesn't. He doesn't live inside you. The only thing he can do, because we and you and I have this sinful flesh inside of us, he can just push that and tempt us and get us to do things.

Look at me, dear friends. It takes you and I when Satan's on us, instead of letting our thoughts continue down the road that Satan's trying to lead us, we need to immediately realize that's of Satan. Satan, get away from me. Satan, get out of this car. Satan, get out of this church. You say, well, he's going to come back.

Yes, he sure will. Kick him out again. Resist him and he will flee. That's why God says, I will always give you a way of escape. And guess what it is?

Satan, get out. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.