"...proving that this is very Christ." _ Acts 9:22
"...proving that this is very Christ." _ Acts 9:22

October 21ST

 

HARNESSING THE POWER OF TEMPTATION (Continued)

 

 

Scripture Reading:  Luke 4: 13-14

And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

 

     To use a more modern term, the devil was flabbergasted or astonished at the response of Jesus and his efforts at tempting Jesus were powerless.  Throughout the New Covenant the term "astonished" is used in connection with the Words and Works of Jesus Christ our Lord.  When there is no carnal response to temptation, it leaves no place for the devil.  His sphere of influence is dominated by the Word and Power and God.  The realm of his power fizzles out completely in the Face of the Consuming Fire of God.  Ignorance of whom one is in Christ gives the devil power.  Each reader is encouraged to follow on to know the Lord. 

 

 Returning in the power of the Spirit, there went out a fame of him.  The word fame is also translated report.  Isaiah Chapter 53 begins, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  The full report follows:

 

   For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.   Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.


     The victorious report is that Christ Jesus has harnessed the power of temptation.  In Him we live, move, and have our being! (Acts 17:28).

 

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