Today’s Devotion
Topic: So Satan Desires Our Worship Too?
(Self Assessment 147)
Background: It is very difficult to understand why people gladly reject the Bible and live anyhow, as if there is no God. Especially, when everything we need to understand life, from its origin to destination, is clearly spelt out in the Word. Such that those who adhere to its dictates receive everlasting life with everlasting condemnation awaiting those who wouldn’t.
One fundamental truth the Bible seeks to draw our attention to, is that there is an evil force who opposes the things of God. He desires the place of God and so does everything to either persuade or coerce our obedience to Him. This makes no one a free spirit actually, because it is either our allegiance is to Him (God) or this evil force called the devil.
Why can’t people understand this truth? Why do they gladly choose this Satan-infested world of sin over the gift of God which has appeared to all men, teaching us to say no to ungodliness? These are some of the questions today’s study seeks to answer. Kindly call the family together for this wonderful discussion. May God speak to us through this study in Jesus’ name. Amen
Text: Luke 4: 1-2, 5-8
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
5 The devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to Him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ Amen
Questions:
i. From verse 1 to 2a, we read that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit after His baptism and was led by the same into the wilderness where He fasted for forty days;
a) Who is the Holy Spirit?
b) What does it mean for one to be full of the Holy Spirit?
c) What does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit?
d) Jesus fasted for forty days when the Holy Spirit rested on Him. What are some of the things the Holy Spirit enables us to do when we allow Him to live in us?
ii. In verse 2b, we see that the devil came to tempt Jesus even when the latter was full of the Holy Spirit and had been fasting for forty days. What does this teach about the devil and the extent he will go to get us to fall short of God’s glory?
iii. How does question (ii) help answer the questions on the minds of many regarding why they rather get more tempted the moment they decide to get closer to God?
iv. Verse 5 reveals that this world is divided into kingdoms, and the devil has a fair idea of each kingdom and where they are. Now, because the spiritual world is not bound by space or time, he was able to show Jesus all of it in an instant. The questions are:
a) Does this mean that, sometimes in our imaginations and fantasies, Satan is able to show us, in an instance, the things of the world just to wet our appetite for them?
b) If so, why do we always so easily fall for it and forget all that God has told us in His Word, just to become like the world and do ‘some’ of what everyone is doing?
v. Read verse 6 carefully. Beloved:
a) Does this mean there is some authority or power behind all the splendour we see in the world? Is that why many go to the devil for power so they can have the splendour too? Share your opinion please.
b. The devil admitted that he neither created the world now owns it, rather its authority and splendour have been given to him. The question is; “by who and how”? (Read Gen 2 & 3)
c. “I can give it to anyone I want”, Satan said to Jesus. Does this explain why he defies the principles of God and natural laws by giving people anything from the world they desire at the price of their souls?
vi. According to verse 7;
a) what is the condition one has to fulfil in order to have this “benefit” from satan?
b) What does it mean to worship the devil?
c) In what ways are people consciously or unconsciously worshiping the devil?
vii. What was Jesus’ response to this “juicy” and easy offer from the devil? (Read verse 8)
viii. When Jesus says, “it is written”, it means this is what has been established from the beginning. So why does Satan desire worship when it is only God who is to be worshipped? Why would many rather worship the fake at the expense of their souls and not the One True God?
ix. As Jesus reminds us that it is only God we must serve, what then are the other things we often get tempted to serve in the place of God?
x. What have you learnt from today’s discussion?
Kindly reply us through this same social media platform (WhatsApp & Facebook). We learn a lot from the answers you share.
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