Have you ever noticed when Jesus was tempted by Satan that His response was Scripture?
Luke 4:1-13 (NASB)
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness
2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry.
3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."
4 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'"
5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
7 "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours."
8 Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"
9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here;
10 for it is written, 'HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU,'
11 and, 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'"
12 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'"
13 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.
His answers weren’t extensive. He didn’t expound on a critical explanation or interpretation of the text (exegesis). He simply responded with the Truth of Scripture. I have to be honest… I was shocked yesterday when the Doctors on President Trump’s pandemic team indicated that they estimate that the United States could potentially see as many as 200,000 deaths and, in my spirit, I felt the need to pray.
So today I ask that you join me as I use God’s Word as Christ did (even though He was the Word and the Truth) to stand firm against the enemy in His name and through His strength. Approach this with me knowing that prayer isn’t simply a “hope’ but a “confident assurance” that He will answer according to His perfect will.
1st in faith…
Matthew 21:22 (NASB)
22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
Isaiah 65:24 (NASB)
24 "It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
2nd with the right motive…
James 4:3 (NASB)
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Psalm 66:16-20 (NASB)
16 Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.
17 I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue.
18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;
19 But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer Nor His lovingkindness from me.
3rd according to His will…
Psalm 143:10 (NASB)
10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Matthew 6:10 (NASB)
10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
Romans 8:26-28 (NASB)
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
4th in His name…
John 14:13-15 (NASB)
13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
John 16:23-24 (NASB)
23 "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
24 "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
In doing so, we have His assurance He will listen and be found…
Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NASB)
11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
12 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
13 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
14 'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'
Father in heaven we adore you. We pray as we humble ourselves before You that You give us clean hands and pure hearts (Ps 24:4-5). We desire Your perfect will not only in this time of need, but at all times and in all things (Matt 6:10). We ask that the execution of Your perfect will bring many to the throne of grace in surrender, confession, and acceptance of Your free gift of salvation (1 Jn 1:9; Acts 16:31).
We desire that You move mightily and swiftly and that You reveal Yourself and receive the honor and glory only You deserve (Rev4:11). Do not hide Yourself (Jere 29:13), but reveal Yourself to a blinded people ((2 Cor 4:4) May it be evident that You have loved them (Jn 3:16), and that you have brought them not into judgment, but offer salvation (Jn 3:17). May we, as Your people, not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Roman 1:16) who is the Way and the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6). Strengthen us when we are weak (Matt 26:41), guide us back when we get off course (Ps 31:3), use us as Your vessels (Rom 9:20-21), and may the world see Jesus through us and be awakened (Matt 5:14-16).
Father, we know that You are aware of the condition of this nation, and so many others, at this moment (Heb 4:13). We know that there is nothing hid from Your eyes (Prov 15:3). And we pray for healing (2 Chron 7:14). In the precious Name of Jesus, we pray… because we love you, Lord.
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This is my prayer for this day, in this time...
Thank you for your faithfulness.
Pastor Larry
