READ: PSALM
19:12-14
“Then the devil took
Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to
Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: HE
SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, and IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR
YOU UP, LEST YOU DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE” (Matthew 4:5-6).
Satan knows the Word of God more than most of us. But his knowledge is used in misinterpreting and misapplying the Scriptures with a view to deceiving the unwary. Satan quoted that passage from Psalm 91:11-12 and twisted it. That is simply presumptuous and foolish. The deceiver asked Jesus to jump so as to announce himself dramatically at the temple. But when he jumped, he would die in the process and then Satan would go before God to accuse Jesus of putting God to test.
“Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD’.” (Matthew 4:7). I heard of a self-proclaimed prophet who went into the lion’s den in a zoo in Nigeria to re-enact the Daniel saga. He got in but never lived to tell the rest of the story. That was not faith but foolishness. When you act in faith, God is with you, but when you act in foolishness and presumption, you are on your own.
“They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hand on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:18).
That the Lord has given these promises does not mean he wants us to test him. If you quote this scripture and use it as a basis for going to pick up snakes, you have fallen into the deception of Satan. Also be reminded of another scripture that says: “A serpent may bite when it is not charmed…” (Ecclesiastes 10:11).
If you are given poisoned food and you are ignorant of it, when you bless it God has the power to convert the poison into vitamins. But if you know it is poisoned and eat it anyway, you are being presumptuous: you are on your own. Grow up! Stop tempting God from today.
Satan knows the Word of God more than most of us. But his knowledge is used in misinterpreting and misapplying the Scriptures with a view to deceiving the unwary. Satan quoted that passage from Psalm 91:11-12 and twisted it. That is simply presumptuous and foolish. The deceiver asked Jesus to jump so as to announce himself dramatically at the temple. But when he jumped, he would die in the process and then Satan would go before God to accuse Jesus of putting God to test.
“Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD’.” (Matthew 4:7). I heard of a self-proclaimed prophet who went into the lion’s den in a zoo in Nigeria to re-enact the Daniel saga. He got in but never lived to tell the rest of the story. That was not faith but foolishness. When you act in faith, God is with you, but when you act in foolishness and presumption, you are on your own.
“They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hand on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:18).
That the Lord has given these promises does not mean he wants us to test him. If you quote this scripture and use it as a basis for going to pick up snakes, you have fallen into the deception of Satan. Also be reminded of another scripture that says: “A serpent may bite when it is not charmed…” (Ecclesiastes 10:11).
If you are given poisoned food and you are ignorant of it, when you bless it God has the power to convert the poison into vitamins. But if you know it is poisoned and eat it anyway, you are being presumptuous: you are on your own. Grow up! Stop tempting God from today.
MEMORIZE:
MATTHEW 4:7 –Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE
LORD YOUR GOD’.
