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PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Friday November 29 - True worship
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the
Lord your God and serve him only.’” Matthew 4:10
The last of the three wilderness temptations was the most subtle and, had Jesus succumbed, it would have had the greatest consequence. The devil, a fallen angel, cast out of heaven because of pride (see Isaiah 14:14-15), took up residence on earth; one of his names is ‘the God of this world’ (2 Corinthians 4:4).
In one sweep, the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. He offers them to Jesus saying, “These can be yours if you bow down and worship me” (v 9). The consequences are unthinkable! Jesus was offered a seemingly painless alternative to the anguish of the cross. Had he taken it he would have lost his relationship with his Father and we would have lost our Saviour!
As a pastor and a prison chaplain, I have seen the horror of this trade-off, time and time again. A fleeting sexual encounter traded for your marriage, a temporary drug-inspired high traded for your sanity, a quick buck costing you your freedom, or a conversation that costs a friendship.
At the heart of our being is the need to worship and respond in dutiful service. In Jesus’ words our high calling is “to worship God and serve him only.” Esau, Isaac’s son, tragically gave up his birthright for a transitory benefit, a bowl of soup; his younger brother, Jacob became the patriarch of a great nation. It started with a temptation. So, let us pray:
Father God, lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil, for your name’s sake. Amen.
Saturday November 30 - Ministering angels
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Matthew 4:11
Yesterday, we thought about trade-offs. Here’s one of the best trade-offs imaginable: the devil for ministering angels!! I am sure there are some of us reading this who are struggling with temptation; it’s been an ongoing battle. Today, I pray in Jesus’ name that the devil gets off your shoulder and you become aware of God’s angels ministering his grace and strength.
Be encouraged – when we resist the devil’s temptation, he flees (James 4:7). I love the account in Luke 10:17-24 when the disciples returned from their successful ministry trip. After they gave their report – “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name” – Jesus responded by saying, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
What do the words ‘flee’ and ‘fall like lightning’ infer about the authority we have over the devil? Yes, we should be aware of his schemes, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that we should fear him or run away from him.
Jesus resisted temptation and simply commanded, “Away from me!” (Matthew 4:10). We are told that the devil summarily left and angels came. The same happened to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43).
This divine exchange is wonderful. May it become an increasing reality as we continue to reflect upon Jesus’ counter-cultural teaching in his Sermon on the Mount, God’s manifesto for victorious Christian living!
Heavenly Father, through your abiding presence I am ‘strong in the Lord and in his mighty power’ (Ephesians 6:10); therefore I will fear no evil. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY