FIGHTING TEMPATATIONS

Revelations 12 Verse 7-12

Spiritual warfare

Whenever you are in a fight make sure that you are in the right position. The devil is after what you
have, where you have been given, what you are. He is after the image you are of God.

He cannot take what the Lord has given you, but can take the right to experience what the lord has
given you.

Let’s look at the book of Matthew 4 where Jesus was tempted, a lot of what he went, we going to get
through them too. What’s important is to note that he went through them, he didn’t dwell there but he
passed there with flying colors.

There are three weapons that are found in the world that the devil uses to attack us. He used them on
Adam and prevailed, he used them again on Jesus Christ but didn’t prevail and he is still using them
today on us.

Before we go through them, I want us to look first at the Hunger

Everyone including animals get hungry, but how we satisfy our hunger is different and how often we eat
is different. The hunger opens the door for the three lusts of the world. Is the loophole that the devil
uses.

The Hunger (Matthew 4.2)

“Afterward He was hungry”

The devil came and took advantage of the hunger. When you are hungry your body becomes weak, you
can end up eating anything if you eat pap with spoon when you are hungry you don’t even look for one,
rather dig in with your own hands because you can’t wait to fill your stomach.

We have kinds of hunger in this world, hunger for success, hunger for power, hunger for influence, etc.
and the devil takes advantage of that when the flesh feels hunger for that moment you allow the devil
to feed you if you can’t wait for God to feed you. You can never be satisfied until you are fed by God.
You will always look for more, more power, more anointing oil, more water, but when God feeds you
with His Word it becomes more than enough as it is written” you will eat and be satisfied”

The hunger can be dangerous if you can’t maintain it, hunger for success has resulted in people, families
killing each other. People selling their souls to the devil(illuminati) When Esau was hungry and tired, he
sold his birthright without thinking thrice because all that was in his mind was satisfying the flesh. Is high
time the church fast more of this world than just food.

Hunger for more of God, for His Glory, His Word, His Kingdom. It doesn’t matter how long you have
been hungry for salvation, deliverance, breakthrough for years. Well THE WORD OF GOD CAN FEED YOU
AND SATISFY YOU. IS MORE THAN ENOUGH!!

Let’s look at Adam’s hunger for few minutes.

Adam was given dominion, power to manage and keep the garden, after he had named all the animals.
Without eating the fruit, after the woman came out of him without eating the fruit, the hunger strike!

If Adam knew that he didn’t need the fruit to make him wise, he wouldn’t have eaten it if he knew that
the Word of god is enough to make one wise, he wouldn’t have eaten the fruit.

I AM HUNGRY FOR GOD!

Its okay to be hungry for more of God’s power, but when you are that hungry allow him to feed you and
I mean only HIM. Don’t allow powers of this world to feed your hunger so you can gain more power to
perform miracles and all that. That’s why we see those who are fed by God they are full of God’s Word
and in everything they do they give God the Glory.

Where else those who are feeding their hunger with powers of this world and darkness they are filled
with tangible things, materials, things of this world and taking credit for themselves. That’s why they
would say “you are dangerous papa and they allow it because they like it”

The hunger is not wrong but how we satisfy it is, if it doesn’t align with God’s Word (Matthew 5. Verse
6)

BECAREFUL HOW YOU SATISFY YOUR HUNGER.

Now we will be looking at the 3 weapons that the devil uses to attack us and how to fight like Jesus (the
author and the finish of our Faith, our perfect example) did.

It is important to know what your enemy is attacking you with, so you can fight back. When he fights
with hate you can fight back with love, when he attacks with doubt and fear you fight back by faith,
when he attacks with lies you fight back with truth. These weapons can only attack your body that
posses your soul and that makes your spirit weak and defeated but cannot kill your spirit. What I love
about the spirit we have received is that you cannot kill it, even after years of being out and weak. The
man inside can still rise up and fight back.

Three weapons are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. 1 John 2 V.16

To start with let’s look at the first one;

The Lust of the Flesh.

Desires of the flesh, what the flesh wants, how the flesh wants. The flesh is selfish first of all and it seeks
of its own beautifulness, comfortability and to be well presentable. Is concerned about what others will
say. The flesh can be easily manipulated and it follows what it desires. Don’t let the inner man to suffer
because of the desires of the flesh. The flesh seeks good life, good friends, good company, fun and
forgets about eternity. The flesh is looking at what’s happening and what’s going to happen. The lust of
the flesh is temporary.

In the book of Genesis 3 when the serpent deceived her (Eve) it came with 3 weapons, the lust of the
flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. First it showed Eve the fruit and ensured that it makes eve
to desire it for her flesh. Verse 6 Eve said it is good for food for the body (Flesh) flesh only desires what’s
of the flesh. Because she lusted it and wanted to please the lust of her flesh, she took it and ate. the
devil prevailed with the first weapon on Eve so far.

Romans 8.1

God doesn’t want us to walk according to the flesh, because the flesh can be attacked easily and always
when the devil wants to weaken the inner man, he attacks the flesh. Just like Job when his flesh was
attacked, he never swore against God because his spirit was not attacked. The devil may touch your
flesh, take everything you love and the flesh loves but don’t let that get to your spirit because the target
here is the spirit.

Your spirit is stronger than your flesh, that’s why we fight in the spirit. We don’t fight against the flesh
and blood because you can’t fight with your weakness (Matthew 26 V. 41) the flesh is the first weakness
that get us into temptations. Don’t allow being tired defeat you from praying and reading the Word of
God. Don’t allow the flesh to take most of your time looking after it and taking God’s time, don’t
surrender to your flesh. IT IS WEAK, stand from within and fight back, pray when you don’t feel like it,
praise God even when your body is weak/sick. You have been given a strong and willing spirit. FIGHT
BACK. Don’t let the flesh to rule over you, be led by the spirit.

When you are led by the flesh, you are led even by the lust of the flesh but when you are led by the
spirit and its desires you will desire to know more of God, spiritual things. Those are the desires of the
spirit. Spiritual things when done in the flesh they seen weak, that’s why the Word of God encourages us
to worship in truth and in spirit. Pray, Praise, Worship in the Spirit! Don’t stop believing in God because
you have the willing spirit. Romans 8 V.4-11

The flesh can only please what’s of the flesh. The desire of the flesh brings nothing but death. We see
them killing each other just so they can be famous, killing each other for success, cars, houses, riches,
jealousy that comes from the flesh. The “he/she thinks is better than us” flesh is very competitive.

The devil thinks just because he used this 1st weapon on Adam and worked, he thinks it will work on
Jesus (2nd Adam) following the same pattern. (Matthew 4 V.3) he tempted Jesus with the lust of the
flesh, taking advantage of Jesus’s hunger and his flesh being weak in that moment. He wanted Jesus to
turn the stone into bread, to turn what’s in front of him into something that will satisfy the flesh. The
devil wants you to turn your 1-hour prayer into 5 minutes so you can give more time to media, tv to
satisfy the flesh. (1 Corinthians 6 V. 19)

How do we fight the lust of the flesh?

We thank God for the 2nd Adam Jesus Christ, the Adam who knew how to fight back, who didn’t let the
lust of the flesh to dictates him. Our perfect example, leader, savior and Lord. His body was weak but he
still fought back because his spirit was willing. He knew the weapon to fight back.

The weapon that Jesus fought back with is the WORD. “man, alone shall not live by bread alone but by
every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” if Eve and Adam knew that the Word of God is
enough to make one wise, they wouldn’t have eaten the fruit that God commanded them not to eat.
Because we go after the lust of the flesh thinking that God’s Word is not enough to meet all our needs.
THE WORD OF GOD IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MEET YOUR NEEDS. Hold on the word.
The Lust of the Eye

The second weapon found in the world that the devil uses is the lust of the eyes, lusting what you see
after you see it, it comes into the mind then occupies your thoughts. Eve’s eyes were already open but
because of the lust of the eye, she thought the vision was not enough. The devil will say to you and tell
you that what you are seeing is not enough there is more to see. Lust never satisfies it always looks for
more. It will change how you see things and you will start not appreciating what God is showing you and
start undermining God’s vision about your life and his beauty.

The devil will use the beauty of this world to develop the lust of the eyes and distract you. He will tell
you” I can show you more” that’s where the spirit of dissatisfaction begins, don’t let what you see to
develop the lust of the eye.

After you see, you think about it. God doesn’t want us to lust the things of this world but to desire the
things of the kingdom of God. Don’t just desire to see but love to see because lust doesn’t last but love
does. What you see has a lot of influence over what you think about and say. Most of the time our
decisions are influenced by what we see more than what we hear, like they say we tend to be “Thomas’
believe it when you see it”

Today the devil is using the lust of the eye so much that he shows children of God riches and blind them
not to see the Kingdom of God. He shows them miracles, pastors, decorations, cars, tangible things and
churches but not Jesus Christ. All this is because of the lust of the eye, they are following what their eyes
desires. The eye lust for nice things, look-able, fashionable churches(building) good looking pastors,
famous looking worship teams.

They don’t go to church where people don’t look fashionable, the lust of the eye will take you to church
where people are always falling down just because the eye wants to see people falling down, where
people are prophesied the whole service and doesn’t care about the Word. The lust of the eye slowly
kills your hearing and once you start to walk only by sight you will get lost because whenever you can’t
see you can’t move. The Word of God gives direction where else eyes show the way. That’s why we have
so many people changing churches like clothes, because the have the way but not direction. I know it
sounds confusing right? Because you think direction and the way is the same thing. Don’t allow what
you see to move you away from what you can hear.

Matthew 4 V. 8

The same methods devil used on 1st Adam he used them on the 2nd Adam Jesus Christ. When he came to
Jesus with the lust of the eye” the bible says he showed Jesus the kingdom of the world and their glory
but there was a catch…he wanted Jesus to worship him, what a deceiver! He shows Jesus what is
already His. If you don’t know what’s yours you will lust for it where else you should be loving it.
Because God has already given it unto you. We love freely and lust hiding. When you start to lust what
the devil is showing you, you start to become his slave, thinking about what you see, having sleepless
nights.

Today in our generation we have what they call “illuminati” the devil came to them and showed them
the riches, fame of the world, because of the lust of the eye they sold their soul for that!
Jesus Christ fought the lust of the eye by Worshiping and Resisting the devil. “Resist the devil and he
will flee”

Worship God when you see the beauty of this world, don’t worship riches, wealth and possessions. The
moment you act on the lust of the eye, you start worshipping what you see. Worship God when you
can’t see anything, when you can’t see that marriage, job, car and house He promised you. As long He
said it is going to happen. What you need to do after hearing Him say it just Worship because it is done.
One of the ways to receive from God is by Worship.

Next time the devil shows you what the Lord has already given you, tell him “thank you for reminding
me what the Lord has given me, now excuse me because I have to worship my God for what he has
given me”. When they show you miracles on TV and say come, we will give you power also to perform
miracles look unto God and worship Him because He gave you power and no man can give or take away
from you. To him be given the Glory. Whatever the devil uses to appeal our eyes, riches, wealth belongs
to God.

Resist the lust of the eye from coming into your mind, because once is in the mind it gains power and
influence your decisions. Rebuke it right on spot before it comes into the mind. The devil can use what
you have seen to distract you while you are praying or worshiping. See Jesus in everything you do!

The Pride of Life

As am writing about this, I am so sad crying inside because of what the church is experiencing and of the
3rd weapon the devil is using to cause distraction, fights and division.

The final hit that the devil takes on you is to give you pride, take you on high and make you to think you
don’t need anyone or anything, make you to look down on people, to stop listening to their opinions.
You feel like you are enough by yourself and whatever you do is enough it doesn’t need any help.
Everything that goes on without your approval/consultation is not good enough. When you are high, you
want to control everything, you want to control how they dress. There is a difference between advice
and controlling. Prides like control and doesn’t want to share it, it seeks for its own glory. Okay let’s get
to it because it’s a lot. it’s bad. it’s sad. its pride, the pride of life!

I have seen many Christians leaving the church because of pride. The elder or the pastor reprimanded
you over something but because pride doesn’t want to be told what to do, it says leave the choir, band,
church, stop tithing. Pride will say nobody will tell you anything, you have been born again for so many
years, that’s pride! When you have pride you are too high to be reprimanded, too high to be corrected,
too high to be advised, too high to learn, too high to commit, too high to serve, too high to submit.
Humble yourself!

Today pride has been modernized and when someone leaves the church because of pride they would
say” I feel in my spirit that i should go join that other church, I feel is time for me to leave” well is not the
spirit from within but it is the pride of life found in the world. Pride doesn’t know forgiveness, pride
doesn’t know confession, pride doesn’t know thank you.

People are killing each other because of pride, brothers are hating each other, families are fighting over
inheritances, churches are becoming groups, men don’t want to go to churches, believers don’t want to
accept the holy spirit, church goers don’t want to commit, they don’t want to have a relationship with
Jesus Christ and Fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Pride is the need to be seen, heard, the need to perform, the need to be acknowledged. Pride says if the
pastor doesn’t acknowledge me, I won’t tithe’ I won’t play the instrument with only one speaker, with
people who can’t sing. That’s pride! And it needs to be broken! Pride says you need me more than I
need you. You can’t even enjoy your phone, your car, your house because you are competing with your
neighbors, your family because of pride. You live everyday to hear someone throw a complement at you
or what you possess, if they don’t complement you, you say they are jealous. You live to impress others.

Pride is hiding in church groups/band/choirs in church todays, deacons’ committees and pastors. People
goes like this is how I am. When you address it, they say this is how I was born. Well that is not how God
has made you to be, that is the pride of life and because you are in the world it means the devil can use
it to attack you. Is up to us if we allow him to win or lose. One thing for sure he was defeated long time
ago and he’s got no power on us.

Genesis 5 V. 6

God gave man wisdom, but the serpent deceived Eve that they weren’t wise enough and pride striked.
When they have ate the fruit and God asked why did you eat the fruit. Adam is blaming Eve, Eve is
blaming the serpent, nobody wants to admit that they are wrong, everyone is blaming someone. Pride
doesn’t acknowledge when is wrong but can easily identify others wrong doings. Today we have major
ones, number ones, everyone wants to be above and nobody wants to be a minor.

Matthew 4 V. 8

When the devil took Jesus up and showed Him the kingdom and Glory of the world. He was throwing the
last punch “Pride of Life” the need to be in charge of everything. The devil is a fool because he showed
Him what’s already His. The devil doesn’t own anything, he will show what God already have in store for
you and will tell you to worship him to get it, where else you can just get it by humbling yourself.

Pride doesn’t know how to wait for God, it rather serves two masters just to be on top and avoid
processes of God. We thank God that Jesus defeated the devil by the Word and fought with the weapon
of worship. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God to avoid pride. The bible says those who
humble themselves God lifts them up. Serving God when nobody acknowledge you is being humble you
are defeating the devil that way.

V.6, devil took Jesus on an exceedingly high mountain, where He was able to see everything. When the
devil has put you high, you see every mistake that people do. In fact, you don’t see good in them,
whenever you see them you look for bad, you are like holding the red marker and ticking right/wrong,
holy/unholy, the devil shows you all the mistake that you end up missing God. Because whenever you
come to church you come to judge.

When Jesus was arrested and questioned and spat on, He stayed humble and defeated the devil by
being humble. David remained humble when Saul sought to kill him. Luke 18 V. 9-14, “for everyone who
humbles himself will be exalted” Moses was the humblest man on earth more than anyone that’s why
God trusted him with His Glory.

Humbling yourself is your weapon to defeat the pride of life.

Joh 10 V. 10

“The devil came to steal, to kill and to destroy”

1. Steal- to steal your body as the temple of God and use it for something else, stealing your body
from being a sacrifice to the Lord, stealing your body from worshipping, praying and praising
God.
2. To kill- to kill your vision and give you lust of the eye, all you do is lust and never loves. That’s
why what you have seen never last. He steals what’s already yours by showing it to you before
you can see it with your spiritual eyes.
3. To destroy – to destroy you with pride of life, destroying your relationship with God, your
humbleness, he paralyses you and breaks your understanding, your willingness to be corrected.
Once he gives you pride you are left with no power.

God has given us everything we need to defeat the devil, use what you have been given.

I am looking forward to see you in the next chapter.

Glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ.