Read: 2 Kings 23:31-25:30, Acts 22:17-23:10, Psalm 2:1-12, Proverbs 18:13
Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession. (Psalm 2:8)
Relate: Right at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went out to the desert to fast and pray. After forty days of this the devil came to Him and tried to tempt Jesus. The first time he went after the physical needs. Jesus was, obviously, a wee bit hungry so the evil one dared Him to turn stones into bread. For the second (in Luke) or third (in Matthew) temptation the devil took him up a mountain. He showed Jesus all the nations of all the world and said, “All this I will give you if…”
Wait a minute, stop the truck, and back up. Imagine being in third grade. Its right after Christmas and you’re bringing your favorite present in to school that daddy gave you a couple weeks back. You left it on your desk when the class bully steals it and starts playing with it. You go over to get it back and this bully says, “I will give this to you if…”
Wait a minute, stop the truck, and back up. That little devil can’t give you what is already yours. It’s time to call the Teacher. It’s time to get on the phone with Daddy. This bully might have something in his possession but he had no authority to “give” it to anyone.
React: I’ve heard arguments about why the devil had the right to offer these kingdoms to Jesus. I’ve even given them myself. It goes something like, God gave man authority over the earth, through the fall we handed it over to the devil who is now the prince of the powers of the air and all that jazz. Last time I checked my medieval dictionary it is kings who rule, not princes. The devil might think he has rights over these kingdoms but that’s only because he has stolen temporary possession. The only rights a thief has is to be caught and punished. A prince playing at being king is nothing more than a usurping traitor.
The King of Kings has offered the nations of the world to the true Prince of Peace. He alone, unlike that upstart bully in the wilderness, truly has the authority to make that offer. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our God. Jesus rules. End of story.
Respond:
God, help me not to fall for the devil’s con. Help me to recognize the fact that all true things come only from You. You are the King. You are the only one with rightful authority. Anyone claiming any power outside You is only a bully stealing temporary possession. Help me not to fall for the devil’s con and certainly help me to avoid playing it myself by stealing that which only belongs to You.
THE RIVER WALK 
temptation is available to everyone, it depends on who you want to serve
Thank you for reminding me of the devil’s schemes. Great post!
Reblogged this on shaynroby and commented:
Shayn Roby’s Take: Satan is the scheming usurper. Jesus gives us hope and eternal life. Dave Crowder sings, “Here is Our King”! Amen!
Awesome
It is so easy to forget but thank God for the Holy Ghost brings to my remembrance what I need to know in Jesus name, amen
Reblogged this on My Blog and commented:
Beware the schemes of the enemy. There is only one God and He is still sovereign, no one has usurped Him.
Thats brilliant!! Never saw it that way before!
“The devil might think he has rights over these kingdoms but that’s only because he has stolen temporary possession. The only rights a thief has is to be caught and punished. A prince playing at being king is nothing more than a usurping traitor.”
This is the truth that needs be taught about the devil I heard Steven Furtick say this we are more then conquers. One because Jesus conquered the devil and we have to conquer something twice. So we are the more. Secondly because Jesus said so! This is good really enjoyed this post!
Thank you for allowing God to speak His Word through you in a way that enlightens.
Great – I really love your style- Keep it up and again thanks for sharing
Thank you for this insight. I never thought of it that way (or did not realize the truth behind it all!).
Thank you! Thank you! Never thought about it that way. But you’re right. Jesus takes the title deed and opens the seals in heaven and that’s the beginning of the end of earth as we know it. Great insight. Thank y ou.
Reblogged this on SpiceUpyour L-I-F-E and commented:
King of Kings, Lord of Lords…JESUS CHRIST the name that cast out demons, heals the lost and will rose the dead to life.
True, what’s more compelling about the temptation is that the Devil knows the Bible and will of God thus if even he knows why should anyone doubt it
I always thought that too – didn’t the Lord already own those things? It seemed pretty silly of Satan to be trying to offer them to Him as though they were his to give. It still does!
But then, what Satan was offering was the kingdoms of the world (imagine that in italics), not the world that God had created. These were the riches and aspirations of men and women, Mammon, power in an earthly sense…. Satan is really ruler over those, because he is the ruler of the hearts of people who seek after those things. He’s the one who promises men and women that these are the riches, the prizes, they want; and their eyes become blinded to the real inheritance of the earth – eternal life, peace, etc. – that God offers them. Satan had it all wrong when he offered that to the Saviour, but he didn’t understand that.
Our’s is stweardship. The steward owns nothing, but is simply responsible for its care!
I think of it in a similar light to those emails we get about “winning the lottery” if we can only transfer a “small fee”. Shaitan tricks us into giving up a little of our dignity, morals, rights, beliefs, faith, heart, soul, etc for the “big payoff” or “big reward”, but he can’t actually deliver. Those whispers are just distractions from the straight path. May God protect us all. Ameen.
Great analogy- a bully really doesn’t have rights to what they hold captive…hmm…Our enemy is just a big bully!
WOW what an amazing amazing depiction of the true authority of CHRIST and the true role of satan, the thief! This has blessed me beyond measure today!
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