Advent Study – DAY 12

Kingdoms of Power

 

Navigating

the “World of Power”! 

Your “soul” is the prize:  We have learned that Christian Believers, those true followers of Christ and His Word, live in two worlds – our physical world and the Kingdom of God.  Satan has claimed the physical world for his own in an attempt to confuse and defeat your soul.  It is war, and you are part of it whether you accept this reality or not.  On the Advent Card, lights/bulbs “10-14” help us keep “Hooked-Up” to God’s Kingdom through the “disciplines” of “Obedience”.  The second major area of temptations Jesus faced in spiritual warfare involved power.  We will face the same temptations of power.

 

VICTORY TWO: 

Jesus’ Message of HOPE

with “Power”: 

• “Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’ Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, “You must not test the Lord your God.”’” (Matthew 4:5-7 NLT).

 

Conquering POWER TEMPTATIONS -

Winning in “Flanking” Warfare: 

Attacking with Misdirection:  Because Jesus had won his first battle with harmful pleasure, Satan tried another warfare tactic – flanking your enemy.  Believe it, if you have joined God’s Kingdom, you are Satan’s enemy.  Satan misused his power. Those who have power try to claim the moral high-ground – in this case the Temple, with its symbolism of authority.  Satan took Jesus on a road trip to where the rich, powerful, and influential dwelled.  He remembered that in his first battle, Jesus had used Holy Scripture to defend his obedience.  Guerrilla tactics had failed, so Satan tried flanking.  He attempted to “misdirect Jesus” with the errors of half-truths to have him yield to unhealthy power.  He started with quoting scripture himself, tempting Jesus with power to take anything he wanted.  This was partially true, but not the whole TRUTH.  It was a flanking move – get your enemy moving the wrong way.  Jesus, who had spent 40 days in the Word, was prepared to counter the attack.  He quickly answered Satan, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”  The father of lies had failed to misdirect Jesus because he knew the Father’s will.  He was not mis-directed from his goal.  Power was not for him to use for himself, but rather to bring God glory.  Jesus won the temptation battle of unhealthy power!  More was to come.

Jesus’ Secret to Temptations of Power:  God created us to possess, accumulate, and control.  He designed us to influence others, to lead, and even to rule over both others and things.  He wants us to own things - to have possessions, and even power.  Having the power of riches is not a sin.  Look at Abraham, Moses, David, and Solomon.  Leading others can be a calling for everyone in some part of their lives.  Look at Noah, Nehemiah, or Peter.  It is more tempting to misuse this power if you also have great possessions and position.  The prophet Micah saw this, “Her [Israel’s] leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price and her prophets divine for money.  Yet they lean on the Lord saying, ‘Is not the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.’” (3:11 [Insertion Mine]).  Unhealthy power, therefore, is another major area where Satan will attack to defeat or misdirect believers.  Some have said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”, but Jesus disproved this.  Jesus had absolute power, but was prepared to follow God’s TRUTH about gaining and using instruments of power – wealth, position, and might.  He knew that God “allowed” leaders to be in their positions.  He understood that all power gained in the physical world would someday be vanished or passed on to others.   His obedience did give him influence and followers – the Father’s way.  He trusted his Father to give him all the possessions he needed to follow his calling.  This was his secret he used to defeat Satan’s temptations of power.  He did not take Satan’s bait, but sought only the power he needed to serve God and others.  Jesus tells us, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?.” 1 John 3:17 NLT.  God gave him all the power he needed to serve.

Read Jesus’ and Other Power Warfare Messages of HOPE.  What verse tells us God knows what “things” that “you need”?

 

Jesus’ and Other

Power Warfare Messages of HOPE: 

• Luke 12:15 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
• Luke 12:19-20 “And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’” ’But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’””
• Luke 12:30 (NKJV) “For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.”
• 1 Timothy 6:7 “After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.”
• Proverbs 27:24 (NKJV) “For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My God Is Powerful

Group Publishing

 

Shelter In A Time Of Storm

Go Fish

 

 

 

 

Overcome 

Jeremy Camp

 

The Truth is Worth Everything

TESTIMONY 

Nadine

 

 

 

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