“Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”
Memory Verse: Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11
There’s something very unique about the temptation of Jesus recorded in Matthew 4. This was a time in Jesus’s life when He was left alone. No one was with Him, and the angels were neither protecting Him. By Himself, he faced the devil and responded to his gimmicks and mischief using the scriptures stored in His heart. At this time, Jesus was physically weak and hungry, yet spiritually well equipped and ready for that which was ahead of Him. All made possibly by the grace of God and the undefeatable word of God in Jesus’ memory.
Lodging in simple terms means accommodating someone to live in your space. You don’t have to own a home to lodge someone as even tenants tend to lodge people into a room of a house they have rented. This above is a clear explanation of what happens in the life of a Christian. God gives us life(the apartment) and also the will to enjoy it. We naturally should only do things that are in line with the word of God(Contract) but because of the free will, we lodge just anyone. Through our lack of understanding of the scriptural fine prints., we allow ourselves to me misdirected and in the process accommodate the wrong candidate.
Once the devil has been lodged, he generally takes laws into his own hands, does as he like, sublets, lodges, rents out and do anything he deems fit. This the devil does because he realizes the legal tenant of the apartment lacks good scriptural grounding and divine understanding, Proverbs 4:5. The devil who has taken time out to study and understand the contracts then leads us on the wrong path and because we are left alone with him at that time, we either depend on our knowledge of the contract(God and His Scriptures) or lose our right to the devil.
The devil played tricks on Jesus, Matthew 4:3 and he continues and will continue to play these tricks on every human associated to God but lacks Godly and scriptural understanding. When you lodge the devil, the spirit of God cannot be lodged in the same body hence the less time you spend studying the word of God and walking with Him the less strength you have spiritually. The more time you spend feeding on the word of God, though you may look physically weak like Jesus, the word you have in your storage will give you strength to weather the storms, Matthew 4:4,7,10.
Some lodgers will come unexpectedly, and you will have to depend on what you have already understood of the word but if you are waiting to be faced with the unplanned while you are not ready or embedded in the word, you may lose the battle. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42.
We cannot call ourselves followers of Christ and accommodate darkness or have anything to do with darkness 1 John 1:7.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank you for your word which gives me life and direction
- Thank You for through your sacrifice, I have access to everlasting life
- Let your word dwell in me richly Lord and grant me understanding and study zeal
- In the days of temptation, I receive the grace to stand strong and undefeatable
- Help me Lord to accommodate you alone and not to allow the enemy into my space
- I have Joy in you Lord, let my strength continually be renewed.
- I receive success in all areas of life and will showcase the evidence of your grace
- Help me to be fruitful on all sides, adhere to your instruction and direction and never waver in faith
- I nullify every spirit of failure and near success syndrome.
- I will finish well!
- Forgive my iniquities Lord and help me to live a purpose driven life
- Thank you for going ahead, Father, I am grateful for all!
AMEN!
