Gleans from Monday Bible Study with Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
DLBC Gbagada HQ
18th February 2019
Study 3 – CHRIST’S GLORIOUS TRIUMPH AND OUR GRACIOUS VICTORY OVER THE TEMPTER
Text – Mark 1:9-13
“And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.” (Mark 1:9-13)
Christ overcame and conquered. Although the devil came and brought temptation His way but yet in the power and strength that the Spirit gave Him from the Father, and He fasted and prayed, He was able to overcome. Not only did Christ triumph, but He was passing that same victory to us as believers the gracious victory we have through Him over the tempter. There are two sides to the study: on the side of Christ, a glorious triumph, victory and overcoming of the tempter and all his temptations, while on the side of the believers, the gracious victory we have through connection with Christ and the experience of the Christian life, we are able to have the victory as well.
3 points:
Point 1. GOD’S TRUSTWORTHY VOICE CONCERNING HIS WELL PLEASING SON
Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 3:13-17; Deuteronomy 4:35-36; Matthew 17:1-5; 2 Peter 1:16,17; Isaiah 42:1-4; 9:6-7; Matthew 12:18-21; John 8:28,29; 12:28-32; Romans 15:3; Hebrews 1:1-5; Acts 3:22-23,26
“And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Coming out of the water after His Baptism, the Father gave this testimony concerning His Well Pleasing Son. Christ about 30 years was about to start His ministry and went to John the Baptist, His forerunner who introduced him to the nation, to be baptized of Him. “But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” (Matthew 3:14). You must remember that John had testified that the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ was greater, mightier and superior than his own water baptism. He knew that Christ’s own baptism is heavenly, empowering, refreshing, reviving and will bring personal renewal and fervency into his own life. “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matthew 3:15). But Jesus told John that they both needed to be faithful to the Will and Word of God as that would honour God and fulfil His goal and the will for Christ to be baptized by John in water; so both of them were fulfilling all righteousness. “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water…” (Matthew 3:16a). You will see that Jesus went out of the water; that shows that the baptism is not by sprinkling water on the head. Jesus actually went down, was immersed in the water. Baptism signifies burial: we bury the past when we are immersed in water, and a new life emerges as we come out of the water. And then, “and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him” (Matthew 3:16b). Every time you obey the Lord and submit to His will, the Heavens open to you. Greater blessings come after obedience. “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The introduction of Jesus was not just from John, but also the Father. Jesus, Perfect, Sinless, Spotless, obedient to the Father, in private and public, and the Father was well pleased with Him. “Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire” (Deuteronomy 4:36). The voice of God came to introduce Jesus so there is no doubt as to His personality and exaltation. The voice came so that He might instruct as to the authority of Jesus who has come to do God’s perfect will on earth.
You will see the affirmation and confirmation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and God in Heaven revealed Him as His Beloved Son. In Matthew 17:1-6, Peter, James and John witnessed Christ’s transfiguration. They saw Jesus, Moses and Elijah glorified before their eyes; the Old and New Testament assemblies coming together represented by Moses and Elijah. Moses represented the people under the Law, while Elijah represented the people that will go up at the Rapture. “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5). This was God’s unmistakable, trustworthy voice, testifying concerning His very Son. He is going to teach, instruct, make revelations concerning things you knew before, and bring better and higher interpretation to those things. He will tell of things that you have never heard about your ultimate salvation, show you things of the Spirit, talk about the lively doctrines that will transform your life, talk to you about what He got from heaven and the Father; hear ye Him. His voice is greater and higher than any prophet, philosopher and anyone you will ever hear, so hear Him. Later in life Peter wrote about this experience in his epistle. They had seen His glory, majesty and exaltation and were eyewitnesses of those things. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (2 Peter 1:16).
Prophets had also prophesied about Christ before He came and how He will be exalted on earth. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:1). Isaiah saw Christ in revelation and prophesy before He was born, and the fulfilment came in Matthew’s gospel. “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles” (Matthew 12:18). That was why the voice came from Heaven so that you will know that the Father is well pleased with Him, and that you will put your trust, faith and confidence in Him because He is the only One that the Father had appointed, anointed, chosen and commissioned to be your Saviour. “…..When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he,….” (John 8:28). He is our great and only Saviour, Redeemer, Sanctifier, Baptizer in the Holy Ghost, Healer and Deliverer, and there is no other one. Salvation comes through Him alone. He did those things that pleased the Father always. “….….for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29b). You will see the voice always coming from Heaven as an approval, affirmation and confirmation that He is the Beloved Son of God. Jesus Christ pleased the Father and not Himself, “For even Christ pleased not himself” (Romans 15:3a). His goal, will, purpose, mind, pursuit and dedication was to please the heavenly Father, and the Father now speaks to us. “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?” (Hebrews 1:5). Jesus is greater and higher than all the angels and prophets. What was the purpose of all these testimonies of the Father concerning Jesus Christ? “……him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you” (Acts 3:22b). Him, as our Saviour, Redeemer, Sanctifier, Teacher, Deliverer, Healer, the very Son of God who died for us on the Cross at Calvary, we should hear, whatsoever He says to us. He came to turn all away from iniquity.
Point 2. THE GREAT TRIUMPHANT VICTORY OF OUR WORTHY SAVIOUR
Mark 1:12,13; Matthew 4:1-11; Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:16,13; Job 23:12; Psalms 119:9-11; Jeremiah 15:16; 23:4; Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15,16; 7:25-26; 1 Peter 1:18,19; 1 John 3:5
He is our worthy Saviour, come to save us who are hopeless and helpless from our sins, by His power. He could sacrifice for us because He had no sin, and when temptation came, and He overcame. “And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan” (Mark 1:13a). He was tempted of Satan not of God or the Holy Ghost. “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1). Temptation does not come from God the Father, angels or the Holy Ghost but from the devil. See the details of the temptation here. “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matthew 4:3). You know the Father had testified of Christ as His Beloved Son, so the devil was tempting Jesus to do something to convince him to affirm the testimony of the Father. The devil might come to you and bring temptation like that. The word of God and His promises have come out clear and plain, and the devil will want to tempt you to do something so as to affirm that promise of the Father but you will not obey Satan. You overcome his temptation the same way that Jesus overcame – by the written word. “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus knew and believed the finality of the written word; he quoted and stood by it. It is the Word of God that will build you up, give you strength and power; it is higher and greater than any material thing on this earth, and if you have that concept you will always overcome. The devil will always want to contradict the word of God that you are hearing, like in the case of Christ’s temptations (Matthew 4:6). He will want to shift you away from the pronouncement coming from heaven. The Lord might promote and give you some opportunities and position with His approval, but the devil will always want to challenge that, but don’t answer the devil; and if at all, you answer with the word of God. The devil knows some Scriptures too, but he will twist, misinterpret and misplace them so as to make you do something unacceptable to God. Thank God, our Lord always overcomes, whatever direction the tempter may come, and if you are a follower of Jesus, you will always overcome. Thank God, I will always overcome. That your enemy is quoting the Word and misinterpreting it should not take the Word away from you, for it is your strength, the platform and foundation you should stand on. Once the word of God is taken away from you, there is no victory again; but thank God, you will have the victory. That you overcame twice does not mean that the devil will be tired; he never gives up easily, he will come again and again with diverse temptations, but you will overcome in Jesus Name. “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8,9). The devil knew that Jesus will go to the Cross and die for the salvation of humanity and then He will reign. Jesus did not come for the kingdoms of the world but to obey the Father, raise up His Bride and prepare them for Heaven. “Then the devil leaveth him…” (Matthew 4:11). Once you stand your ground and say ‘NO’ he will leave you. All the words of the Old and New Testaments are mighty and powerful. Every word of God you quote at the devil will make him run away from you in Jesus Name. The scriptures Jesus quoted were effective, and when you quote that same word of God it will have the same desired result in Jesus Name. When you honour and exalt the word of God like Christ did, you will always have the victory. “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3). “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). The way to victory is to make the word of God the priority of your life. Lift it up, honour and appreciate that word above your necessary food, and the things that will provide your necessary food – certificate, education, school, work, profession. Food for the body is alright, but you need victory for your soul. We overcome temptations, tempter, temptress and anything that will want to shift us away from pleasing the Father, by the word of God. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalms 119:9). That is the secret, power and strength of victory over temptations. Seek the Lord with all your heart and follow Him and His teachings. “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments” (Psalms 119:10). Then you will have the victory and triumph over temptations. The words you are hearing and all these Bible passages we are learning from, hide in your heart. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16). As the word of God comes to you, you are to take them in, chew, digest and allow them to mix with faith in your heart and brain, thoughts, mind, that you are saturated with them; that is how to have the victory. As we come to the Church, we are fed with the word as the food for the soul and that will give us strength spiritually, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15). And as you take in that word, mediate on it, remember that word when temptation comes, you will have the victory. Those who fear the devil, circumstances of life, men or women, demons or evil spirit have not been well-fed (Jeremiah 23:4). You will not be lacking, for everything you need to overcome and triumph in temptation and life, the Lord will give to you in Jesus Name. Jesus had no sin at all and overcame. “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). He is able to support, lift them up and enabled them to overcome. He overcame, and He will support you to overcome too. Christ, our Saviour, forerunner, the Author and Finisher of our Faith was tested in all points just as we are, and yet without sin, He will give you the victory (Hebrews 4:15). Sinless, He was able to sacrifice that holy life for us (Hebrews 7:25-26). He was tempted but He never sinned, “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Jesus lived a sinless, perfect, blameless and spotless life because of that His sacrifice for the world was accepted of the Father (1 John 3:5).
Point 3. THE GRACIOUS TRANSMITTED VIRTUE OF WELL-PLACED SAINTS
Mark 1:9-13; Hebrews 4:14-16; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 John 2:13-14; Matthew 4:11; James 4:7; Hebrews 1:13
He transmitted that grace and virtue to us and because we are well placed in Him, we are able to overcome the temptations that come our way.
What we are doing here is to look at what was said about the Son of God, and to look at what was said about us as the sons and daughters of God as well, and to compare so that as He had the victory, we too have the victory.
- He was and still is the Son of God, and we are the sons of God – Mark 1:11; John 1:12; 1 John 3:1; Romans 8:14. As those who have believed on His Name, we are also sons of God. As the Father affirmed that Jesus is the Son of God, so the word of God affirms that we too are the sons of God.
- He was baptized in water – Mark 1:10; 16:15-16; Matthew 28:19. As you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, what follows is that you are baptized in water. If you are going to identify with Christ, you must do as He has done.
- He was called the Beloved Son of God – Mark 1:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Peter 3:14,17-18. For we as believers, we are the beloved of God as well, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). The Father loves us and we are beloved of the Father.
- The Father was well pleased in Him as the Son of God – Mark 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; 2 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 11:5. We are to walk and please God as well. And that grace to please God, He has given to you already. “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). You are to live a well-pleasing life to God as Jesus did.
- The Spirit led Him into the wilderness – Mark 1:12; Psalms 143:10; Galatians 5:18. We have the privilege too that the Spirit of God will lead and guide us into victory. Although the Spirit led Him, yet He was tempted and was triumphant. Also as we are led of the Spirit, we shall be triumphant in Jesus Name. He will give you grace and you will overcome.
- He was triumphant over the devil. We too are triumphant and will not fall. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Keep on looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, and you are going to overcome in Jesus Name.
- He triumphed by the written Word. This is how we too will overcome today, by the written word of God. Let that word abide in you, and it will give and ensure your victory. “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:14) You will not fall. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 24-25). Jesus Christ is the Forerunner and Captain of our Salvation, He overcame and triumphed, and we too will overcome and triumph in Jesus Name. He is able to keep you from falling whatever the object of temptation.
- Angels ministered to Him. “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him”(Matthew 4:11). Like angels came and ministered to Jesus, angels will come to minister unto you as well. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).
Can you see our identification with Christ, that as He had the victory over temptation and the devil, you too will have the victory. The Father loves Him, the Father love you too, the Father testified of Him on earth, the Father will testify of you too, the Spirit led Him, the Spirit will lead and guide you too, He was beloved, and you are the beloved of God too in Jesus Name. Though He was tempted, He triumphed, though you are tempted too, you are going to triumph. He overcame, and you are going to overcome too. The word is still there, and as angel ministered to Him, you are special in the sight of the Lord, and angels will minister unto you too.
Ponder on this! That you overcame twice does not mean that the devil will be tired; he never gives up easily, he will come again and again with diverse temptations, but you will overcome in Jesus Name. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Ponder on this! The Lord might promote and give you some opportunities and position with His approval, but the devil will always want to challenge that, but don’t answer the devil; and if at all, you answer with the word of God. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Hard Sayings – The devil knows some Scriptures too, but he will twist, misinterpret and misplace them, so as to make you do something unacceptable to God. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Reflection – It is the Word of God that will build you up, give you strength and power; it is higher and greater than any material thing on this earth, and if you have that concept, you will always overcome.. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Words on the Marble – Greater blessings come after obedience. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
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