The Three Temptations - Part 8
The second temptation often comes to us at times when we feel pressure to make something happen, and God does not seem to be doing anything.
When Christian ministers feel that they are losing influence, or that growth and influence are not happening as quickly as they would like, they may be tempted to compromise their principles, resorting to man’s solutions rather than waiting on God for His solutions and His timing.
In Jesus’ experience in the wilderness, He had been fasting for forty days, and there is no record that His Father God spoke to Him at all during all of that time. Jesus may have felt increasing pressure for something to happen in response to His 40-day fast.
And yet, when He was tempted to step out and make something happen on His own without God’s guidance, Jesus did not fall to that temptation.
On the other hand, Abram waited a long time for the son that God had promised him. This was the desire of Abram’s heart. He must have felt increasing pressure and longing to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to him.
In Abram’s case, the second temptation to jump ahead of God came through his own wife, Sarai in Genesis 16. As a result of giving in to the temptation to jump ahead of God and make something happen on his own, Ishmael was born.
There has been violent conflict between the Arabs and the Israelis ever since that time.
Losing a Kingdom
In King Saul’s time, the enemy armies were gathering for battle. The men of Israel could see the enemy forces gathering in vast numbers, but Saul had been instructed to wait and not to do anything until Samuel arrived.
“The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.** **Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.”—1 Samuel 13:5-7 (NLT)
King Saul must have felt intense pressure to do something. He was watching helplessly as his own soldiers were deserting him and running away in droves! When Samuel didn’t show up, Saul finally decided that he had to take matters into his own hands and do something.
“Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear.** **Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!’ And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.”—1 Samuel 13:7-9 (NLT)
By jumping ahead of God, not waiting on God, Saul fell to the second temptation. Saul took matters into his own hands and did things his way, not God’s way.
Samuel confronted Saul about his disobedience. Saul’s reply shows us how easy it can be to rationalize our actions in disobeying God’s clear instructions.
“Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, but Samuel said, ‘What is this you have done?’
“Saul replied, ‘I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle.** **So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.’”—1 Samuel 13:10-12 (NLT)
Not swayed by Saul’s excuses, Samuel explains the consequences of Saul’s disobedience.
“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”—1 Samuel 13:13-14 (NLT)
Israel went on to win a miraculous victory over their enemies, proving that all of Saul’s arguments had no merit, but his actions cost Saul his purpose in life. God could not continue to entrust Saul with the high calling that he had been given. Saul’s position of authority and influence was taken away from him and given to another.
Fear of Man
Fear of man is often a big factor in falling to this temptation. Christian ministers may face intense pressure to compromise their standards and do what the people want instead of what God wants.
“Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned. I did not obey the Lord’s commands, and I did not do what you told me. I was afraid of the people, and I did what they said.** **Now I beg you, forgive me for doing this sin. Come back with me, so I may worship the Lord.’”—1 Samuel 15:24 (ERV)
Fear of man is a dangerous trap that can rob us of all the wonderful things that God has provided and planned for us.
In God’s list of those people who will be condemned forever to the lake of fire, fearful people are first on the list.
“But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those conversing with demons, and idol worshipers and all liars—their doom is in the Lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This is the Second Death.”—Revelation 21:8 (TLB)
Fear of man kept the entire nation of Israel out of the promised land. (See Numbers chapters 13 and 14.)
Neville Johnson had an experience as a guest speaker in a church where the pastor really wanted to lead the church into more of the full experience of the baptism and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, the pastor was experiencing a lot of resistance and opposition from the church elders. One elder in particular strongly resisted the pastor’s new direction.
Neville prayed fervently about this opposition that the pastor was facing. Finally, in one evening service, Neville took on the opposition “head on,” and confronted all of the negative attitudes and arguments against moving on with God.
At one point, the most resistant elder stood up in the back of the room and declared, “We’ve always been this way. We’ve always thought this way. We’re always going to be this way.”
Neville responded, “I’m sorry, but I’m not talking to you anymore.”
The elder stepped out and marched up the aisle, heading straight toward the podium and Neville.
As he marched toward the podium, the elder spoke defiantly to Neville, saying, “I was one of those in Joshua’s time that stopped them from going into the Promised Land!”
The regular order of the meeting stopped at that point, and it turned into a deliverance service. After about 25 minutes, the defiant elder fell to the ground and was delivered of the evil spirits that had been motivating him to resist God’s will for the church.
Everything changed for this church after that night. The old divisions were gone. The church began to prosper. New disciples came into the church, and God enabled the church to move into more of His plan for them.
If the pastor had bowed to the fear of man that was being fueled by evil spirits operating through the elders, that story would have had a very different ending, and that church might not exist today. (Johnson)
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high.”—Proverbs 29:25 (AMPC)
Reference:
Johnson, Neville. (n.d.). Representing Jesus in the Earth Today (audio recording). From the series Intercession. The Academy of Light.
