Jesus is the Son of Man who walked on planet earth but never sinned. He did the impossible. How was he able seeing that most of us mortals would not last a single day today?
Here is a link to the previous study titled why was Jesus so good? I would love you to read it as well. Today we will expand on it a little bit. If Jesus were to come to earth again today do you think he would survive it given that today the world is twice or thrice immoral as it used to be at the time?
2 Tim 3:1-7
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
The answer is yes because the same power he used to overcome is still imparted today to all who believe in God and seek to live righteously. That the world is continuously corrupting itself does not lessen the power of God on us. It strengthens it even more.
Rom 5:20-21
20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So what was Jesus’ secret? Among some of his secrets, I believe were prayer, bible study, and meditation. Without studying the scripture you have no strong reason to pray. You need knowledge of the scriptures to ascertain the right things to pray for otherwise, your prayers are aimless. Jesus had a mission and that was his main focus. His mission included me, you, and his adversary. To overcome he had to pray.
Luke 22:39-46
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
The study of scripture helps one to better understand the nature of the great controversy between God and Satan as it unveils itself. The disciples were ignorant of what was taking place hence they slept. Jesus was aware of what was about to happen and hence he resorted to prayer to prepare himself.
By not studying and meditating on scripture one does not know what is expected of them and what evil is lacking nearby.
Ps 119:99-112
I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts… 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109 Though I constantly take my life into my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.
Last but not least there is one more secret to being as good as Jesus was. It is the icing on the cake. Once you have mastered the scriptures and pretty much know what is expected of you and you have prayed and meditated about it here is what you ought to do.
James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
1 Peter 5:8-9
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.
‘Our only safety is in giving no place to the devil, for his suggestions and purposes are ever to injure us and hinder us from relying upon God. He transforms himself into an angel of purity that he may, through his specious temptations, introduce his devices in such a manner that we may not discern his wiles.
The more we yield, the more powerful will be his deceptions over us. It is unsafe to enter into controversy or to parley with him. For every advantage that we give the enemy, he will claim more. Our only safety is in rejecting firmly the first approach to presumption.
God has, through the merits of Christ, given us sufficient grace to withstand Satan and be more than conquerors. Resistance is success. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Resistance must be firm and steadfast. We lose all we gain if we resist today only to yield tomorrow’. (3T – Testimonies for the Church Volume Three by E.G. White (1872-1875) – p483)
Resistance is key no matter the consequences, no matter the pressure, no matter the embarrassment, no matter the ridicule or hate and loss that follows, no matter the loss of friends, no matter the loss of family, employment, respect you name it.
Jesus would have not made it if he didn’t resist firmly the lures of Satan how much more are we to? Here are examples of how firmly Jesus resisted.
Matt 16:23
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Matt 4:10-11
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Child of God I urge you today to resist, resist, resist, and even more resist the devil. God help us to read and meditate on his scriptures every day and may he grant us the nerve and power to resist the temptations of this world. God bless you and see you in the next lesson.
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