Jesus Authority Over Satan

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up out of from the water. He saw the heavens parting in the spirit. Descending upon him like a dove. Then a voice Came From Heaven. You are my beloved Son in whom I am. Well pleased. And then you have this transitional Bursar Really a stark transition. Verse 12 says, immediately, the spirit drove him into the Wilderness and he was there in the wilderness. 40 days tempted by Satan and was with the wild beasts and the angels ministered unto him. Let's pray Our Father

We are thankful Lord for this day that you've given us. We thank you, Lord, for the folks that are here today. To sing your praises. To hear your Praises through your word, your Declaration of who Jesus is and father, I pray that each and every person that is under the sound of my voice. Understands who Jesus is not just mentally, the Lord understands it to such a point that they submit themselves to the lordship of your son, Jesus, who has been given unto him all authority and Power. And father, I pray as we look at this tremendous event. Any event of utmost importance? Father, I pray that we would not only seal or the temptation of Jesus father, we would apply this event to our life.

I pray the Holy Spirit would have free reign within our hearts that we would that he would examine us and that we would examine ourselves that there be any seeing that it would be repented of and if those here who are lost, I pray that through the Holy Spirit they would be regenerated today that they would call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. By the way you just thank you Lord for your love and your goodness to us West, all of these things in Christ name and all of God's people said, amen. well, in keeping with Mark's very fast-paced Style, as we mentioned, in previous sermons, Mark does not mention anything about the birth of Jesus. He leaves that with Matthew and Luke until Mark. Really just begins his gospel by focusing, his attention on the ministry of Jesus. First of all, focusing, our attention to Jesus 4Runner, who is John the Baptist? But even that section itself as smart points is to the Forerunner, John, the Baptist even that section is concise, it is very brief, it moves from John the Baptist to Jesus, the one of whom, John preached. And so when the time came for Christ to be revealed to Israel, Jesus left Nazareth, and he came to the Jordan River there. He was baptized by John the Baptist. And, of course, we looked at that events and detail last Sunday, but we know that this event really constituted Jesus divine inauguration. Of the spirit. And it was there that God the Father, more less, put his Divine stamp of approval upon his son in whom he was well pleased. And the verses that follow Mark continues really his fast-paced journey. The word immediately occurs some three times. And the next nine verses

Raz Matthew. And Luke provide for us a very detailed account of Jesus. Temptation Marcus sums it up with two verses. The question is, why does Mark do this? Why is Mark so brief in his description of such things? Well, the answer goes back. To verse one goes back to verse one. Where Mark announced that his account of the Gospel was a Royal Proclamation. A Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Messianic king and the Son of God. So it is Mark's narrow purpose that keeps then his Narrative of the Gospel. So streamlined, and so concise. So, the emphasis on Jesus, Royal Authority provides the Common Thread that that really wish we see throughout the remainder of this chap. Now, again, we saw last week. How really the baptism of Jesus was a public declaration? That was seen not only by those who were witnesses there and John the Baptist. It was a public declaration that Jesus is the son of God.

The spirit descended upon him like a dove. The father spoke from Heaven that he was my son in whom I am. Well pleased it so you have this. Declarative Jesus is the son of God. Now the next events that follows at are proofs of that. They are proofs of this statement that Jesus is God's son. Therefore he has Authority as we shall see today over Satan. Because Jesus is the son of God. Jesus has authority over Satan, as you keep reading throughout these verses and we'll look at those in the next coming weeks. Jesus not only has authority over Satan, he has authority over sin and its Dominion. And then also we shall see that Jesus has authority over sinners in their salvation. And so if the new king is to take his rightful throne, You must, you must demonstrate that he must prove his power will. How will he do this? Well, first of all, he would do this at the temptation of Jesus. Jesus has authority over Satan and so this is a demonstration that he is God's son noticed with me, first of all, these tests was submissive to the spirit. Jesus was submissive to the spirit, not in all three of the synoptic gospels. Matthew, Mark Luke the account of Jesus Temptation, directly follows his baptism. And so, the two events as we've discussed already, the two events stand really in stark. Contrast one to another Haven't received the Royal accolades of Heaven, Jesus. Then is immediately faced with the fears of salts of hell. His coronation by the spirit, and his confirmation. From the father are followed by immediately by the country. Confrontation with the devil and sell So it is with us, right? So it is with us. How many times even being led by the spirit? And having maybe a Mountaintop experience spiritually speaking. We can be often immediately lead very in into Times of trial and Times of testing was such, as the case of the son of God. And you would think. That given the Majesty of Jesus baptism.

We may be tempted to expect the innate, glorious celebration, that would follow. We wouldn't think that there would be some kind of an Angelic chorus that were saying for days to follow but Mark's description does not even include a transitional sentence. It just States very matter-of-factly inverse of 12, immediately, the spirit drove him in to the Wilderness basc into this sucked into his anointing, by the spirit. There is no time for Jesus to really fast with those wonderful affirming words of the father. No, time for him to enjoy those things. Jesus, rather is thrown into a fiery, assault by Satan himself. In the Bible tells us that Jesus acted them easily this time going that he was already in the wilderness. But this time he is taking further into the wilderness. But notice this, he didn't just decide to go. What is verse? 12 Palace. 12 tells us, the spirit drove him. The word. Can we translate it impaled? It can be translated passed out or forced out. As a matter of fact, Mark uses the same word to describe. Jesus casting out demons. They were forced out. There were cast out. And so this reveals to us that Jesus Temptation was no accidental encounter. This was not just by chance encounter. No rather. It was a Divine appointment. It was a, it was a scheduled appointment by the father. That was we see implemented by the Holy Spirit.

And again it's not what we would expect to happen, right? After the baptism, after the spirit ascending descending on the sun like a dove. And after the father voicing from Heaven, that he is well, pleased with his son, we would expect the reception, we would expect some type of Celebration, but rather, we have this expulsion. This forcing out into the wilderness.

And you can't help it. See the irony. That the same Spirit who descended upon the son of man like a dove speaking of his gentleness. Is the Same Spirit who is casting him out into the wilderness?

But notice. Even know Jesus is drove driven out. He's not rebelling against that. Get submitted himself to that. He's not fighting against that. He is not trying to rebelled against that know Jesus yields himself to that. He heals to the spirit he Embraces this time of testing. And why is that? Well, the suffering servant King has a job to do and the spirit immediately compels him to do it. That's a rather than shrinking back.

I just where was so prone to do? our King, our commander in chief, Goes out to fight in the trenches with us and for us. Amen. I think about this, if Jesus the son of God, nose to submit himself to the spirit of God, how much more should we submit ourselves to the spirit? Luke houses in his account of Luke chapter 4, that Jesus at this time. With filled, with the spirit, that means he was Spirit control and that is exactly how we are to live. Our life is Christian. We, we are filled with the spirit in the sense that God has saved us and he resides in us. But yet the Christian may not be filled with the spirit in the sense that he is, Spirit controlled and spirit lead, and rather than if a spirit is not leading, then our flesh is, and if that happens, it'll get us in trouble every time. So, Jesus is the son of God had to submit and needed to submit. How much more should we submit to the leadership at control of the Holy Spirit? I know the second one. Jesus was tempted by Satan. He was not always submissive to the spear, but he was tempted. Buy seitan. And listen, this was within God's purpose. Within God's purposes. It was necessary for Jesus to be tempted by Satan himself to confront the devil in face-to-face, combat and listen to beat him. To destroy him. We read this in verse 13.

Assassin. He was there in the wilderness 40 days tempted by Satan and was with a wild beast and the angels ministered to him other word, the Greek word that is used, there is a morally neutral. Permit is a morally neutral word that simply means to test it. So another words that testing here, can either be good or evil, depending then, on the intentions of the one who is doing the testing, web it cost safe in here, is the one doing the testing in this instance, obviously, the word pimped is the correct usage of our English English word here. That is important to understand that although the spirit lead, Jesus to the place where he would be tempted. It's very, very important for us to understand and note that God is not the one who tempted Jesus, nor it is not God. Who tempts us with sin either? Okay. James 1:13 is very clear. That God cannot tempt anyone to send. James 1:13 houses. Let no man say when he is tempted. I am tempted of God. No.

Goes on to say for God cannot be tempted by evil. Nor does he himself tempt anyone?

So God does not tempt us with evil, but God will allow us to be tempted. He will allow us to be be tempted. We see that he even allowed God the son to be tested. Why for the sole purpose? That through his victory through Jesus Victory, Jesus might demonstrate his. Absolute power is absolute authority, over the devil and his Dominion. now, with that said, Understand that Christ temptation. Did not happen by the will of Satan. No, Satan is not the the the one running the show here. That don't don't look at this as a Satan here and and Jesus here. And God, the Father hear, no, listen Christ and patient and not happen by the will of Satan's. It was, the will of God.

And the reason it was God's will is because it was another way. To authenticate the sons of 40, the sun's power that I just been declared. Divinely at Jesus baptism. So, the temptation of Jesus was a very very important event. Stakes could not be have been higher, especially following again, this Messianic inauguration at the baptism. I told the question is this. Would he would Jesus, as the divinely commissioned King be able to meet in conquer the enemy Satan? Could he endure the most alluring assaults? The devil could somehow divide. That was the question.

By the way, what we have here in the temptation of Jesus was in reality a battle, a major battle in the long-fought spiritual battle that really began in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. How long spiritual War began in Genesis 3:15? What we see here is a major battle in that. There in Genesis 3, verse 15 houses, God is saying and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed and he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. And so it was his Jesus Royal Duty. Crush the Serpent's head. It is, our Lord Royal duty to destroy the works of the devil and to disposed the illegitimate daughter of this world. So again the question is but would he be able to decisively win? After fasting for Summit 40. Obviously he was physically weak. He was emotionally drained. He was also completely isolated. He was cut off from any other individual.

The worst 13 really gives us Mark gives us just a snapshot to gives us a setting of what this battle look like. My what a battle this was he was in the wilderness 40 days being tempted by Satan. This wilderness.

Is the Deep wilderness. This was a place of desolation this was a place of isolation. We could definitely say that this would not be a vacation spots, okay, you would not. Do you have a camper? You will not drive a camper and hook up right here, not the place to do it. This is a place of desolation, he was removed from people. He was removed, also from provisions.

Until the conditions here for Jesus Rivera drooling. And Jesus all obviously was very tired. He was very weak. But against think about the stark contrast of events that have and just a very short. Of time. Have that Jesus circumstances have changed dramatically? Do you think about that? kept going from the elevator elevated experience of his coronation is baptism, witness Witness by massive amounts of people Now, he's in a place of utter isolation. No one is around him. At the Jordan River, the father commended him. The spirit descended upon him and John the Baptist declared him to be the Messiah.

Here. He's in a battle for his life. So, his public Ministry, had been supernaturally, inaugurated from heaven. And it is here at that highest point. The spirit drove him into the desert to face severe. Supernatural, assaults from Satan himself.

So, the Wilderness frame wasn't awful. The Wilderness is an arid land, a very harsh desert. That's filled with dangerous Cliffs and deep ravines. And again, the question is with Christ preval.

Would Christ fail. Watch our first Adam sale. That's a question. And you think about that? The first, Adam. Our Father Adam was tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden. Paradise. He was tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden, a lush Paradise, where everything was good. No excuses. Adam wasn't tired. He wasn't weary. He wasn't hungry.

but yet, Adam Succumb to the Temptation. Simple Temptation, despite being innocent and dwelling in a perfect environment.

First, Adam failed. our second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ who is perfectly, holy face, the devil in the middle of a horrible horrendous wastelands, a place like the Garden of Eden And he is tempted by Satan himself.

It was there in the parched heat of a Barren desert that Jesus found himself all alone and we can by days and days and weeks of fasting. But you notice how Mark explains Wilderness is filled with the with wild animals.

The wild beasts are mentioned immediately following the mention of Satan.

Suggesting that they are then in partnership with him. And listen, that is not at all impossible. That's not impossible. We know, demons can be possessed or demons can possess both human and animals. We see this in the New Testament where Jesus cast out demons out of people and Jesus would cast demons into animals of swine.

So it could be. That Jesus here is surrounded by these demonically possessed wild beasts. Making things even harder on the son of God.

But here is what we do know. Again, Jesus is totally isolated from Human pear. Mark summarize Christ encounter with a devil in one concise phrase and he was in the wilderness 40 days being tempted by Satan. Both Matthew and Luke indicate that Jesus went an entire 40 days without food. That's remarkable.

I have a hard time going 40 minutes without food. I cannot fathom. 4 days. 4 weeks. 40 days. but what's interesting to note, Is that Jesus fast? That's mentioned here, was not the first 40-day. Fast recorded for us in Scripture. The Bible tells us that Moses also fasted for 40 days. Elijah, the great prophet also fasted for 40 days. But also the number 40 is the number of testing it is a number of trial. How many days was did it rain upon the Earth in Noah's day? 40 days, 40 nights? So here is a time of testing for the Lord. Jesus Christ. Nearly six weeks without eating all this lie creates a desperate condition. Especially in the location where Jesus was at. His physical state would have begun to rapidly deteriorate after just 2 weeks without eating. I could imagine how seeing you would be after 40 days of not eating and then Having to undergo the assault from Satan. Jesus. Here is pushing his body to the limits. He's on the brink of starvation. Yet as the Royal and divine son, the Lord Jesus Christ had to face and conquer the strongest enemy even when he was at his weakest. The marks description of Jesus Temptation implies that the Lord was being tempted by Satan throughout this entire 6-week. Kind of testing that climax in the final Temptation, that is recorded for us in Matthew chapter 4. And Luke after 4, we don't have the time this morning to go in-depth and to look at this temptation in great detail.

But there are three different Temptations mention. The three episodes indicate that Satan primarily attack Jesus in his role as the suffering servant.

The devil did not entice. Jesus to give up his sovereignty. That was not the temptation. The devil did not entice, Jesus to give up his divine right to rule. Rather have Jesus to exercise the power and privilege in a way that Jesus was didn't abandon his humiliation and his incarnation. That first Temptation by Satan. For Satan, knowing that Jesus was very hungry. Satan ask him ask Jesus to exercise his Sovereign power to create him for himself bread to eat.

Jesus answers that. By saying to Satan man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word was proceed out of the mouth of God. In other words, Jesus was saying it is better to starve then to be fed a part from the wheel of my father. Jesus is saying, I would rather starve to death. Then to not obey the will of my father.

After Jesus, resisted the devil, took him to a high mountain. And offered him dominion over all the nations of the world. Again, Jesus face a real temptation to display, his miraculous power apart from the father's wheel. And again, in the second temptation of Jesus rejected, Satan's devices. I did finally, the devil brought him to the Pinnacle of the Temple. He was urging Jesus to give a public demonstration of his messiahship by leaping off. The temple. This temptation was to take the easy way. The kingship. Apart from God's will. Satan knew that if Jesus was to do that. That he would not get her, the Angels would assist him. But Jesus knew if he gave into that temptation. He would have abandoned, God's will. And of course, each of those Temptations. Jesus answer those impatient with scripture. But in each case, Satan attempted to persuade Christ, to abandon his humiliation, to exercise his divine. Right outside of the father's will

And to do. So, if Christ would have done that, it would have undermined gone saving purpose. You see the success of Jesus Earthly Ministry depends upon his humiliation. Ultimately a humiliation that would lead him to the cross. Paul told us Olympians in Philippians chapter 2, Jesus, humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

If Jesus had abandoned his humiliation and disobey the father's will he would have demonstrated himself to be in a posture. Another false Messiah that he would never made his way to Calvary and die as God's lamb. The hope of redemption then would have been ended in Failure, it would have ended in defeat On the other hand Christ Victory led to the Salvation of the Lost. And his ultimate exaltation. What is this? What is Christ? Ultimate exaltations that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Now, you must be understood that this was not. A unique or even singular experience of Temptation for Jesus. We cannot look at this one event and say, well, this is the only time Jesus was tempted. No no, no. No, Hebrews 4:15 explains that he was tempted in all things. He was tempted in all things or at all points in his life. As we are yet, he was without sin. The blood that I believe in his from his childhood on, he faced the same and tights, enticements to send that every human has ever experienced. As a child, he was tempted to argue with his parents as his brothers and sisters did. As a teenager, he was tempted to yield to the pressures of teenage Hood as the other teenagers did. He was tempted in all. Things are at all points in our in his life. so, this is not the only time that Jesus was tempted as a matter of fact,

In The Garden of Gethsemane. He was tempted. he was again, assaulted in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he anticipated, the cross of calvary, But here's the point. Even though he was tempted in other areas in his life, he was never, never. So tempted. So intensely, over such an extended period of time, as he was at this moment in the wilderness. This was Satan's major attempt to cause him to send and to be discredited as Messiah and savior.

The devil tried his best to stop. This Messiah. because the devil knew that Jesus, then if he could stop him, that Jesus could not drink flame, absolute and complete power over sin, and therefore, he could not be seeing substitute for every person who is lost

Jesus call to deliver Sinners would have been meaningless. If he himself and not been able to quit the fiery darts of the evil one. This is why his public Ministry began by directing about directly confronting the most powerful demon ruler, who opposes God and all of God's purposes. Let me just think about this this morning. All the Son of God had known. Throughout all of eternity was infinite. Honor, infinite power and divine privilege. Here as a man at the moment of his greatest weakness. He was urged by Satan to claim what was rightfully his as a Son of God. But in a way that was contrary to the father's plan. So again with Jesus, withstand such intense Temptations. What do you enjoy that ass? When he claimed victory over the devil's schemes and dust demonstrate his deity? Well. Mark's concluding phrase and I love this recessive me angels ministered unto him. That phrase implies with Matthew and Luke explicitly say that indeed Jesus triumphed over all temptations. That Satan brought emerging, being Jesus, emerged Victorious, from that. 40-day isolation. In the wilderness. The word ministering, their indicates, that these Angel provided Jesus with food. He provided they provide Jesus was with what he needed. But more than that. The Angels also ministered to him. Just by their very presence just by their very presence, which have been as a confirmation that, the father who sent him is still, well, pleased with his son. It was a Divine encouragement. Mother father. So, Jesus life. Ministry, they prove without a Shadow of Doubt his holiness.

Was here during the Temptation, in the wilderness that this that his Holiness was assaulted most relentlessly. But not until after the devil had finished every Temptation that he left him according to Luke chapter 4 and the angels arrives. So Jesus had entered the Wilderness Wilderness as the newly-inaugurated king. But he left the wilderness. As a conquering monarch. Jesus obviously continue to empower overpower Satan and demons throughout his ministry, but this is a picture of a major battle. I'm major battle that was one through Jesus Christ. Am I listen to me this this morning? What a lesson? This is for us. What a lesson this is for us. If you are a Christian,

Again. If it was important for Jesus to submit himself to the leadership of the spirit, how much more is an important for you. Live under the control of the spirit. Paul said, this be not drunk with wine as an excess. But be filled with the spirit. Don't be controlled by alcohol. Be controlled by the spirit, Jesus a second. What Paul is say? Submit yourself. Doubt yourself even as a Christian. Submit yourself under the authority of the spirit, be controlled by the spirit. I didn't notice this about web application is that through every Temptation, it was Given and laid Upon Jesus. Each and every one of those. Jesus answered back to the temperature, the word of God. How important then is it for us as believers, who are constantly being tempted, constantly, being assaulted by Satan to know the word of God. To be fed the word of God, to be nourished by the word. So that in a hour of Temptation were able to speak God's word during that time. another way of application is by just looking at the duration of this testing,

40 days. Jesus.

Which we can say that sometimes attesting that the Lord allows us to go through. Not all of those testings are brief. Sometimes the Lord allows us to go through a long duration of testing. Maybe somebody here today, saying brother Wade, I'm right there. It seems like everyday is another Testing another trial, another temptation. Sometimes. They are lengthy.

Jesus was tempted for 40 days.

let me say that if you're not a Christian, How this should point us? To the one.

Who did what our father Adam could not do.

My father Adam in the best of situations failed. But our second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ. In the worst of circumstances and situations was able to do what Adam could not do. And he would do this all the way to the cross of Calvary showing himself that he was our substitute.

And there's the cost of Calvary Jesus, who knew no sin, though? He was tempted as we are yet without sin Christ. God, the Father imputed, our sin upon Him Upon Jesus And we by faith believe and trust in him. We then receive Christ righteousness laid upon our account. That Wing God, the Father looks down at us. Take a look at us and say. And that person I'm well, pleased. It's not because we're so good.

But it's price of righteousness. That God, the Father sees. That we are worthy.

Pray together. Father, we

think about the temptation. You think about your son's life and his ministry?

We cannot help. But think about the failures of The first atom.

And because of his phone failures, then Tire. World of creation fail.

father, is through that fallenness that were able to see Your son's holiness.

That your Declaration of who he is at. His baptism is authenticated. This trial.

This temptation.

So father, I pray for those who are Not Christian, they're not believers. They're still believing in themselves are still looking to worldly things to be their salvation. Lord, I pray that today they would look unto Jesus.

And be safe.

Father, help us as believers. To submit ourselves unto the spirit. Hippie Spirit lead spear control at at all times.