BUT HE REFUSED!

“Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him]” (Matt 4:8-11; AMP)

In the history of the world, some Kingdoms and empires occupied one fifth of the world and ruled over millions of people. The most powerful kingdoms in the world were: The United Kingdom (or The British Empire), the Mongol Empire, the Russian Empire, the Imperial China, The Umayyad Islamic Caliphate and the Spanish Empire. After the second world war, these empires broke down and are now replaced by powerful countries who influence other weaker countries. Power is an essential factor in global politics. A nation’s power is determined by its military strength, economic prosperity, technological advancements, diplomatic reach, and cultural impact. Right now, America is the most powerful nation in the world, closely followed by China, Russia, and India. The balance of global power is constantly shifting due to economic developments, military advancements, and diplomatic strategies.

This is the third temptation of Jesus by the devil in the wilderness. The devil took Him on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (their splendor, magnificence and excellence). This mountain is not a natural mountain on earth. There is no mountain from where anyone can see all the earth. It is a symbolic spiritual elevation. The devil offers Jesus the glory of this world. The devil claims that he is the owner of these kingdoms. He said that this world “has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish” (Lk 4:6). This is a question: who has dominion over the Kingdoms of this world, God or the devil? The devil deceived Adam to fall into sin. The dominion given by God to Adam is now lost to the devil thru deception. The Bible says that this world is under the devil. “The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1Jn 5:19). Jesus calls Satan “the ruler of this world”. “I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me]” (Jn 14:30; AMP). At the same time, we are told that the whole world belongs to God, the Creator. “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein” (Ps 24:1). We deduce that God is the Creator and the owner of everything, including the earth. God has allowed the devil to claim dominion over the world because he deceived Adam. The devil has temporary authority in the world. But he is limited by God’s sovereignty and rightful ownership. For example, the devil needed God’s permission to attack Job. God allowed him to attack Job but set boundaries (Job 1:6-12). At the end, God vindicated Job’s faith and blessed him.

The Bible says categorically that God is the owner and ruler of all kingdoms on earth. “The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and He

gives it to whomever He will and sets over it the lowest of men” (Dan 4:17). Listen to what we are told about Jesus Christ: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Col 1:15-17). Jesus is the Creator and the Sustainer of all things in the universe. He is not threatened by Satan’s boast. The Bibe tells us that at the last judgment, the devil shall be eternally punished (Rev 20:10). The devil’s desire is to take the place of God. He wanted Jesus to submit to him and to worship him. But Jesus defeated the devil with the Word of God!

When the devil said that the Kingdoms belong to him, Jesus did not dispute the claim. He did not want to start an argument with the devil at that time. But the fact that Jesus kept quiet does not mean He agreed with the devil’s claim. At that time, Jesus stayed focused on the matter at hand. He rejected the devil’s offer of glory in the world. According to God’s plan of salvation, God the Son must go to the earth, and He must do the work of salvation. God the Father promised that after the Cross, He will glorify Jesus with the original eternal glory He had before the world began. The devil wanted Jesus to take his offer and not to wait for the promise of God the Father. But Jesus chose to do God’s will, go the Cross and die for sinners. His Glory must come after the Cross and not before it. If Jesus took the offer of the devil, He would lose His authority to be the Savior of men. His work on earth as Savior would fail. The devil wanted Jesus to worship Him for giving Him the glory of this world. This was a bribe to worship the devil. Jesus saw the evil in this offer and totally rejected it saying: “Go away, Satan!” Satan was standing in front of Jesus, blocking His vision with his offer of worldly glory. Once Satan left, Jesus’s vision of God was restored. This was a total triumph over Satan. Immediately, God the Father sent angels to minister to Jesus and bring Him food.

At the Cross, Jesus totally defeated the devil. God gave Jesus total authority over all men. He became the King of kings. “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev 11:15). The devil offered Jesus the fading glory of this world. After the Cross, God gave Jesus the eternal glory as the Son of God. “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11). We confess that Jesus is the Lord! Selah!

Lessons:

*Temptation is not sin. Yielding to temptation is sin! Spiritual warfare is real. The devil’s strategy is to offer the immediate temporary pleasures of the flesh (political power, wealth and fame), so that we forget the eternal glories of the Kingdom of God. The devil will offer you any pleasure on earth, to distract you from doing God’s will, and to block your vision. Satan wants to compromise your faith and damage your testimony. Reject him! Find God’s purpose for your life. Stay focused! The victory of Jesus at the Cross is our boast now!

*The command to worship God alone is foundational to the Christian faith. Worship is not for sale! The devil is ready to pay silver and gold to corrupt our desire to worship God. We reject all idols, including love of money, power and fame! We submit and worship God alone!

*Jesus won the battle thru the Word of God. Study the scriptures! Pray! Take the whole armor of God! Serve God in the local church!

*The devil’s authority over the world is limited and temporary. God is sovereign over His creation. When we are persecuted or suffer in this world, we should be encouraged. Although the devil is still active and can do much harm, we belong to Jesus. We are soldiers of Christ.

*The basic strategy of the devil is to make the believer doubt God and His goodness. He told Eve that God is hiding something good from her. That she should go and take it by herself. When the devil tempted Jesus, he told Him that He should not wait for God to supply bread, fame and glory. That God the Father cannot be trusted to supply all these things to Him. He suggested that Jesus should go and take these things by Himself. Jesus rejected his lies and conquered the devil. Jesus waited for God’s time and God did not disappoint Him! Selah!

BUT HE REFUSED

“Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” 10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her” (Gen 39:6-10).

Joseph is a type of Christ. When tempted sexually by Potiphar’s wife, he refused to submit to her. This was not easy because he was her husband’s slave. A slave was killed for disobeying his master. Because she was rejected, she slandered him. Joseph went to prison. But later, God vindicated him. His God given dreams came to pass. He became the Savior of his family and nation. What was Joseph’ secret? How did he overcome sexual temptation? His secret was the presence of God with him. Four times in this chapter we are told that ‘the Lord was with Joseph’. He loved God. He wanted to please God and not man. The desire to please God is the best medicine against sin. Joseph maintained his integrity. was jealous over His testimony as a child of God. Because he loved God, he hated and rejected sin. Lesson: if the Lord is with you, you shall overcome all trials and temptations! No man or devil can destroy your life, destiny or testimony! True success is not measured by worldly standards but by God’s favor and fulfilling the purpose of our lives.

“The LORD was with Joseph, and he [even though a slave] became a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian” (Gen 39:2; AMP). Joseph was a foreigner and a slave. Yet, the Bible calls him “a successful man”. In Hebrew, the word “successful” means to make progress, to experience breakthrough, to push forward and conquer all opposition. The Lord was with Jospeh. It is the constant theme about him. God’s presence means peace, prosperity, favor with people, wisdom and guidance. Though he was a slave, it was in Potiphar’s house that Joseph’s gift of leadership started to manifest. Prosperity is both spiritual and material. True prosperity comes from God. This promise is fulfilled in Christ. All believers experience the presence of God in their lives. The resurrected Christ promised: “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:20). Lesson: As a Believer in Christ, see yourself as a successful person, no matter your situation. Reject all inferiority complexes!

Potiphar recognized God’s presence in Joseph. He trusted him. It means that people, even the unbelievers, see God’s grace in your life. Men trust those whom God has blessed. Men give responsibility to those who are trustworthy. God will bless you but be ready! Prosperity and success will test your character more than hardship. Lesson: Even when you are persecuted and you suffer, trust God to help you!

The devil has his own agents. Some people don’t care about God or God’s law. They don’t respect the institution of marriage. Potiphar’s wife did not care about sexual purity. Lesson: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Cor 6:18). The imperative “flee” suggests immediate and decisive action. Believers are encouraged to actively avoid situations that may lead to sexual sin. Because the Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, sexual sins are punished by God directly. These sins affect the health of the body, emotions, mind and spirit. Adultery is like suicide! Be careful!

Potiphar was so angry that he sent his most trusted servant Joseph to prison. Lesson: Exercise self-control! Discipline your emotions! Pray!

Learn to say No before you say Yes! Later, Joseph married a princess and had two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. God’s time is the best!

How to fight and win against sexual sins: First, avoid places where you meet people who are sexually impure. Never look at pornographic sites on the internet. Secondly, learn to say No to sin! Don’t waste time saying No. Say it with faith, confidence and courage! Discipline your eyes! Do not admire the opposite sex. See all women as mothers, sisters or daughters. Your wife is the only woman that you should be attracted sexually. This is a battle! Jesus defeated the devil. Joseph said no to fornication. We should do the same! Because Jesus won against temptation, we must do the same! In Christ, victory is not only possible but expected. To the glory of God! Worship the Lord!