Matthew 4

Audio/Video podcast covering Matthew 4:
https://soundcloud.com/walking-as-christ/matthew-4-the-body
https://youtu.be/kqu6-JenLKo

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

After the baptism of Jesus the bible shows us how He was then “led up of the Spirit” to the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
-He fasted 40 days & 40 nights and was obviously very hungry after such an extended period of no food.
Why was Jesus fasting? He was likely preparing to be tempted by the most evil being known to earth! If we are disciplining our mind to be led by the Spirit always, if we are disciplining our body and will, if we are in communion with God constantly, we can be Strong against all sin!
Jesus was Well Prepared. He did a fast longer than any other human person has in recent time in preparation to be tempted by the ULTIMATE tempter/temptation. Jesus was not among the distractions of the world in this time, but instead he was separated in the wilderness. Jesus was likely Heavily in communion with God getting Very strengthened in Spirit and the scriptures.   
Desire to be firm against the enemy? Spend more time Fasting, spend more time in Prayer, spend more time in the scriptures in communion with God and He can keep you Strong against every temptation!


3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 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.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 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;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

When Jesus was being tempted of the devil:
-The enemies first offer was what??? FOOD! He knew Jesus had to be SUPER hungry so the first thing he tried to get Jesus off track with was Food.
Brother/Sister: the enemy is constantly going for the kill. he wants to get you where it will hurts worse. he wants to offer you whatever it is that you sooo desire that is outside of the will of God! Stay firm in the Lord and the enemy will soon depart. Do not even take a sample of the offer of the enemy. Do not give him the slightest foothold. Stand firm against him through Christ who strengthens you and he WILL FLEE.  
-The enemy was trying to provoke Jesus to Prove who He is. Brethren do not fall for this trick. God knows who you are and He also knows your heart. Jesus could have simply done some type of miracle to show off in front of the enemy, but instead Jesus responded to the enemy’s temptations with what??? THE WORD OF GOD! Two times Jesus responded with; “It is written..” correcting the enemy when he was trying to deceive Jesus about God’s Word.
NO new tricks; the enemy has been making people compromise the Truth of God’s Word and Commands since Adam & Eve. he is still working among the people of God doing the same thing subtly today. We must be on guard and alert to the enemy attempting to change just a portion of what God say is right to throw us out of the will of God because the enemy tricked us into believing his way (that is in opposition to God’s Word) is right!

Do not be fearful to REBUKE the enemy! The devil attempted to trick Jesus with so much power if Jesus would simply fall down and worship him. Jesus quickly rebuked the enemy saying; “get thee hence, satan:”, Get away from me satan! The enemy has fooled much of the world and likely many of us at some point to “worship” some other things besides God. Today many people worship; celebrities, music artists, technology, even politicians. Our worship must be reserved only for God. Let us not fall into that trap of the enemy.  

Standing firm responding to the 3 temptations of the enemy with God’s Word and then the enemy vanished. The angels came and attended to the needs of Jesus.
-Hold on, do not compromise, God’s Help is on the way!

Temptations of the enemy: Food * Suicide * Power * Worship of something outside of God(idolatry).


12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.



Jesus learned that John the baptist was put in prison.
-John the baptist was standing for God’s Word in TRUTH. The enemy does not like that and will try many ways to shut up those standing for the Lord, firm in Truth, without compromise. John was doing the Works of God and speaking the truth by God and was soon after put into prison.
-Don’t compromise the truth of God to save your life. We are on this earth to fulfill God’s will then soon return back to Him in Heaven.

 

Jesus then dwelt in Capernaum which is by the sea in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled another prophecy spoken of the prophet Isaiah saying; “‘The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.”
-Jesus was the LIGHT! He came preaching; “Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand.”
-What was John the Baptist preaching? REPENT
-What was Jesus preaching? REPENT

-This world that we live in today needs the message that John & Jesus both gave; Repent. The time for change in our life is now. The time to start living the way of God has arrived. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Jesus call His Disciples:
Jesus noticed Simon(peter) and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea and told them “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” they immediately left the nets and followed Jesus!
-Simon and Andrew agreeing to follow Jesus was them agreeing to; be His disciples, accepting Jesus as their Master/Teacher, and walking the same path that He walked. His Disciples accepted the call to Discipleship. We as the disciples of Jesus Christ must be ready and willing to do the same. Following after Jesus Christ as these original disciples did. All believers in Jesus Christ are Called to be His disciples. Let us not be as those that believe but are unwilling to pick up our cross and follow Jesus.

Believe Him * Trust Him * Follow His Example


Jesus the Healer:
Jesus was going around all Galilee preaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
-The news of Jesus spread around all Syria and they brought the people with the worst illnesses and the possessed and Jesus healed them. Large crowds began following Him from place to place.