I CAN DO THIS

 

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” ⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” ⁵ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” ⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”⁸ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” ¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

 

 

I. THE ANATOMY OF TEMPTATION

 

1. God doesn’t tempt

James 1:13

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

 

2. Self-tempts

James 1:14

¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed

 

3. Satan tempts

Matthew 4:1

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

  

4. They are Common 

1 Cor 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man 

 

5. They are Seasonal  

Luke 4:13

¹³ Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

 

Eph 6:13

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand

 

6. They usually proceed promotion

  

7. They are Measured

1 Cor 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

 

II. HOW TO OVERCOME

 

1. Fight the weakness that comes as part of the temptation

Matthew 26:40-41

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? ⁴¹ Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 

2. Be Watchful

Be on the alert. Be Watchful

 

3. Be Prayerful

Phil 4:6. Be Careful for Nothing

 

4. Ask for help

Hebrews 2:18

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted.

 

Hebrews 4:16

Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

5. Endure Short-term pain for long-term pleasure

Psalm 73:1-17

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6. Rehearse the Word of God 

 

7. Rehearse the Character of God

 

THE INSTRUCTION OF WISDOM

 

Proverbs 1:1-3

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:²To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, ³ To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity.

 

Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom 1 Kings 4:29-34 NASB

1. WISE PEOPLE VALUE RELATIONSHIPS OVER THINGS

Proverbs 15:16

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure with trouble.

Proverbs 15:17

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred. 

2. WISE PEOPLE VALUE THE PRICE OF PROGRESS

Proverbs 14:4 

Where no oxen [are], the stall [is] clean: but much increase [is] by the strength of the ox.

3. WISE PEOPLE AVOID BITTERNESS

Proverbs 19:11 

The discretion of a man defers his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression. 

4. WISE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF HABIT FORMATION

Proverbs 22:6 

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

5. WISE PEOPLE LIMIT PERSONAL PLEASURE

Proverbs 21:17  

He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

6. WISE PEOPLE TREAT THEIR ENEMIES WITH KINDNESS

Proverbs 24:17 -18

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; ¹⁸ Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him

7. WISE PEOPLE SERVE THE POOR

Proverbs 22:16

He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

Proverbs 22:22-23

Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; For the Lord will plead their cause,And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

8. WISE MEN UNDERSTAND GOD WATCHES THE WAY THEY TREAT THEIR WIVES

Proverbs 18:22 [Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

 

1 Peter 3:7

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 

9. WISE PEOPLE RESIST PRIDE

Proverbs 11:2

    When pride comes, then comes shame: But with the humble is wisdom.

 

Proverbs 13:10

    Only by pride comes contention: But with the well advised is wisdom.

 

RACE - PACE - GRACE - PLACE - PACE

10. THE WISE FEAR GOD AND FOCUS ON ETERNITY

Eccl 12:13

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all

GIVE IT TO YOURSELF

 

  1 Samuel 30: 1-25

Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried themaway and went their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who werewith him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor. 11 Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David…Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. 14 We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Can you take me down to this troop?” So he said, “Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop.” 16 And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. 18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. 19 And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all. 20 Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those otherlivestock, and said, “This is David’s spoil.” 21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.” 23 But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. 24 For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.” 25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

 

1. Have a conversation with yourself

• increased vitality

• greater life satisfaction

• improved immune function

• reduced pain

• better cardiovascular health

• better physical well-being

• reduced risk for death

• less stress and distress

 

2. Talk to God

1 Samuel 30:7-8

Then David said to Abiathar the priest,Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod hereto me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the Lord

 

3. Gather your support System

1 Samuel 30:9

So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor

 

4. Keep pursuing

1 Samuel 30:8

“Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 

 

5. Look for signs along the way that God is with you

1 Samuel 30:11-15

Then they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David...Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where areyou from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick. 14 We made an invasion of the southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.” 15 And David said to him, “Can you take me down to this troop?” So he said, “Swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this troop.”

 

6. Finish the job

1 Samuel 30:17

Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. 

 

7. Expect Increase

1 Samuel 30:17-19

Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. 18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, 

 

8. Be careful how you process your victory

1 Samuel 30:21-25

Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.” 23 But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. 24 For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.” 25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

 

9. Secure your future when you break through

I Samuel 30:26-31

Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord”—27 to those who were in Bethel, thosewho were in Ramoth of the South, those who were in Jattir, 28 those who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those who werein Eshtemoa, 29 those who were in Rachal, those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites, 30 those who were in Hormah, those who were in Chorashan, those who werein Athach, 31 those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove.