Mounting Trials

Today, we are with Jesus as the devil continues to turn up, or raise up more heat, in his failing efforts to get Jesus to sin. So far, he has tried twice to get Jesus to listen to him and do as he says. Twice, Jesus overcomes, responding to each temptation in the strength of the Ever Present, Holy Spirit in Him.

As has been indicated concerning the Third Big Trial given, there are four special trials in this one trial, which have been identified to us.

Trial A - The devil takes Jesus up on an exceedingly high mountain.

Again, the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain. Note carefully, as with the increasing degrees of height, so is the increasing intensity of the temptations.  To begin, we are told by Matthew that the devil first took Jesus, up into the holy city. The little preposition, up, tells us that wherever up was, it was on a higher level. Then we are told that the devil takes Him higher than just up, for the up is now up on higher ground. He sets Jesus, on the pinnacle of the temple. Now, we witness how the failing devil, is becoming wilder and wilder in his moves.  This is his final height before he leaves Jesus alone. The devil takes Jesus, up on an exceedingly high mountain. Note the description of height. The mountain is not just high. It is not just very high. It is exceedingly high. This alone speaks for itself. 

Aren’t you receiving spiritual enlightening, as you have not known before? For me, this is what is ringing through with clarion voice. Be aware and ever so conscious that Satan does have the power to take you higher and higher in the places of God. God Himself has given that power to Satan, to tempt you, His own, to show that in God you will not bend under the tempter, nor yield to his demands. Satan now has taken that privilege to tempt you, to get you to make one fatal mistake and fall prey to him. Remember Job?

With this fresh, new revealed knowledge, you and I have the mind of Christ, to know that every upward move is not for our good. Test the motives!  

Trial B – The devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, including their glory.

And showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Do not ever underestimate the shrewdness of the deceiver. The devil is a serpent and Jesus once told His own disciples, whom He was sending out on mission, like sheep among wolves, to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10: 16b.

The devil’s shrewdness is seen in many ways, but look at how wise he is and how his mind is working. The higher one goes, the further afield one sees. He takes Jesus on the highest ground to let Him have an unhindered, panoramic view of the kingdoms of the world.

In many of our Caribbean islands there are forts and in the island where I now reside, there is a fort, a signal station, on high ground from which soldiers had vantage views all around the island, to see who was coming in to attack the place. It is now a tourist attraction and when one goes to that fort, one still has one of the best panoramic views of the entire island, in one turn.

The devil knows this, so he finds the ideal high ground where Jesus will be able to see the kingdoms in clear view – no hindrances whatsoever. The wise devil does not come to tempt us in any haphazard manner. No! He is meticulous and well organized in his temptations. This is what I mean. He will never look at a person without feet and tempt him or her to purchase shoes, but he will certainly tempt one with feet, to buy his shoes.  Indeed, he studies each one of us and knows when and how to tempt us to get at us. It is precisely for this reason that not one of us humans in the flesh, can resist the cunning, shrewdness and deceitfulness of the deceiver. We all need the help of the Holy Spirit to not yield.

Aren’t you being perfectly schooled in these Lenten Enlightening Trials? When one receives knowledge beforehand, how then can one be deceived? How then does one fall prey to the cunning of the trickster? When we receive all the wealth and good which God has promised to His children, do not think that Satan is asleep and that what your Heavenly Father has promised you is hidden to his knowledge and that it is a secret to him. Satan knows and will seek to be the one to give it to you, if you let him.

Remember David, he whom God had Samuel anoint as king over Israel in place of Saul? However, David never was able to rule then, because Saul refused to step down, and had David living as a fugitive. Abner, King Saul’s right-hand man, who practically took the lead rule after Saul’s death, flexed his vexed muscles at Saul’s weak son, who ruled in place of his father. Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you. 2 Samuel 3: 12. That was one of the biggest mistakes David made, in bowing, as it were to Abner’s offer, for it brought hatred, anger and bloodshed in the kingdom.

Accept nothing of God, which has not been realized and given by God.