31st Jan Sermon Discussion - “Triumph over temptation”

Pastor shared with us 3 key areas on how to have triumph over temptation

Bible verses: Luke 4:1-13, Matthew 4:1-11

1. Dump self-significance – REALISE OUR WORTH

In the 3rd temptation of Jesus, we saw the devil tempting Jesus to jump from the highest point of the temple to prove that He is protected... But Jesus answered “Do not put the Lord your God to test.” We need to never doubt our position in Christ as children of God and realise that we are precious to Him. There is no need to prove ourselves and fall into the Performance Trap of the World. We are the princes & princesses of God because we are His children & not because of what we can do or did not do...

2. Dethrone self-service – REVIEW OUR WORSHIP

In Luke 4:5-7, we see how the devil tempted Jesus by offering to Jesus all the authority & splendour that belong to the kingdoms of the world. This time, Jesus overcame by quoting the scripture, “ Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” One of human’s weaknesses that the devil can use to attack us is our hunger for power & fame. The only way for us not to fall into such temptations is to constantly check our hearts to ensure that we worship God & God alone.

Activity 2: Reflection & Sharing

i. Let’s take some time to reflect if there are areas in our lives where we too are struggling with the hunger for “Fame & Power”?

a. For example, in our CCAs, are we upset when we are not appointed for certain roles that we want very much?

b. For those who are in uniform groups, we struggle that we are promoted slower than others...

c. Or jealous of someone doing better than us in schools... etc...

ii. Let’s share with one another our struggles in this area so that as a family, we can help to guard one another. As one body, let’s help one another to overcome such temptations... of being too caught up with fame & power...

3. Drive out self-satisfaction – RELY ON GOD’S WORD

One area that satan will tempt us it’s our needs. In Luke 4: 3, ‘ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ In this verse, we can see that the devil started by attacking the needs of Jesus as he knew Jesus was hungry. Jesus overcame the attack by quoting God’s Word, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” That is why it is so important for us to know God’s Word through reading the bible in our daily devotion. Only when we know the Word of God, can we overcome the devil’s attack like what Jesus did.

Activity 3: Sharing & Praying for One Another

i. What are some needs in your life? Let’s share with one another and..

ii. Let’s close the word discussion by praying for one another that the Lord will satisfy the needs in our lives. Allow the Lord to speak through you as you pray for one another. If the Lord give you a verse or two to share with the person you are praying for, be bold to use that verse(s) to pray for your friend.