Satan And Temptations To Self-gratification.

Last update on 06/23/2014 Read more Bible texts on: https://net.bible.org/

Dear Brother Krishna,
Satan's very nature is to tempt (solicit to do evil)...
Matthew 4:3
4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 3

1 Thessalonian 3:5
3:5 So 5 when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter somehowtempted you and our toil had proven useless.

He lives to devour people!

1 Peter 5:8
5:8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, 14  is on the prowl looking for someone 15  to devour.

As the ruler of this world....

John 12:31
12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world 65  will be driven out.

Ephesians 2:2
2:2 in which 3  you formerly lived 4  according to this world’s present path, 5  according to the ruler of the kingdom 6  of the air,the ruler of 7  the spirit 8  that is now energizing 9  the sons of disobedience, 10

Satan uses the three attractions of the world – the lust of the flesh (gratification of desires and living by one's feelings), the lust of the eyes (coveting, greed, desire for more), and the boastful pride of life (self-centred living)...

1 John 2:16
2:16 because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of theeyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) 37  is not from the Father, but is from the world.

as an enticement for us to do evil.
His diabolical efforts...

1 Corinthians 2:11
2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

Ephesians 6:11
6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes 21  of the devil. are designed to seduce us away from our devotion to Jesus Christ...
2 Corinthians 11:3
11:3 But I am afraid that 3  just as the serpent 4  deceived Eve by his treachery, 5  your minds may be led astray 6  from a sincere and pure7  devotion to Christ.

so we will gratify our lusts and selfish desires.
James 1:13-15
1:13 Let no one say whenhe is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, 15  and he himself temptsno one. 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

In satan's initial temptation of mankind he used all three worldly avenues of attraction.
Genesis 3:1-6
3:1 Now 1  the serpent 2  was more shrewd 3
than any of the wild animals 4  that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that 5  God 6  said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard’?” 7  3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat 8  of the fruit from the trees of the orchard; 3:3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touchit, 9  or else you will die.’” 10  3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, 11  3:5 forGod knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open 12  and you will be like divine beings who know 13  good and evil.” 14
3:6 When 15  the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, 16  was attractive17  to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, 18  she took some of its fruit and ate it. 19  She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 20

1 John 2:16
2:16 because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) 37  is not from the Father, but is from the world.

In viewing the forbidden tree, Eve noticed that it was 'good for food' (lust of the flesh), 'a delight to the eyes' (lust of the eyes), and 'desirable to make one wise' (pride of life). Eve became deceived to temptation, and chose to disobey God. Adam so yielded to temptation and wilfully chose to sin. (Genesis 3:6)

In satan's temptation of Job (Job 1:8 – 2:7) satan appealed to Job's self-centred feelings and desire for self-gratification by taking away Job's possessions, his children and servants, his health, and his notable position of prestige among his contemporaries. All of these trials were aimed at the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; but Job was not overcome in these specific trials because he trusted God and did not yield to his own self-centred feelings and desires.

Job 23:10-12
23:10 But he knows the pathway that I take; 19
if he tested me, I would come forth like gold. 20
23:11 My feet 21  have followed 22  his steps closely;
I have kept to his way and have not turned aside. 23
23:12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion. 24

42:1-6
42:1 Then Job answered the Lord:
42:2 “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted;
42:3 you asked, 1
‘Who is this who darkens counsel
without knowledge?’
But 2  I have declared without understanding 3
things too wonderful for me to know. 4
42:4 You said, 5
‘Pay attention, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you will answer me.’
42:5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye has seen you. 6
42:6 Therefore I despise myself, 7
and I repent in dust and ashes!

In satan's initial temptation of Jesus, he tempted our Lord through the tree attractions of the world. Satan tempted Jesus through hunger and challenged Him to turn stones into bread (lust of the flesh), asked Jesus to throw Himself off the temple pride of life), and promised Jesus the kingdoms of the world (lust of the eyes). However, Jesus overcame this temptation BY OBEYING God and His Word.

Matthew 4:1-11
4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 1  to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 2  4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 3  4:4 But he answered, 4  “It is written, ‘Man 5  does not live 6  by bread alone, but by every word that comes fromthe mouth of God.’” 7  4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, 8  had him stand 9  on the highest point 10  of the temple, 4:6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ 11  and ‘with their handsthey will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12  4:7Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13  4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms ofthe world and their grandeur. 14  4:9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throwyourself to the ground and worship 15  me.” 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, 16  Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 17  4:11 Then the devil left him, and angels 18  came and began ministering to his needs.
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