Luke 4:9-13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.… I. THE KIND OF RESISTANCE. 1. It must not be faint and cold. Some kind of resistance may be made by general and common graces; the light of nature will rise up in defiance of many sins, especially at first, before men have sinned away natural light; or else the resistance at least is in some cold way. But it must be earnest and vehement, as against the enemy of God and our souls. 2. It must be a thorough resistance of all sin, " take the little foxes," dash "Babylon's brats against the stones." Lesser sticks set the great ones on fire. The devil cannot hope to prevail for great things presently. 3. It must not be for a while, but continued; not only to stand out against the first assault, but a long siege. II. ARGUMENTS TO PERSUADE IT. 1. Because he cannot overcome you without your own consent. 2. The sweetness of victory will recompense the trouble of resistance. It is much more pleasing to deny a temptation than to yield to it; the pleasure of sin is short-lived, but the pleasure of self-denial is eternal. 3. Grace, the more it is tried and exercised, the more it is evidenced to be right and sincere (Romans 5:3-5). 4. Grace is strengthened when it hath stood out against a trial; as a tree shaken with fierce winds is more fruitful, its roots being loosened. Satan is a loser and you a gainer by temptations wherein you have approved your fidelity to God; as a man holdeth a stick the faster when another seeketh to wrest it out of his hands. 5. The more we resist Satan, the greater will our reward be (2 Timothy 4:7, 8). The danger of the battle will increase the joy of the victory, as the dangers of the way make home the sweeter. 7. The Lord's grace is promised to him that resisteth. God keepeth us from the evil one, but it is by our watchfulness and resistance; His power maketh it effectual. III. WHAT ARE THE GRACES THAT ENABLE US IN THIS RESISTANCE? I answer, the three fundamental graces, faith, hope, and love. (T. Manton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.WEB: When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time. |
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