New Level, Old Devil — New Days, Same Demons — Rich Wilkerson Jr.

0:00 Tonight we are kicking off a brand new collection of talks. It's entitled new days, same demons. >> And as the world changes, new trends, new technology, I want to remind our church that we still have an ancient enemy, that we are in an invisible war. Can I remind you of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus? Ephesians 6:12. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. News flash, your spouse is not the source of all the bad in your life. >> News flash, your boss is not your greatest enemy on this earth.

0:48 >> News flash, your kids are not actually leading a rebellion, although at times it feels like they are. No friends, we are in a spiritual battle and we must wake up to the fact that we are in a spiritual war. Now when you start talking about spiritual warfare in church, I have learned in my 18 years of ministry that people fall into two extreme camps. The first group of people that many people fall into is have you ever met somebody who spends more time blaming the devil than they do praising God? >> Get a flat tire. That's the devil. Wi-Fi slow. Demons all around. Starbucks gives you a bad latte. I knew it. I'm under warfare.

1:36 Some people think that the devil is under every doormat. But equally as scary are people who find themselves in repetition of addiction, of cycles of depression and anxiety. They find themselves not being able to get free from certain sins and all the while they chalk it up to a bad season. >> No friend, you are up against something else. >> Some people think the devil is behind every rock and some people wouldn't even notice the devil if he was sitting on your front porch. >> This collection does not seek to bring hype to your life. It certainly doesn't want to bring fear to your life. No, this collection is an attempt to bring

2:21 clarity through God's word about what it is that we are fighting against. >> Listen to me loud and clear. If you entertain the devil, you will become entangled with the devil. >> But over the next 5 to 6 weeks, I want to stand flatfooted on God's word and I want to preach with the authority of God's word that can bring freedom to your life. For whom the sun sets free is free indeed. Come on, somebody. Anybody believe people are getting free in this house tonight? I I want to start in some uh easy easy water if we can because I want to simply look tonight at Matthew chapter 4. And I want to look at how Jesus handled the devil. This is Matthew 4 starting in verse one. Then Jesus was

3:09 led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Now watch this. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." >> Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. If you are the son of God, he said, throw yourself down, for it is written, he will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up. They will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Jesus answered him, "It is also written." Someone say, "It's also written." >> It's also written.

3:55 >> Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Look at verse eight. Again, someone say again. >> Again, >> he's persistent. The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I will give you, he said, if you will bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan, for it is written, worship the Lord your God and serve him only." Verse 11 is my favorite part of this passage. Then the devil left him and angels. Someone say angels. >> Angels. >> And angels came and attended him. Now, if you know that's a powerful passage of scripture, can you clap your hands and thank God that he's showing us a way out tonight as we begin this collection, new

4:42 days, same demons, I I've simply titled tonight's talk new level, old devil. >> How many of y'all with just a couple of months remaining in the year, you still believe that God has good things in store for you? H >> how many of you believe that God wants to take you to a new level? >> Maybe you don't got faith for, but I I believe God's not done working on me yet. >> I believe my best days are in front of me. I believe there's new dreams, fresh words. Come on. I got faith for myself. I certainly got faith for you. But listen, as you grow in God, as you step into new levels of grace, new authority, new anointing, as you step into being a person of purpose, the

5:30 greater the mission, the greater the opposition. >> It's not a question if you will be attacked, it's when will you be attacked. >> In Matthew chapter 4, we see that Jesus is being attacked and being tempted by the devil himself. But before we get to Matthew chapter 4, it's important that we put Matthew 4 into context. And the only way you can really gain context is by knowing what happened in Matthew chapter 3. Because Matthew chapter 3 was a new level for Jesus. Matthew chapter 3 is where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Remember, he goes under the water and then the heavens open up and God the Father speaks out in an audible voice. This is my son whom I love and I am well pleased. And then the word of God says the Holy Spirit descended upon

6:15 Jesus as a dove. He's got a dove on his shoulder. Now, I don't know what your baptism was like. Mine was good, but it wasn't like this. This is a monumental mountaintop moment. This is a divine coronation. This is Jesus Christ being launched at 30 years of age into full-time ministry. What's fascinating about Matthew chapter 3 is that Jesus hasn't preached a sermon yet. >> He hasn't done a miracle. He hasn't driven out a single demon. Yet, we hear the voice of the father speak affirmation, speak celebration, speak pleasure over his son. Why would God the Father celebrate Jesus

7:01 before he's done anything? It's because it's what good parents do. Yeah. >> I remember when my son Wyatt was born, man, it nothing like being a new parent. My little boy, I remember the first time he rolled over. I pulled out my camera. I posted on Instagram, "My son just rolled over." Now, I don't think it was due to his athleticism. I think it was gravity just pulling him over. But as a parent, you get excited. My son Wolf Gang on vacation was making noises. Na na na na. We're like, he just said, "Dad, he's a prodigy. He's a genius. We were celebrating him like he was an Olympic athlete. Why? It's because what? That's what good parents do. Good parents affirm their children before they do anything. >> Can I speak to the parents in this

7:48 house? Please, parents, do not hold back your pride in affirmation until your kids do something right. Celebrate them before they do the thing. [Music] Rich, why are you making a big deal out of this? I'm making a big deal out of it because we have an entire generation that's growing up that has a performance heart and a performance heart all of a sudden attaches their value to what they do. But you need to understand that a good parent, they affirm their child and they celebrate their child not based upon their activity but based upon their identity. >> Now I'm in the gospel because God says you are so valuable that I'll send my only begotten son. Jesus thought that you had so much value that he said, "While you were still a sinner, I'mma

8:34 die on a cruel, rugged cross for you." I need you to give God praise because you hold value before you do anything. [Music] >> God has pride in you before you perform. Right. >> And this is important because as you're stepping into your purpose, you're not doing so to gain God's love. >> You step into your purpose because you're loved so much. >> It's from a place of love that Jesus steps into his mission. The scripture says that the Holy Spirit descended upon him on a dove. And then

9:20 it goes to Matthew chapter 4 and it picks up in our text tonight. And here's what I want you to read because this is interesting. Imagine this monumental epic moment, this great moment, Matthew 4. Then Jesus was led not by his emotions, not by his friends. He was led by the spirit by the dove on his the dove led him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. >> This is fascinating to me >> that the spirit of God is now leading him into the wilderness to be tempted. >> The temptation was a test and all of us must be tested before we can be trusted. [Music]

10:07 And his test doesn't happen on a platform. >> His test doesn't happen at Sunday night church with a crowd of people. His test doesn't happen on social media. His test happens in a wilderness when he's all alone. Which tells me that sometimes the wilderness is not punishment, it's preparation. [Applause] >> This isn't a detour in God's plan. This is divine design. Why? Because every calling has a conflict and every testimony requires a test. I wonder, is there anybody out there who says, "I want to stand firm in what God has promised me." And and he's he he's led out into the wilderness and he begins fasting for 40

10:54 days and 40 nights. Now, that's a long time. And the scripture says, because I want to make sure we're clear here, that the devil, now I don't do a lot of preaching about the devil because I kind of lean more in that camp that I want to talk to you about the solution. I want to tell you about the real power. >> But I felt led in this season of our church that I needed to talk to you about the enemy because if you don't know who you're fighting in the dark, you'll swing at everything. >> And some of us are wasting our energy fighting the wrong things. The scripture says the devil came and tempted him. So, let's just take a moment and get a little bit of understanding who the devil is. Cuz the devil is not a cartoon character. >> He he doesn't have, you know, a

11:40 pitchfork and and in and two devil ears. He's not a myth. He's not a legend. He's not a cartoon. He is real. >> The word of God has different names for the devil. The Greek word is diabolos, which means that he is a slanderer. He He's known as the accuser of the brethren. Jesus speaks about him in John chapter 8 and he calls him the father of all lies. >> All that simply means is that his native tongue, his dialect is deception. >> He distorts and perverts the truth. Why would that be? It's because evil thrives in confusion. >> Hard to be confident when you're so confused. >> Hard to walk in your calling when you're so confused. And that's what the enemy wants to do. He just wants to keep you

12:25 deceived. Now, now the devil, what we understand through scripture, was an angel. He was a celestial being that was beautiful and created by God. In fact, he was the highest form of angel. But the word of God lets us know that pride in his heart so desired the throne of God that he traded God's presence for his pride. And with it, the word of God would tell us in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 that this angel fell. Remember Jesus said in Luke chapter 10, "I saw Satan fall like lightning." >> Wow. >> And when he fell, it wasn't just him who fell, but rather in Revelation and in Jude, we discover that a third of the angels fell with him.

13:10 >> Wow. >> When they fell, fallen angels are what we call demons. Now, it's important that we make note of this because in looking at the devil, Satan, Diabolos, Lucifer, we understand that he has a network, that he has layers of leadership, that he has influence, that he has demons that are working. God has angels that are working on his behalf, and the devil has demons working on his behalf. It's important that, you know, the devil has power, but here's the good news. He doesn't have all power. First Peter, he would write to the church and he would say it this way. Be alert and sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Did

13:56 you hear that? Cuz that's important that you see it. He's a counterfeit. >> He's timu. He's fake. >> He's not a lion. He's like a lion. >> There is only one who gets that title. His name is Jesus Christ. and he is still the lion of the tribe of Judah. I need you to praise God if you know who your king is. [Music] >> But in behaving like a lion, you must pay attention to how a lion devour its prey. A lion never attacks the pack. >> No, a lion stalks his prey and isolates his prey. waits for his prey to wander off. Waits for his prey to get weary.

14:43 Waits for his prey to get away from the community, to stop praying, to get tired. I don't need to go to crew. That's some small stuff. I don't need to make church a habit in my life to to stop fasting because if he can get you alone, he can come and he can lie to you. He can put thoughts in your brain. Those aren't even your thoughts. Some of you are so wrapped up thinking that you're thinking all that stuff. You didn't think that. He put that in your brain, but you don't know how to dece discern between the truth and his lies. So, here he comes to Jesus. And as he gets to Jesus, he begins to tempt Jesus. And Jesus is in a vulnerable place because he's all alone in the

15:30 wilderness, tired, maybe even hangry. Here's what I want you to see. Temptation usually comes when you're tired, isolated, and hungry. >> This is how he comes. The enemy is strategic and persistent. >> He looks for your vulnerabilities. He knows your weaknesses. You ever find yourself going, "Man, why do I keep struggling with the same thing?" It's because a boxer who inflicts pain on his opponent, when he goes back into his corner, his trainer is going to tell him the same thing. >> Punch the injured area. >> And so, when we don't find healing from God's word and from God's people, we continue to walk around with injuries.

16:17 And the enemy knows it. And so, he pokes at it. He punches at it. >> But tonight, it's so important that we understand that if you want to defeat the devil's lies, you've got to recognize the devil's tactics. And while things have changed on the earth, and while this was written 2,000 years ago, I want to let you know that the devil's schemes, his patterns, and his strategies, and his tactics are the same thing. You are going to a new level. But every one of us who are stepping into our purpose, we're going to have to deal with that same old devil. And tonight, we learn how to fight back. Does anybody feel like getting their fight back? [Music] The enemy's favorite tactic for deceiving you and for destroying you is

17:04 through temptation. >> Temptation. He comes to Jesus after 40 days and 40 nights. And notice how he tempts Jesus. And notice how he attacks him. He attacks him the same way he attacks all of us. If you are the son of God, >> that's an attack on his identity. >> And that's what the enemy is doing today to an entire generation, attacking our very identity. >> People don't know who they are. >> People think they're their feelings. They've got a a fantasy or a fetish or a desire or an appetite and go, "That's who I am. That's just my entire identity, my my desire." No, friends. You are not what you feel. You are who God says that you are.

17:50 >> Amen. >> Listen to me. This is so important. This is so important. Spiritual warfare often begins with the last word God spoke over you. >> Yeah. >> Did you hear what I just said? Spiritual warfare often begins with the last word that God spoke over you. It's interesting. Matthew 4, the devil says, "If you are the son of God," but I already know what God said in Matthew 3. The last thing Jesus heard before he went into that wilderness of preparation was, "This is my son whom I love and am well pleased." This is where we get confused because some of y'all went to Vukon in June and you had a spiritual high. But you can't figure out why on earth has all hell been breaking loose in July. It's because the last thing that God did is the first thing that the

18:36 enemy attacks in your life. We got some students in the house and two weeks ago y'all went to youth camp and you were high on Jesus. >> How come two weeks later I'm dealing with all sorts of new temptation, new opportunities? It's because the enemy does not want you walking in your purpose. So, he wants to destroy you right where you are. You got to know how to fight back tonight if you are the son of God. And the enemy begins to take Jesus through three layers or levels of temptation. And I want to show you these three levels because I believe this shows up in all of our lives. It's a simple teaching. The first level of temptation is what I would call exterior temptation. It's a temptation of appetite. Jesus is hungry.

19:23 He's there in the wilderness obeying God, fasting and preparing for his mission at hand. He's so hungry after 40 days that the devil shows up and says, "If you are the son of God, turn these stones into bread." Now, where Jesus is at in the desert, if you look at its topography, it's limestone. And if you look at that limestone, it actually kind of looks like loaves of bread. You ever been so hungry before that you start seeing stuff? >> How many know if you get hungry enough, you'll eat anything in the pantry? And the enemy comes to Jesus with a legitimate need, but he wants him to meet it in an illegitimate way. >> Meaning to be hungry is okay. But Jesus

20:09 was on assignment in obedience to trust God. >> And so for him to turn stones into bread would be him operating outside of the will of God. >> It's legitimate that he's hungry. It's illegitimate to use his gift to turn stones into bread. >> Isn't that interesting? Because many of us, this is what we do. We want pleasure. We want satisfaction. We want fulfillment right now. So rather than going to the source, our God, we look out beyond ourselves. We look for sex. We look for alcohol. We look for drugs. We look for escapism. We look for power. We look for influence. All of it is exterior temptation that if I can get that out there, it will solve what's going on in here.

20:55 >> It's a legitimate need in an illegitimate way. >> God created sex. He made sex, but he put a boundary around sex. >> The restriction around sex is not to make your life worse. It's to make your life better. But the enemy wants to come and lie to you and say, "Do whatever you feel like doing. Sleep with whoever you want to sleep with." But you got to know in that moment that the enemy seeks to destroy me. >> Here's what I find so interesting. Jesus has the capability to turn stones into bread. >> If you can turn water into wine, you can definitely turn stones into bread. >> But this is how the devil works in our life. He wants to take your gift >> which was given to you to build the

21:40 kingdom of God. But he wants you to take that gift merely to build your own kingdom. >> So if you have the gift to communicate, you're going to be tempted to use that gift to manipulate other people. I >> If you have the gift to make money, you're going to be tempted to use that gift just to build your own kingdom. If you have the gift of charm, you're going to charm your way out of every conviction that the Holy Spirit is placing upon your life. Because if you can turn water into wine, the enemy is going to tempt you to turn stones into bread. >> But I love what Jesus says. Jesus looks back at the enemy and he says, "It is written, >> man does not live on bread alone, but on the very word of God. I know exactly who

22:27 I am because my daddy told me just one chapter ago. And just cuz I'm tired now doesn't mean I'm going to start doubting what he's already spoken over my life. Come on, somebody give him praise. We need the word of God. The second temptation is the temptation that I would say it graduates. It starts with exterior things, but then it goes to the interior. Notice the devil actually takes him up the hill to the temple to the highest point of the temple. So look at the graduation as they're going higher. the temptation and the level is increasing. >> New level, old devil. And they get up on top of that temple and the devil says, "Throw yourself off of this temple and

23:12 your angels, according to the word, will pick you up and hold you." I think this is an interesting one because the interior temptation is the temptation of pride. Some people, they can graduate from that first layer of temptation. They can walk in in discipline and they can find freedom and create boundaries. But just because you've solved the temptation outside of you doesn't mean that you've solved the storm on the inside of you. >> Putting our pride and our ego into check. Hey, this temptation is call upon your angels. Use your gift. Be impressive. Let everybody know what you can do. Because how many of y'all know sometimes if I can't prove it, it kind of makes me feel, am I it?

24:01 >> If you are the son of God, you will prove it. I want to encourage some people in this house cuz I sense this deep in my heart. >> When you know who you are, >> you do not have to prove who you are. >> Come on, somebody. When you know who you are, you don't have to prove who you are. I've never had a day that I've wondered, "Am I Rich Wilkerson senior son? >> I know my dad. >> He put me to bed at night. He woke me up in the morning. He put food on my table. I don't care what you say to me. I know who I am cuz I know my dad." I wonder, is there anybody in the room tonight that already knows I'm a king's kid? You can say whatever you want to say, but my dad is taking care of me. If his eye is on the sparrow, his eye is on me. >> Notice the enemy uses scripture and then

24:48 Jesus says, "Oh, you want to preach to me? I'mma preach better than you >> cuz Jesus says it's also written. >> Do not put the Lord your God to the test. >> Interesting enough, there's only one scripture in the Bible that says you can test God. >> Malachi chapter 3. Test me in this, says the Lord. Test me in this. Bring the whole tithe and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven. The only place in the Bible that we're allowed to test God, but this is where Christians debate the most. We want to argue about this. Isn't it fascinating? We want to argue about the tithe, but then we want to go out and be impressive and do whatever we want. God didn't open up that door. You opened up that door. And now you want angels to

25:33 come and help you. >> God never told you to get in that relationship. You got into that relationship with every sign saying, "This is wrong. This is wrong. This is wrong." But your pride wanted it. And now you're in it and you're saying, "God, will you deliver me from it?" God's like, "I could deliver you from it, but if you don't heal that pride on the inside, if you don't start walking in disciplehip, it doesn't matter how many demons I cast out, you're never going to walk in real freedom." It goes from the test of the exterior to the test of the interior. Then notice, he takes him to the highest place, takes him to a mountain. Look at the levels that are increasing. And I would call this the temptation of superiority. It's superior temptation. The test of who will you worship?

26:18 >> Because the enemy says, "If you'll bow down to me, I will give you everything that your eye can see." >> Great. >> And Jesus says, "Away from me, Satan, for the scripture says that we are to worship the one true God." This temptation is the biggest temptation because it's not about just what you can get. It actually comes down to who do you believe your source is? Yeah. >> And every one of us have to answer this question. Who will sit on the throne of your heart? >> What are you willing to bow your knee to? >> Because if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. >> Now, notice this because this is very, very important. Jesus, we're not just seeing the tactic. I want you to see

27:04 this. We're not just seeing the tactic of the enemy and how he tempts us and how he attacks us. We are also watching Jesus fight back. >> We're also getting to witness the pattern and the tactics of Jesus Christ, the word made flesh. >> And notice when he fights back, he does not fight back with vibes. >> He fights back with verses. >> It is written. He doesn't pull some Pinterest cliche quote >> now. He digs into his satchel and he pulls out a stone. It's called the word of God. And he fights back against the devil and his schemes. The word of God

27:49 is a weapon. >> It's a weapon. >> Hebrews chapter 4 says the word of God is alive. >> Meaning it's speaking right now. You can go home and the sermon can continue because that book is alive. >> You're going to read it. It's going to read you. It's going to speak to you. You're going to read a story. And all of a sudden, you're going to discover, wow, God's using this story because this thing is alive and it's active. And it's sharper than any doubleedged sword. Somebody say, "It's sharp." >> It's sharp. >> It's sharp, man. God's word is sharp. It is so sharp that when you start reading it, it will behave like a scalpel in your life. It will start to cut the flesh out of the inside of you. your sin nature can't stay there as you start

28:36 reading God's word. But it's not just a scalpel, it's a sword. And that when the enemy wants to come and lie to me, I take out God's word and I start swinging that sword and lies start falling off my life. >> My question VU church is, do you know how to swing your sword? >> Because apparently the devil knows the word of God, too. This is what he does. Remember in Genesis chapter 3, did God really say? >> That's how snakes talk. Did God really say? Every time he comes to Jesus, he comes

29:23 with a word. >> He packs suspicion in scripture. Wow. >> He puts lies inside of Bible verses. >> He gives you just enough. It sounds right, >> but it's just enough that it's absolutely wrong. >> That's why the word of God says, "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you >> free." >> Meaning, you got to know the truth. >> It is not enough to merely read your Bible. You got to learn your Bible. >> What is the context? What is the application? How can I discern right here? What what what is God saying? Because we've all been desperate before. You ever been so desperate like, "God, I need a word. Oh my god, I need a word. Oh my god. All right. It's late. It's late in the

30:09 midnight hour. Flip and read. Oh god. Just me. It's just me. Flip and read." And Judas hanged himself. I need another word. I need another word. I need another word. Go and do likewise. No. No. You got to learn the word of God. >> You got to realize that it's a weapon that you fight back. Not by quoting your experience, not by quoting your feelings, not by quoting your pastor.

30:55 You fight back by knowing the word of God. What does it say? Do I understand it? Do I understand it? Because you put a gun in my hand. I'm a beginner. >> I'm a lover, not a fighter. I don't know how to turn the safety off. You put that same gun in a Navy Seal's hand, >> that's a problem. >> You give me a pair of nunchucks. You put those same nunchucks in Michelangelo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hands. Game over. Game over. Game over.

31:41 >> Why? Because a weapon in an untrained hand is just spiritual dead weight. >> I want to say it this way. If you don't train yourself in the word, you will never triumph in the wilderness. [Music] >> I'm believing in this hour of maturity as we're stepping into 10 years as a church that there is a new depth and a new desire, a hunger for the word of God. not just corporately but individually that you'd find yourself in your prayer closet understanding that this gathering on one night of the week is not enough when the enemy comes to attack you but you're going to have to know how to fight back. And notice it

32:27 wasn't just the written word that Jesus had. Notice he's finishing up 40 days of prayer and fasting. >> This is what a lot of people miss out. It was the end of a fast. Wow. >> Meaning Jesus fasted in order to fight. >> We do not fast in order to escape temptation. We fast because it gives us the power and the strength to overcome every temptation that awaits me in the future. I'm preaching to somebody tonight. I'm preaching to somebody tonight. We're starting a fast tomorrow. It's not just a spiritual cleanse, although some of us need that.

33:13 >> It's not just to lose the summer weight, although some of us need that. [Music] It's to gain wisdom. >> It's to gain discernment. There's something about fasting, denying food to this body that as my physical man gets weak, my spiritual man gets strong. And more importantly, when I find myself in a place that I'm fasting, you know what happens? Matthew 3, the voice of the father gets louder and louder and louder in my life. That when the enemy and this world and the dark forces of the age come and try to tell me you're not a Christian, you're not a believer. God doesn't really love you. I remind myself, I was saved by grace, not to

34:00 live by works. I was saved by grace that I might live by faith. I walk by faith and I got a word and I'm clinging to that word and fasting helps me hear from the father. >> 10 years ago this month, we had no buildings. We had no budget. We had no crowd of people. There was a launch team. And exactly this month, 10 years ago, a couple hundred of us just said, "Let's take the next 21 days before our very first gathering and let's seek God through prayer and fasting." And I just want to encourage some people out there. God has been faithful to this church. >> Today, we're in four different

34:46 locations. Eight some thousand people are showing up on a Sunday in Miami in August. Tens of thousands have given their life to Jesus. It is not to our credit. It's to the glory of God. He's prepared us for battle. Fasting has been spiritual training. And what I want to say to you is that God's not done working here. What I want to say to you is the future is brighter than the past. What I want to say to you is if it's your first Sunday at VU Church, welcome. You're invited on the journey. But God is taking us to a new level. But if we're going to step into that new level, we're going to have to always deal with the old devil. And so, we don't always know what the wilderness looks like. We don't always know when the desert's going to come. But what we do know is we know the

35:33 way out. [Applause] [Music] I know how to get out. I know how to walk through some stuff. >> You don't walk through in your own strength. >> You don't walk through in your own power. You walk through by the spirit of God. And he uses the word and he fasts before the fight. We're fasting before the fight. We're fasting because we're anticipating after 21 days, God's going to give you clarity. He's going to speak some stuff over you. But you better believe it. Day 22, the enemy is coming and knocking on your door. And I love it because Jesus, he uses the written word and he fasts. Something else is at play here. This is

36:19 why I mean don't just read your Bible, but learn your Bible. Because Matthew, a disciple of Jesus, is the one who's documenting this and writing this. It's a letter sent as a reporter, as an eyewitness of all that he saw. But Matthew's gospel is written to a Jewish audience. Very important that you catch that because a Jewish audience reading this story would quickly understand that another story is being told. You see, Jesus when he was a little boy, Herod was trying to make sure that there was no king that would rise up. He thought the Messiah was going to be a political figure. And so, Herod had an assault take place on all the little Hebrew boys and he had them slaughtered. Jesus at a young age had to flee, if you know the story, to Egypt. And as he began to grow up in Egypt,

37:05 finally he moved back. And in order to move back, he then had to cross the Jordan River. And as he's crossing the Jordan River after his baptism, he's being launched into a new level of ministry. But there he is in the desert. Watch this. 40 days and 40 nights. You see, the Jewish audience that would have been hearing this would have said, "Wait a minute. This is a bigger story being told. This is the story of Israel." >> Because Israel, when they were a toddler nation, there was a famine in the land and they had to flee to Egypt. There, as they lived amongst the Egyptians, they ended up becoming enslaved to the Egyptians. God sent a deliverer. His name is Moses. Moses showed up to Pharaoh and said, "Let my people go." And when they were set free, they too had to cross the Red Sea and the Jordan River. But they too found themselves in

37:50 a wilderness, not for 40 days and for 40 nights, but for 40 years. >> And anybody who would have been reading that story that knew anything about Jewish history, would have said, "Wait a minute. Jesus isn't writing a new story. He's telling an old story, but he's making it new. >> Because where Israel failed, Jesus got it right. >> This is good news for us. Because Adam failed the temptation in the garden. And because he ate the wrong food, that garden was turned into a wasteland. >> But praise God for Jesus. He refused to

38:37 eat the food in the wilderness. And when he did so, that wilderness became sacred ground. [Applause] >> God doesn't always just write new stories. He'll take old stories and rewrite them. >> He doesn't always make new things. He always makes all things new. all things new. Rich, why are you telling me this? I'm telling you because there's hope today. >> That if you failed in the wilderness in the past, that's okay. You don't have to fail in the future. >> Your past is not in charge of your future. Jesus Christ is the great redeemer, the great restorer. He rewrites stories. If there's anybody

39:24 thankful tonight for a God who redeems, rewrites, and restores, why don't you give him about 5 seconds of praise all over this house? Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. [Music] He makes all things new. >> All things new. Jesus says, "Away from me, Satan, for it is written, worship your God only." Then here comes my favorite verse in the passage. Matthew 4:11. Then the devil left him. [Music] Some of you are dealing with such demonic influence in your life,

40:12 such demonic oppression. But this verse should encourage you. Then the devil left him. Here it gets really good. And angels came and attended him. There is no doubt if you entertain the devil, you will become entangled with the devil. But equally as true, if you resist the devil, you'll be released from the devil. Come on now. >> For James says it this way, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Luke's gospel tells us that the devil fled, but he planned to return at an opportune time. A mature believer knows that I'm always in another battle with the enemy. That as I resist him, he

40:59 flees. But as he flees, I'm not just okay. I got to keep sharpening my sword. >> I got to keep going to God in prayer and fasting. I got to stay with the saints and gather in community because I know it's just a matter of time before he comes back. But that little passage right there at the end, never preached it before, but it stuck out to me that angels came and attended to him. >> Isn't it interesting that the devil always offers you things that God's already promised you? >> In the second temptation, the temptation of pride, he says, "Throw yourself off this temple." And the word of God says that angels will come and rescue you. Jesus like, "I don't have to throw

41:44 myself off this temple to prove who I am, just like you don't have to throw yourself off a temple to prove who you are." The devil was offering angels to Jesus. But I like Jesus. Jesus understands you can't deal with the devil. The devil's not just a liar. He's a lawyer. And every contract he draws up has really bad terms. You do not deal with the devil. The devil is a snake. The only thing you do with a snake is you don't speak to a snake. You stomp on the head of a snake. That's what you do with snakes. That's what you do. Because the devil is offering him angels, but he says, "I'm not taking that deal." But as he stays true to God's promise at the end of the text, guess who shows up? Angels show up

42:32 and attend to him. I just felt like preaching to somebody. Angels are on the way. Don't take the first deal. Don't buy the lie. God's already promised you something. When I was a little boy, there was a Disney movie, Angels in the Outfield. It was a little boy who could see angels show up and he had a sign. Every time he saw angels, he would start flapping his wings like this. Because as he flapped his wings like this, all of the team knew that resource was on the way, provision was on the way, help was on the way, angels were on the way, and God in his care for us. And God in his love for us, and God who cares about big things and small things,

43:18 he so ministered to me this week. This week we were on our staff retreat. We always take the staff and the team away. This year 100 plus people. We were praying for you, asking God for vision how to lead this place. We celebrated, we laughed, we like to feast before we fast. But my parents were there who are in the service tonight. And it was so strange because it wasn't like I was at dinner describing to my parents what I was planning on preaching. And somehow at dinner, my mom started telling this story about my great aunt Marie. My great aunt Marie, who I believe I have a photo of, it's going to come up here on the screen. She spent 50 years on the mission field in Africa, Bkina Faso. She was there translating the

44:05 Bible from French into the language there of the people. She left in her early 20s and pretty much grew up on the mission field serving people and loving people. On Wednesdays when I was in elementary school, I used to go to her retirement home in between school and church and she would tell me stories of Africa. She would tell me stories of God's wonderworking power. However, that night at dinner, my mom started telling a story. I don't really know why she felt led to tell the story. I had never heard the story. She told a story that my aunt Marie used to tell to our family. That one night, my aunt Marie on that motorcycle with two other missionaries was driving through the jungle, but there was a crazy rainstorm. Wind was blowing. It was dark outside. They couldn't see anything. This was a

44:51 dangerous part of the jungle. There was bandits. There was criminals, but there was also wild animals. So, there was no way to stop. They were just racing through the jungle. But as they were racing through the jungle, all of a sudden, they saw a man, an African man, dressed in all white, and he was stopping them. They slammed on their brakes. thinking they were going to hit him, but they came to a screeching halt. They got off the motorcycle and to their shock and amazement, what they did not know was that the bridge ahead had been washed out and their motorcycle had stopped just feet away from the edge. They went back to thank the man because that's what you do. You show gratitude. But when they turned around, the man had disappeared. They could not find him. They could not

45:37 see him. And my aunt Marie came back telling the story that she believes on that night that God attended to her by sending an angel so that they would not go into the ravine. [Music] I don't think that it's superstition. I believe it's scriptural. The word of God says that we entertain angels without even knowing it. >> And a lot of us, we live our entire life really afraid of demons. But if you're going to live afraid of demons, you equally have to have hope in angels. Because it's true, demons attack. But it's also true, angels still attend. And tonight, I came into the city with my

46:22 hands up saying, "You're not in the wilderness alone. There's an angel on the way. God's going to provide something for you. God's going to give you a way out. If you believe it, somebody give God praise for supernatural power. Come on and stand up on your feet. Both of our locations, stand up on your feet tonight. If demons attack, angels will attend. And your wilderness is not just a war zone. It is a place of visitation. that while you're facing temptation, simultaneously God can be sending you provision. The devil doesn't get the only headlines. We still serve a God who

47:07 shows up in great power and might and he makes a way out. Somebody give God praise today. Come on, somebody worship God. Come on, clap your hands. Worship God. Angels are on the way. Come on, lift your voice. Go and sing now.