Purpose and Destiny

Here is a great temptation for followers of Jesus:

(The younger you are--the more powerful is this truth!)

Taking second best:
Second best is the experience of a short season of happiness--rather than waiting for an eternal presence of JOY!


This was one the temptation that Jesus faced!
Matthew 4:8-11
“8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.
9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” {De 6:13}
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

Satan’s one constant tactic is to attempt to derail your purpose and destiny.
He tries to defeat Jesus—before Jesus’ mission was completed.

Satan's offer:

  • skip the cross--that will hurt you!  LOTS!
  • skip trying to get this message across to people--that will frustrate you!  They won't believe you anyway!
  • skip the miraculous healing, deliverances--they won't follow you anyway!


These are Satan’s tactics:


  • to take you off course
  • to get you to settle for second, third, or fourth best
  • to tempt you to be ‘happy’ for a short season—rather than weeping at night with JOY coming in the morning

--------------------

It is doubtful whether God can use a man much--unless He has hurt him much ( A W Tozer)


Prayer:

 LORD.. I DO NOT WANT   second best.
I DO NOT want to be deterred.
I don’t want to miss the eternal measure of JOY
for a short season of happiness.
Give me grace to wait.
Give me grace to endure.
Give me grace to press on!

Give me wisdom to detect second best offers.
Give me wisdom to see farther ahead.

Give me a hunger and appetite for...
eternal joy,

rather than temporal happiness.

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