======================================================================== NEW COVENANT - OVERCOMING TEMPTATION - PART 7 by Zac Poonen ======================================================================== Summary: Zac Poonen emphasizes the importance of relying on God's grace and provisions to overcome temptation and live in the new covenant promise. Duration: 4:10 Topics: "Temptation", "Grace" Scripture References: Matthew 4:9-10, Luke 4:6, Hebrews 4:15-16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the importance of not testing God but using the resources and wisdom He has provided. It warns against seeking worldly glory through compromising one's convictions and encourages worshiping the Lord alone. The message concludes with the reminder that Jesus was tempted like us but without sin, urging believers to boldly seek God's grace and mercy to overcome in times of need. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Claim that promise. Faith comes by hearing, and Jesus said, I'm not going to tempt God by asking him to protect me. It's like people who say, I won't take medicine. I'm sick, but God's got to heal me. That's jumping off the temple. If God has provided stairs, he wants you to walk down the stairs. And there were stairs up to the roof of the temple. Jesus said, I'm going to use the stairs. I'm not going to ask God for a miracle when stairs are provided here. So if God has allowed you to have medicine, use it. God uses medicine to heal the sick. If you're in some jungle where no medicines are available, I'll trust God to heal me without medicine too. And the third temptation was, I'll give you all the glory of the world. Matthew 4 verse 9-10. If you worship me, what is the glory of the world? What are the things that the world considers glorious? Money particularly. The devil says, you want money? Come to me. I control all the money in the world. You just got to compromise your convictions a little bit. You know what compromise convictions mean? Just bow down to me. Just sign that false statement. It's not such a big lie. It's just a small white lie, but you can make a few thousand rupees, more. You don't realize in that moment you put that signature. You're about to say it. Success is another thing glorious in the world. You want success in your examination? The devil says, come to me. I'll help you to cheat. I'll give you the question paper ahead of time. How many people are doing it in the world? Everybody does it, they say. That's true. If everybody bows the knee to the devil, should I do that? You know, you can get a lot of things in this world if you bow the knee to Satan. Because it says in Luke 4, he explained it more clearly. All these things have been given to me, he says. They're mine. Who gave it to him? God didn't give it to him. God gave it to Adam. Adam gave it to the devil. And so he says, all these things are mine. I can give them to whomever I wish. Luke 4 6. It has been handed over to me by Adam. I give it to whomever I wish. Money, position, power. Don't seek for these things. Jesus said, worship the Lord. He's the only one to be worshipped. Brothers and sisters, what is the conclusion? Hebrews 4 15 and 16. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us also go boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy for our past failures. Something Jesus did not need because he never failed. And find grace to help us to overcome in our time of need. You can be an overcomer. That's the message of the new covenant. Let's pray. Let's bow our heads before God. Allow these truths to sink into your heart. You've understood it in your minds. Let it sink down. Let the Holy Spirit take it down into your heart and make it real to you in the moment of temptation. And say, Lord, by your grace, I'm going to be an overcomer. If it takes 10 years, 10 years. If it takes 25 years, 25 years, but I'm going to be an overcomer. I'm going to climb this mountain by the grace of God. I can't do it, but I believe you will write your laws upon my heart and mine, and you will cause me to walk in your statutes. Thank you, Father, for your word, for the challenge and the faith that produces. In Jesus name, Amen. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/CXr4fydh2-c.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/zac-poonen/new-covenant-overcoming-temptation-part-7/ ========================================================================