Tonight I'll be preaching in the book of Matthew chapter 4. Matthew chapter number 4. As we continue looking at the series I've entitled, Keys to Evangelism. And I trust that God will use it in a special way to help us to be about what God has commissioned us to do by way of going into all the world and preaching the gospel to every creature and seeing the world evangelized for God's honor and glory. Matthew chapter 4. And verse number 1, I'll be reading from verse number 1 down to verse number 11. The Bible says, Then was Jesus led of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward and hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Let us pray. Father, we thank you for your precious word. Thank you for how you use it to speak to our hearts, to draw us to yourself, to guide us and to give us direction on this journey of life. Lord, I pray that you would use it once again tonight to challenge our hearts in a special way. Give me the pride, precisely the words you'll have me to say, and that there'll be a source of encouragement and strength to each one under the sound of my voice. Once again, take full control and we'll be careful to give you the honor and glory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You will be seated. You've heard me admit before, and I'll admit once again, that I am by no means an expert in the kitchen, but don't think that it means that I am completely handicapped and I can do absolutely nothing. I have some skills, somewhat. I don't utilize them as much as my wife would like. However, I'll also say that even though I am not an expert, and maybe this is the reason why I'm not an expert, that I believe I live, as a matter of fact, I know, I live with someone who is. So, when that person is an expert, then there's no need for me to be competing and trying to do things that are not really that necessary. So, because I live with an expert in the kitchen, I've learned some principles over the years, and like I say, even though I have not really put them into practice. So, I have the theory behind what is needed in the kitchen. And one of these principles of cooking is that it is important and helpful to prep before you cook your meal. Prepping helps you to cook faster. Prepping helps you to ensure that your food tastes better. Prepping helps you to avoid unexpectedly finding out that you are missing some ingredient that you need, and now all of a sudden you have to run to the store because you didn't prep beforehand. So all the cooks, am I doing good? Did I sound like, see, I see some cooks putting their hands up, all right? So I got some of the theory behind. Prepping is important to cooking. Now, to prep is simply to what? Prepare. Preparation, as we've discussed here this past Sunday and tonight as well, is the second key for evangelism. Preparation is the key to any successful activity, any successful endeavor. or to any institution. So it should be no surprise when we consider keys to evangelism that one of these keys is the key of preparation. We've examined the first key, that of the person of evangelism. Of course, none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. It's always all about Him. But the second key, as we began looking at, the key of preparation, we've observed here this beginning of Jesus' ministry as he was tempted of the devil in the wilderness. And we notice that in this passage expounded upon in more detail in Matthew chapter 4, also spoken of in Luke chapter 4, and also mentioned in the book of Mark, that Jesus demonstrated that preparation was key to his ministry. We observed in this account here, the aspect of submission. We observed last week in verse number one, notice the words here in Matthew chapter four and verse one, then was Jesus led. Imagine the God of the universe, the second person of the Godhead, one who was not junior to any other member of the Godhead by way of authority, by way of his divinity, was still willing to be led. We saw the aspect of and the importance of submission. We also saw his devotion. Verse number two mentions that he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights. Can you imagine that? I mean, I could only imagine that. I can't really comprehend actually doing that. But it demonstrated Jesus's devotion, his commitment to preparing for his ministry here on earth and its significance to those who would be impacted, which includes you and includes me. He was devoted to the task that he would resist and avoid eating food, something that we all love, something that we need. demonstrated how important preparation was to what he was about to do. Tonight we want to look further here and I want you to notice and observe why would Jesus be so devoted in fasting to be engaged in prayer to God in order to prepare for what he was about to do. I believe the third aspect speaks to why. the aspect of connection. Connection. You see, the reason why Jesus would resist food to fast and to pray and to be in connection and devotion and prayer to his heavenly father was to connect in reference to his relationship, in reference to fellowship. You ever notice that if you have a friend who you don't talk to, whether it's due to busyness, due to different priorities, a different stage in life, for whatever the reason is, that if you have a friend who you don't continue to communicate with, you have a spouse who, due to your schedules, you don't continue to find time to have quality time together, after a while, what happens? You drift apart. You lose that intimacy. You lose that togetherness. You lose that oneness. And oftentimes, invariably, in order to reconnect, it requires an abandonment of the things that took you or caused you to go apart in order to be able to reconnect with that individual. You see, my friends, When it comes to a relationship with God, connection is essential. Because our connection with God, watch this, provides our necessary access to the source of power that we need in order to minister. I want to draw your attention to John's Gospel, chapter 15. And Jesus speaking here gives an admonition which we are to take very seriously when it comes to our involvement in ministry. When you're involved in ministry for an extended period of time, we understand the danger of getting involved in routinistic activity. We're accustomed to punching the clock. We know how to do it with our eyes closed. And after a while, it becomes simply a ritual. But within that, we lose the significance. Notice what Jesus said speaking in John's Gospel chapter 15 and verse number 4. He says, Abide in me, and I in you. you he says as the branch cannot be a fruit of itself except it what abide in the vine no more can ye accept ye abide in me look at verse number five i am the vine ye are the branches he that abided in me and i in him the same bringeth forth what much fruit for without me ye can do what nothing so jesus speaking here is speaking to the importance of connection. Now many read this passage and conclude that Jesus speaking here to our relationship with God in relation to whether we are saved or whether we lose our salvation. We understand on the authority of God's word that you don't lose your salvation. So Jesus here is clearly speaking to the aspect of fellowship. He's speaking to the aspect of intimacy. He's speaking to the aspect of being connected with God on a continuous basis in relation to being in tune with him so that we can plug into the source And he's saying here, listen, if you are not abiding in me, if you're not connected to me, that is why holiness is so important. If you're not seeking to be able to confess yourself, confess your sins, and ensure that you're in right relationship with me, he says, listen, what you do amounts to literally nothing. And so he's speaking here to the importance of connection. So as we think of this key to evangelism of preparation, it's essential that we realize, listen, we can go out and we can be witnessing and we can be sharing the gospel and we can know the Romans road backward and forward, up and down. But if we are not connected and plugged in, he says it amounts to a waste of time. He says connection is important. Let's turn back to Matthew chapter four. So here Jesus at the beginning of his ministry is in connection, in tune with his heavenly father. No wonder he would deny himself of food 40 days and 40 nights prior to embarking on his ministry. So we see the aspect of submission, the aspect of devotion. Devotion in order to produce continued connection. But notice the fourth thing, and the fourth aspect here is that of opposition. Now, I believe the sequence here is instructive, because once you are connected, you're in tune with Almighty God, guess what? Satan takes that as a battle cry, a warning sign to his camp, this individual is solidly and firmly on the enemy's side, and I gotta attack. Notice what he does here. Jesus is devoted, he's submitted, he's obviously connected. Now Satan is engaged. Here's what Satan understands. When you're not on his side and when you're engaged, you become a threat to his domain. And so he don't be surprised that when you are connected to God and when you're in tune, believe me, watch out, Satan is coming for you. Expect it. It comes with the territory. By the way, don't let that be a reason why you decided you don't want to be connected to God. Because understand when you're connected to God, guess what? You got God's backing. So we ought to take it as a compliment. I know we say, oh Satan, you're coming for me. Listen, take it as a compliment that Satan sees you as a threat because it means that he sees and recognizes you're connected to God and you are on the side of God. Believe me, no better side to be on than the side of God. And not just to say it, but to experience it and to be there. And if Satan would be bold enough to tempt Jesus, how much more would he be bold? to bring temptation to you and me. It's important that we understand how Satan functions. He goes for our points of vulnerability. In other words, he looks at us and he sizes us up and he says, okay, I know they're strong in this area, so let me leave that alone. He goes to the areas where he knows we are weakest. That's not any different than how sportsmen and sportswomen function in team sports or even in individual sports. When playing sports, the opponent studies the opposition's vulnerabilities, their weaknesses, and exploits it. If you're playing cricket and that bowler wants to outwork that batsman to get him out of the wicket, guess what? He's going to study their tendencies. He says, oh, you know what? He's vulnerable to that ball outside the off stump. Well, where do you think he's going to bowl? If he recognizes that you're weak on the legs, where is he going to bowl? Where you're strong? He's going to bowl where you're weak. If you're playing basketball and the defender realizes, hey man, he looks like he can't go left, where is he going to attack? at the point of weakness. Satan, if he knows that you have a weakness for for lusting, he's going to facilitate the opportunity for you to click that link on that pornographic site. If you recognize there's a weakness for money, he's going to present opportunities for you to steal, to cheat. If you have a weakness for telling people off, he's going to send somebody to irk your nerves. You have a weakness for missing church. He's going to present some wonderful opportunities and excuses for you to do just that. You have a weakness for discontentment and jealousy. He's going to always allow you to see somebody for you to compare yourselves with. Satan is going to attack us where we are weakest. And by the way, here's something to understand about the attacks of Satan. Satan has a short memory. And by that I mean, he's not worried about the fact that you had a victory yesterday. He's not worried about the fact that you had some victory last week, last month. In other words, he's not going to stop. And you know why he doesn't stop? Because he only has to win one time to bring you down. And then he's accomplished his goal. And so understand that Satan is going to continue to attack and his opposition goes along with the territory of preparation. Well, here's what I love. The last aspect here tonight, I call it infusion. And it is seen here clearly. We're not looking at this temptation in detail in Matthew chapter four, but I want you to notice and observe. Satan attacks Jesus by way of temptation three times. And eventually in verse number 11, the Bible says he leaveth him. You know, God gives us some reprieve. Amen? There's a song that says, what? Trouble don't last always. They were not focusing on grammar when it comes to the song, but you understand the message. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. So Satan gives Jesus a reprieve, and notice what the Bible says after that, and behold, angels came and did what? Ministered unto him. Here's what we are to be encouraged by, that God will provide the strength necessary for ministry and for ministering to the lives of people. That's why being connected is so important. God will provide the strength. Now notice, I want you to observe with me this sequence that we've addressed here by way of preparation. The first aspect was what? Submission. The second was that of devotion. Then we see as a result of devotion, connection. Connection followed by opposition and opposition followed by infusion what i've given us here is a cycle it's a sequence but understand this is not a one-time event this is something that we have to be continually engaged in so by way of preparation for ministry we have to continually be in submission to the will of almighty god we have to continually be devoted and seeking to learn more and to grow and that will produce connection and abiding in God and then Satan is going to continually attack but God is going to continually provide the strength that we need to carry on. It's kind of like your car. You drive your car. It takes you from point A to point B. You take it to the garage occasionally, get some maintenance done. But what do you do on a continuous basis in order to keep driving it? You go to the fueling station. You get a filler. infusion. That fuel is necessary to keep driving. You keep driving without going to the fueling station, I promise you, you're going to be somewhere on the side of the road, stranded. And in order to move from there, you're going to have to go to the fueling station and get some gas and put it in before you can move. And so if we're going to be continually ministering to the lives of people, if we're going to be involved in doing the work of God, guess what? We got to continually be filling up with God's power, God's strength, by way of his Holy Spirit. So when it comes to this aspect of preparation, it is not a one-time event, but it's a continuous attitude that recognizes that without God, I can do absolutely nothing. So whether we're singing, preaching, teaching a Sunday school class, cleaning the church, driving the bus, involved in sound room, children's church. It doesn't matter what we are doing, we must be plugged in. We must be involved in preparation. That preparation is a continuous process, a continuous cycle, because if we endeavor to do what we do in our own strength, guess what? We'll burn out. We'll not have what we need. We'll be going through the routine. And no wonder at times we feel not just physically drained, but spiritually drained. We can be tired in the work. That's OK. We're not robots. While we are tired in the work, we are not to be tired of the work. And that tiredness of the work happens at times because we are spiritually depleted. We haven't gotten that infusion. We've lost our connection because of a lack of devotion and a lack of submission to the will of God. So may it be that as we engage in evangelizing, ministering to the lives of people, we realize the key aspect of preparation. It's no different for the pastor, no different for Sunday school teacher, no different for a worship leader. It doesn't matter. We all need to be plugged in. We all need to prepare and continuously be engaged in devotion and being connected to Almighty God.