had a wonderful time in their early service back there in the back, had over 75 ladies come together, and had a tremendous time with a message from Brittany Thompson. I understand it was outstanding. So thank you for all the ladies who come. I encourage you men to join us for this Saturday, have another tremendous time together, have some outstanding food, and the best thing about it is free. So we've got a message right at 5 o'clock here in the sanctuary. After the message, we'll be dismissed to go back for a good meal. Then another message back in the sanctuary after that. So please join us. But we need for you to sign up. Also, if you do sign up and are not able to come, please let us know by Wednesday. That way we can cancel the amount of food we get, because we are paying for the food for you. So please, if you sign up, please come. But we'd love to have you and join us for a special time together. We'll continue our study on the idea of temptation, the truth about temptation, something we all are familiar with. Last Sunday, we talked about the subject, the source, and the subduing of temptation. The subject, we saw from Scripture, we're all subject to temptation. It's common to all of us. Everybody experiences it one time or the other. Then we saw the source is threefold. The source is the world. the flesh and the devil, the three sources of temptation, and then the subduing of that. How do we overcome temptation? We overcome the flesh by flight, overcome the world by faith, and we overcome Satan, we must fight. And we saw that last Sunday. So today I'd like to look at some tremendous truths, looking at the temptation of Jesus Christ, that he himself is tempted like as we are, I'm going to look at that today. But before we actually get into this, as far as your notes there, and by the way, if you received a bulletin in your bulletin, there's notes for the service, the message, please use that. The blanks, the answers will be on the screen, so please fill that out and write that down and give you something to go back over during the week. But I want you to notice in the temptation of Christ, we see this, first of all, temptation is not a reflection of your spirituality. Somebody said, well, Pastor, I must not be very spiritual. I'm tempted all the time. No. Jesus was tempted. And nobody was more spiritual than Him. In fact, there in chapter 4, verse 1, notice what it says about Him. And Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. He was Spirit-filled and Spirit-led. In the midst of all that, He was tempted. So temptation is not a reflection of one's spirituality, but also, you can be tempted and be in the center of the will of God. If you would hold your finger right here, go to Matthew chapter 3. Here's Matthew's account. In chapter four, but I'd like to back up in chapter three and see what's going on. You can be right in the center of the will of God and still be tempted. The reason I say that, not too long ago, a person said, Pastor, I must be out of God's will. I'm just tempted all the time. No. No matter where you're at, in or out of the will of God, you will be tempted. But notice here in Matthew chapter three, page 1344, if you're using a Bible, and I want to encourage you to use one of the Bibles for the service if you don't have one in the chair in front of you, in the rack. have a copy of the Word of God. Matthew chapter 3, look what it said about Jesus Christ here. Right prior to his temptation. Verse 16. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him, verse 17, and, lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. So out of obedience he was baptized, God was very pleased with him, and read chapter 4, verse 1. What's the first word? Then, in the midst of his obedience and having God pleased with him, then was Jesus led up by the Spirit and wanted us to be tempted of the devil. So he's right in the middle of the will of God and he was still tempted of the devil. So it's not a flexion of your spirituality and does not mean you're out of the will of God when you're tempted. So I would like to talk about four things we can learn from the temptation of Jesus Christ. First of all, number one, the timing. the timing of temptation. And go back to Luke, please. Back to Luke. The temptation will come at your weakest time. Temptation will come at your weakest time. Notice here, Jesus was hungry due to the lack of eating. In fact, how long did he go without food? He went 40 days. I don't know about you, if I miss one meal, I'm hungry. But 40 days, it says there in verse 2, being 40 days tempted the devil, in those days he did eat nothing. And when they were ended, afterward he hungered. My friend, that probably is an understatement. 40 days without eating, I'm sure he was very hungry. And it was during that time the devil tempted him at his weakest time. And so, in fact, Matthew says, and when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, after he hungered. How true that was. By the way, Satan has ways of finding your weakness. What is your weakness? What area are you most vulnerable in? So let us find out. If you would hold your finger right here in Luke, chapter 4. Go to Luke 22, please. Satan has ways of finding your weakness. The area that you struggle with the most. In Luke chapter 22, he has a conversation, Jesus, to Peter about Satan. Someone once said, temptation, discover what we are. Temptation, discover what kind of person you are. And so if that was true of Peter, it's true of us. Only three people know your weak area. You do, God does, and by the way, Satan does. How does he find out? I'm glad you asked. Look here in 22 verse 31. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I pray for thee that thy faith fail not. Notice here, Jesus being God, knowing the hearts of all men, even that of Satan. He knows his desires. And Satan desired to have Peter. and to sift him his wheat. What does that mean, to sift his wheat? That was the devil's way of finding Peter's weakest part. Back in the Bible days, a farmer who raised a crop of wheat would take the wheat up to a mountain or a hill where a lot of wind was, a threshing floor, which is rock, and take the wheat and throw it in the wind. The wind would come along and separate the chaff, the worthless part, from the grain, the good part. He'd do it over and over again until all the chaff was gone away and the only thing left is the good part. Here it says Satan desired to have Peter to sift him his wheat. What was he doing? He brought temptation, different kinds, to find out his weakest areas. He brought temptation in this area, temptation in this area, until he found his weakest part. And by the way, he found it, did he not? Notice Peter was overconfident. The Lord says, you're going to deny me. He said, never will I deny you. In fact, I'll die for you. He said, before the cock crows, you'll deny me three times. So Satan found his weak area, and he failed and failed miserably, though he did come back to the Lord. But notice he has resolved that. of Satan's desire to sift you as wheat, the Lord said, but I'm praying for you. How many grateful the Lord prays for us? He prays that I'm praying for you, that your faith fail not. But basically, temptation comes at your weakest time, and Satan will find what your weak area is and bring at that time. The next thing, temptation will come at your most vulnerable time. Not only your weakest time, but your most vulnerable time. What is a believer's most vulnerable time of temptation? When is he most vulnerable and when is he most susceptible to fall into sin? Let me give you three times. And please don't miss this. This would be worth every dime you paid to get here today. We're going to look at three different times you're most vulnerable to fall into sin, to be tempted of the devil. The first one is when you have a lot of free time and have nothing to do. when you have a lot of free time with nothing to do. For example, King David. Go with me now. Keep your finger on Luke. Go with me to 2 Samuel, chapter 11, please. 2 Samuel, page 1493. When you have a lot of free time with nothing to do, that's when you're most vulnerable to temptation. It's interesting. I heard the other day, just on the news, that there's some schools in America trying to go to a four-day school week. At the same time, I heard there's many companies going to a four-day work week. I'm sure the students and those employees would like that. But you know, the Lord is one who said, six days you shall work by the sweat of your brow, and one day rest. Why did he say that? Because you know, when you have nothing to do, you're vulnerable to do something wrong. The students have that extra day, chances are they'll get into trouble. And so on. But basically, when you're most vulnerable is when you have a lot of free time with nothing to do. Go with me now, again to 2 Samuel, chapter 11, verse 1. Look what it says about David here. Verse 1. It came to pass after the year was expired. Notice here, at the time when kings, by the way David was a king, go forth to battle, but David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Amnon, and besieged Reba. But David tarried at Jerusalem. The time he should be going off to battle, as kings do, with his men, to fight the battle, to do the job he's supposed to do, what's he doing? He's hanging back to relax, or whatever reason, why he tarried in Jerusalem. But verse two, And it came to pass, during that time, and even in time, that David arose from off his bed, walked upon the roof of the king's house, and from the roof, excuse me, he saw a woman washing herself, and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired at the woman, And one said, is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Elam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers and took her and came in him and he what? Lay with her. And all because he had a time, had nothing to do. That's when he was tempted. So the time you're most vulnerable is when you have nothing to do. And the time you say, what am I gonna do today? I don't know, let's just think about it. Let's plan something. The devil has something for you to do. And so that's when you're most vulnerable. Number two, the second, by the way, you ever heard the term, an idle mind is the what? Devil's workshop, and how true that is. An idle mind, nothing new, I didn't have to think about, the devil gave me something to think about. And so number two, the second time you're most vulnerable, at the height of your career, at the height of your career, the example of Solomon. Go now to 1 Kings chapter 10. at the height of his career, when he had fame, fortune, great powers, when he was tempted and he fell. 1 Kings chapter 10, please, page 545. 1 Kings chapter 10, verse 1. Notice here, here's an outsider, another person of great authority, heard about Solomon and his great wisdom. And her name was, basically she was the Queen of Sheba. Chapter 10, verse 1, excuse me. It said, when the Queen of Sheba heard the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. And Solomon told her all her questions, verse 3, told her all her questions. There was not anything hid from the king. which he told her not. Verse 4, And when the queen of Sheba had seen all of Solomon's wisdom, and the house which he had built, the meat at his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his assent by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no spirit in her. And she said to the king, it was true report that I heard of mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Verse seven. Howbeit, I believed not the words until I came and my eyes have seen it. And behold, the half was not told me thy wisdom and thy prosperity exceeded fame, which I heard. Skip down to verse 23, please. So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon to hear wisdom, which God had laid in his heart. So here he is with a great power, with a great fame and great fortune. And read the next chapter, chapter one, chapter 11, verse one, excuse me, chapter 11, verse one. Notice the first word, but. In the midst of his fame, fortune, and power, but King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Zidonians, and the Hittites, of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, You shall not go in unto them, neither shall they come unto you. For surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon claimed to these in love. Verse three. And he had 700 wives, princes, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart." My friend, how many believe that a man needs 700 wives? But in the midst of his fame, fortune, power, and now pleasure is when he fell. And so, right, when I'm most vulnerable at the height of your career. Number three, the third time you can be very most vulnerable, and this is most deceiving, after a great spiritual victory. After a great spiritual victory. Go to 1 Kings chapter 18, please. You ever heard of Elijah and Mount Carmel? We had a victory over all the prophets of Baal. First Kings chapter 18 verse 20. Here he gathers everybody together against a battle between the prophets of Baal. First Kings 18 verse 20. So we have sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. There was a battle, a contest between the prophets of Baal and Elijah. Remember, they both built altars and put sacrifices on it. And they were supposed to call fire down from heaven to devour it. And the prophets of Baal called all day long and nothing happened. Elijah said, okay, it's my turn. He called, God brought fire, devoured the sacrifice, and even the altar itself. In verse 40, look what happened as a result. And Elijah said unto them, take the prophets of Baal, let not one of them escape. And they took them, and Elijah brought them down to the brook of Kirshan and slew them there. As a result of this contest, all Israel began to say, Jehovah, he is God. Jehovah is God. They were worshiping and following Baal. Now they realize, because of the contest here, Jehovah is God. Now, at this great spiritual victory, what happened? Read chapter 19, verse 1. This is quite amazing. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done with all how he slain all the prophets with a sword. Then Jezebel sent a message unto Elijah saying, so let the gods do to me and more also if I make not thy life as one of them tomorrow at this time. Basically, threatens life. What'd he do? I think he would stand up strong and say, okay, come on. He fled. He ran. He went and hid in the wilderness and asked God to kill him. He was afraid. After a great spiritual victory is a time when you're most vulnerable. So those three times, when you have nothing to do, when you're at the height of your career, and then when you're at the height, basically have a great spiritual victory, when you're most vulnerable. That's number one. That's the timing. Number two, the types of temptation. The types of temptation. If you would please keep your finger in Luke. Go with me now to Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4. The Bible says Jesus was tempted like as we are. Jesus was tempted like as we are. In Hebrews chapter 4 page 1685 please. We saw the timing. at your weakest time, your most vulnerable time, now the types, the types of temptation. Hebrews 4.15, look what it says about our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 15, chapter four, it says, for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without what? Jesus Christ is our high priest, which we go to in the time of need for encouragement, for strength. But he understands. It says that he is touched by the feeling of our infirmities. Because it says he was, and listen carefully, in all points, tempted like as we are. Every point in which we're tempted, he was tempted. So the question is, what were the points, what were the types of his temptation? So if I can find where he was tempted, the type, I can find where I'm tempted. So there are three types of points of temptation. Let go of Hebrews, now go to 1 John. 1 John, keep your finger in Luke, we're coming back to that eventually. 1 John chapter two, page 1714. The Bible says Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are. And now we're gonna find out what these three points are. In 1 John 2, begin verse 15, we read this last week. 1 John 2, 15. Here John's speaking to the Christian, he says, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. But verse 16, here's the verse. For all that is in the world, notice here, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but of the world. The first type of temptation that Christ received, that you and I will receive, is the lust of the flesh. Go back now to Luke, please. We can see this in the temptation of Jesus. The lust of the flesh. Back to Luke chapter 4. in verse 3. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone to be made, what? Was that a legitimate temptation? My friend, he hadn't eaten for 40 days. And he wanted, basically, Jesus Christ wanted the father to provide all his needs. And he says, now, why don't you bypass your father and now go do it yourself? He said, if thou be. The word if can also be translated since. The devil knew exactly who he was. He wouldn't question his deity. But basically, since you're the son of God, why don't you turn this stone into bread? By the way, the lust of flesh is called sensualism. Sensualism. Sensualism is being inclined or preoccupied with the physical senses and appetites. No doubt, at that time, he was inclined to his physical need of food. Therefore, he was tempted. Sensualism, being inclined or preoccupied with the physical senses or appetites. The next type of temptation, the lust of the flesh, now the lust of the eyes. The lust of the eyes. Look in verse five, please, of Luke chapter four. And the devil taking him up to a high mountain, showed him, unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. Verse six. And the devil said unto him, all, boy, this man's excited about it, aren't they? All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them, for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. If thou, therefore, will worship me, all shall be thine." By the way, was all the kingdoms of the world Satan's to give? Yes, it was. Now, God gave the dominion of this earth to Adam and Eve. But when they fell, it was delivered unto Satan. And there he proclaims that, it's delivered unto me. Showed him all the kingdoms, said, it's yours. And the glory and the power is yours. You just fall down and worship me. This was the lust in the eyes. This is called materialism. Materialism is too much attention placed on physical objects that have no spiritual value. Materialism is too much attention placed on physical objects that have no spiritual value. So Christ was tempted by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and lastly, number three, the pride of life. The pride of life. Look in verse 9. Luke 4, verse 9. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence. For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. What's he saying? The pinnacle of the temple was about 450 feet high. And all the people around said, why don't you just throw yourself off? All people have seen that, and all of a sudden they see the angels come and deliver you up, and say, look how special you are, look how you're really something. God delivers, the angels deliver you. Pride of life. Someone said the pride of life is humanism. Humanism. Self-centered attention, self-exaltation. Self-centered attention, self-exaltation. One of my favorite preachers was a man by the name of Curtis Hudson. He's in heaven today. He was the editor of the Soul Lord. He said this, that the lust of the flesh is the consuming desire to do. The lust of the eyes, the compelling urge to have. And the pride of life, the constant thrust to be. Every temptation you receive, my friend, will fall in one of these three categories. Either something you do, something you want to have, or something you want to be. So next time you're tempted, think about that. Is it lust of the flesh? Is it lust of my eyes or pride of my life? Every temptation Christ received, the same type you will receive. And the Bible says, by the way, also Satan tempted Eve with the same three. In the Garden of Eden, Jesus, excuse me, Satan tempted Eve with the same three temptations. Look on the screen there, notice the verse there. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, the lust of the flesh, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, the lust of the eyes, and that the tree desired to make one wise, the pride of life, she took the fruit thereof and did eat. So Satan tempted her with the same three points and she failed. Satan tempted Christ, same three points, and he prevailed. And by the way, again, every temptation you receive will fall on these same three points. We saw the timing, the types. Number three, now the tools. The tools to use against temptation. When we're tempted, we have a tool we can use to prevail. Jesus used scripture to resist Satan. Jesus used scripture to resist Satan. In Luke chapter four, verse four, After the temptation, Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but every word of God. Verse 8. The second temptation, he responded by saying, Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, for it is written. He quotes another scripture. Verse 12. The third temptation, Jesus responded by saying, Jesus answered and said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. So every temptation Christ resisted, what did he resist with? The word of God. Now think about this. Why did he use the word of God? By the way, he is God. Anything he said would have been the word of God. But he quoted from the Old Testament. And the Bible says we too are to resist the devil. Look on the screen, there's a verse many of you know already. James 4 verse 7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. What's next to say? Resist the devil and he will flee. How do we resist the devil? The same way Christ did by the word of God. Go with me now, keep your finger there in Luke. Go with me now to 1 Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter 5 please. Page 1708. Here it talks about Satan and we're told to resist. 1 Peter 5 verse 8. Jesus used scripture to resist Satan. The Bible says we are to resist the devil and do it with the word of God. 1 Peter 5 verse 8. Peter says to the believer, be sober, be vigilant. Why? Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may what? Devour, it means control. But look at verse 9. Whom? I'm talking about Satan, the devil. Resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. So the same way Jesus resisted Satan, we are to do so. Why? The Bible says scripture is the sword of the Spirit. Scripture is the sword of the spirit. We learned about this when we did a study on the whole armor of God, Ephesians 6, 17, and take the sword of the spirit, which is what? The word of God. Of the armor of God, there are six pieces. Five are defensive, one is offensive. The offensive weapon is the scripture, the word of God, the sword of the spirit. The word of God is powerful. The Word of God is powerful, Hebrews 4.12, for the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It's not only powerful, the Word of God is our weapon in spiritual warfare. The Word of God is our weapon in spiritual warfare. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, means not physical, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Our enemy is spiritual, our weapon is spiritual. You cannot defeat Satan with a club or a knife or a gun. He is spiritual. What you use is a spiritual weapon, the word of God. Now I asked this before, why did Jesus quote scripture? Why did he quote the Word of God? Because anything he said would have been the Word of God. Why did he do that? Let me give you two quick reasons as an example for you and I. As an example for believers. He quoted Scripture, though anything he said would have been the Word of God, because he's God. He quoted from the Old Testament as an example for you and I. So when you're tempted, use Scripture. But also, I love this part, to show the authority of the Old Testament. To show the authority of the Old Testament. What do you mean, Pastor? There are many churches, many pastors, many Christians that say there's no value of the Old Testament. Other than history and given a historical viewpoint of what happened, it has no value. My friend, that's not true. Satan would love nothing better than not to use the Old Testament. Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. He used that to resist Satan. So it has great authority and great power, the Old Testament. Next. We saw the timing. We saw the types. We saw the tools, and lastly, let's look at the tirelessness of the tempter. The tirelessness of the tempter was his determination to get people to fall. Go back to Luke, please. Chapter 4, the very last verse, because we're just about done, verse 13. Luke 4.13. It said, when the devil had ended all temptations, He departed from him, those last three words, for a season. In other words, he's coming back. The word season means to another opportune time. Satan's temptation for Christ did not end in the wilderness, but persisted throughout his ministry. Satan's temptation did not end in the wilderness, but it persisted throughout his ministry. What does that mean? Christian, you may win today's battle, but the war is not over. You may be successful today against temptation, but the devil is coming back. The Bible says resist the devil and he'll flee, but all I can put beside that, but he's coming back. He's coming back. He will tempt you again. And so as for a season, But let's conclude our message talking a moment about the tempter, about the devil himself. We're going to talk about the tempter's main objective in this world. Of all the things Satan wants to do, desire of this world, what is his main goal? What is his main objective? I'm glad you asked. To blind the minds of the unbeliever. To blind the minds of the unbeliever. Turn with me to one more book, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, please. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, page 16, 26. Let go of Luke, we're not coming back there. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. The devil's number one goal is to blind the minds of the unbeliever. Look what it says here in chapter 4, verse 4. It says, and whom the God of this world, who's the God of this world? Satan is. Whom the God of this world hath blinded the what? It didn't say in the eyes. The minds, their understanding. Of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who's the image of God, should shine into them. How does Satan blind people's minds? by lies. We saw last week, Satan is a liar and the father of it. And the most effective lie that Satan used today, that's believed by so many churches and religions today, that salvation is by good works. That you can gain God's salvation through your works, you can merit His favor, you can earn His forgiveness by the things you do. Every other religion in the world today teaches salvation by works. They teach, they say salvation, they say you must do. Christianity says it's all done. The work of salvation was finished at the cross. But Satan lies to people, even Christian religions. Much like Jehovah Witness, the Mormons believe you have to work your way to heaven. Because they believe the lie, he blinds their minds to the truth of the gospel. That's his goal in the life of the unbeliever, but what about the believer? Next, to corrupt the minds of the believer. To corrupt the minds of the believer. You're still in 2 Corinthians? Go to chapter 11 now, please. Chapter 11, in verse 3. Here Paul is speaking to the believers in the church of Corinth. And look what he says to them. 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 3. His goal in the life of the unbelievers is to blind them to the truth of the gospel, but also here, to corrupt the minds of the Christian, the believer. Chapter 11, verse 3, Paul had a tremendous concern, he called it a fear here, but I fear less by any means as the serpent, by the way, who's the serpent? Satan. Beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so you're, here it is again, your mind, your understanding should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Read the next verse. For he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached. Or if you receive another spirit, which we have not received, or another what? Gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him. Look at him please. Here's how deceitful, subtle Satan is. He has Christian religions that preach Jesus, but not Jesus of the Bible. They preach about a spirit, but not the Holy Spirit. They preach a gospel, but not the gospel of grace. And it goes on to say that you might bear well with them. In other words, they begin to tolerate false teachers and false teaching because their minds are corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. As a church, one thing we have stood for, and done so over the last 40-something years, to stand for the purity and the clarity of the gospel. The purity keeping any works or merit of man out of the gospel of grace. But also, not only the purity, but the clarity, to preach it simple and clear that all may understand. But listen to me, please. I've seen many people, by the way, most of you know this already. You've been in this church long enough, you know the purity, you know the clarity. How we use certain words when we give the gospel, and how we refrain from certain words, because it muddies up the message. But there's people that are set right where you're at today, when this church for many years, who've left the church to go to another church because of some program they have for the youth, for music, or for men, and though the church preaches a false gospel, unclear gospel. And they go there, they're put up with a false gospel, they have some kind of program. My friend, Satan's successful in their lives. And basically, it cropped their minds that they might bear well with them. So let me say this to you, please. If you ever leave First Baptist Church, if you know the gospel is pure and clear, don't compromise it. whether you go to another church here or some other state. Find a church that preaches a pure gospel, a clear gospel. But so many have known the truth and go somewhere, well, they have something for my young people. I want them to go there. It has a false gospel, because it has a good program. Don't allow Satan to beguile your minds from the simplicity that is in Christ. So let's close. We've looked at four things. You can close your Bibles, please, and look up here. We've looked at the timing of temptation. The timing is your weakest time and your most vulnerable time. We saw the types of temptation, three of them. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Then we saw the tools of temptation. To fight against temptation is the word of God. Then we saw the tirelessness of the tempter. He will never give up. He will never quit until you fall into sin. Today, my message was for the believer, to those of you that know Christ as Savior. But you know, maybe by chance here today, and you're not certain Heaven's your home. So look up here, please. We're going to close, wrap it up. It's time to stop. Maybe you're one of the ones that Satan is blinded to the message of the gospel. In other words, if you're here today and you have the philosophy about heaven and salvation, that good people go to heaven, bad people go to hell, and you try to be good and earn God's favor by your works, my friend, you've been blinded to the truth. Salvation is not a reward, salvation is a gift. You don't earn it, you don't merit it, it's given to you freely. Salvation comes by receiving what Christ has done for us. But chances are, in a room this size, there's somebody that has the idea that, I think I got to be good. They think that their salvation is based upon their behavior, their conduct. It's how I live and how I act. That's what will get me to heaven. My friend, that's a lie. Salvation is not by works. Titus 25, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Ephesians 2.8.9, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift from God, not of works, lest He mention both. So if you're here today and you never trusted Christ, I encourage you to do that. If you're here today and you are saved, don't allow Satan to beguile your minds from the simplicity that is in Christ. Let's bow together, please. As our heads are bowed and eyes are closed, could it be that by chance you're one of the ones that Satan has deceived, thinking your thoughts that you have to be good to go to heaven, and you're trying to earn God's favor by some work or some merit you do in your life? My friend, you need to quit trying and start trusting. Quit doing and rely upon what's been done. My friend, Jesus Christ died for you on the cross. He paid for your sin, he was buried and rose again. All the work required of you, he accomplished at the cross. The payment required for your sin, he completed when he died for you. And he offers you eternal life as a free gift. Your part is to believe, your part's to receive. Receive Christ as your savior, and he'll forgive you and heaven become your home. If you have never done that before, why not do it right now? Why not trust Jesus to be your savior? You say, pastor, that makes sense. I always thought I had to be good to go to heaven. But I realized from God's word that is not true. So I want to trust Christ to be my savior. How do I do that? Talk to God. In your own thoughts, maybe just say something like this. Say, dear God of heaven, I admit that I'm a sinner. And because I've sinned, I've earned. I deserve your judgment. But God, I believe that your son, Jesus, was judged in my place. The punishment that I deserve, he took upon himself. And there on the cross, he suffered and bled and died for me, was buried and he rose again. And right here today, realizing I cannot save myself, I'm trusting Christ to save me, to forgive me, and to give me eternal life. I'm trusting Christ, my Savior, right here today. As Hezbollah and I so close, my friend, did you pray that prayer? Did you trust Christ to be your savior? If you did, according to the Bible, heaven's now your home. God saves you the moment you do that. But I'd like to know if anyone did that today. So if today's the first time you understood that and you trusted Christ by that prayer, you did place your dependence upon Christ to save you, I'd like to pray for you. I'd like to know that, so I include you in my closing prayer. Let me explain to you, my prayer doesn't save you. And one moment I ask you to raise your hand to indicate that you did that so I can know who did that. Raising your hand doesn't save you. It's your faith in Christ that saves you. But if you did that today, and would allow me to pray for you as heads are bowed and eyes are closed, no one to be put on the spot or embarrassed, wouldn't you simply raise your hand so I can pray for you this morning? And wouldn't it all, pastor, here's my hand, I trust in Christ, would you pray for me today? Here's my hand, indicate that I understood that and I trust in Christ. Wouldn't it all? Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. I hope that means that someone raised their hand. Everyone here has already made that decision to trust Christ as Savior. Heaven's our home. But Father, help us realize from God's Word what we need to be victorious over temptation. We can learn from Christ now. He resisted through the Word of God. Help us, Father, realize what our weapon is, God's Word, and use it every time we're tempted. For this is in Jesus' name, amen.