The Temptations of the Righteous — David Wilkerson

Arch pulpit series. It was recorded in the sanctuary of Times Square Church in Manhattan, New York City. Other tapes are available by writing world challenge P. O. Box two six zero Lindale, Texas 75771 or calling nine zero three nine six three eight six two six.

None of these messages are copyrighted and you are welcome to make copies for free distribution to friends. I want to talk to you this afternoon about the temptations of the righteous. Are you righteous?

Jesus Is Tempted in the Wilderness

In Christ you can say yes, I am in Christ Jesus. I am righteous then you're going to be tempted. Matthew 4, please Matthew 4. Let's start in Matthew the third chapter. Verse 16 and 17 and then we'll go on to chapter 4 verse 1.

And Jesus when he was baptized went up straight way out of the water. And though the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And lo a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved son.

And whom I'm well pleased. Then was Jesus led of what the Spirit. Say it the Spirit. Into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Let's go on and when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights. He was afterward a hungered the tempter came to him and said if thou be the Son of God.

Command that these stones be made bread. Now, this is very familiar. But let's just clean ourselves with it again, and he answered and said it's written man. Shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.

And the devil took him up to the holy city and set him on pinnacle of the temple. Said to him if you be the Son of God cast yourself down. It's written. He will give his angels charge concerning thee in their hands.

They shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against the stone. Jesus said to him it's written again. Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God. Then the devil taking him up in exceeding high mountains showed him all the kingdoms of the world in the glory of them.

He said to him all these things will I give you? You just fall down and worship me then says Jesus unto him get hence Satan for it's written. Thou shall worship the Lord thy God in him only shall thou serve.

Then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him heavenly Father. We thank you for your living word. I Must have your touch on my hand and my heart my lips my mouth. I've got to have unction from heaven or these words fall right in front of me to the ground.

Holy Spirit lay hold of my body take control of my mind. I yield to thee you Lord. You have sanctified me now sanctify your word. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit is wanting to say to us Lord. You spoke to us this past week very powerfully and Lord This is along those very same lines but you begin to open this Lord ever increasing as we go in the days ahead until We see it fully and understand it and we lay hold of it as truth that changes our lives in Jesus name.

Amen. Now in Matthew 16 17 here we see Jesus being baptized. He comes out of the water and the dove descends upon him and then we hear these words. This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased and then the very next scene Jesus is taken into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Bible says that Jesus said as he is in the world. So are we? The Bible says also that he was tempted in all points just as we are. So if he was tempted in all points This temptation these temptations of Christ have to do with us that we're all tempted in different ways they fallen somehow.

You you will get the kernel of every one of these temptations and every temptation that you and I face today. Who are these that go into temptation? Cold lukewarm Christians living in gross sin. No, no.

No the Bible says This one who goes into temptation is the beloved. This is the one who? Hears the holy walking in the Spirit the Spirit has come upon us and You hear this is well done. This is my beloved one and whom I'm well pleased.

If God is so well pleased and the Holy Spirit has come and manifested himself to the whole world that this is my beloved this Servant of mine has been chosen and blessed. Why then directly into a wilderness?

Experienced to be tempted of the devil the more spiritual you become the more intense your battles will become. I Was going to call this the the temptations of the spiritual man the same thing the righteous man the more intense it will be.

It will be the Spirit of God who leads you into your dry wilderness. But it's only the devil who does the tempting. The scripture makes it very clear that no man say when he's tempted I'm tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil.

The Temptations of the Spiritual and Righteous

Neither tempted he any man. I pictured Jesus when he's led to the mountaintop looking down at all of those masses in Jerusalem and Thinking of their temptation and looking at their temptations and they're all on a gross level.

Adultery fornication gambling stealing rape murder. See, they're living on a lower plane. The Lord is not going to be tempted on that plane. He's not going to be tempted by the lower nature. Not gonna be tempted by lust because of his spirituality because of the plane that he is on because he is righteous and beloved and Chosen his temptation is going to be far more profound far more mysterious.

They're going to be far more intense Than all of those who are tempted in the grosser sins of life. Those who are spiritual you're not going to find a spiritual man going to a nearest bar and going in and getting drunk.

He's not tempted by that gross in a Spiritual man will not go to a motel and get a key and take a harlot into a room to fornicate. It's not a temptation to him. That's gross. You could not even Suggest to him in any way to curse.

He would think it insanity to take a drug like cocaine or anything else. Those are the gross sins of the world. Those are not the temptations that come upon the spiritual man or woman. When I say man, I mean woman, too.

I'm talking about manhood. You draw close to the Lord. You put aside all your fleshly desires and you make him the Lord of your life. You begin to seek him. You begin to call on his name Lord, I want to go deeper.

I want to know you. I want to walk closer than I've ever walked before in your life. And you're going to be led by the Spirit of God into a dry wilderness. It comes all the time. Every time I've made a new commitment.

I end up in a wilderness. You say well, you're scaring me about making a new commitment. Oh. No, no, no because of the benefits and the glory that comes out of this experience. No, no, no. Your temptations are going to come to you in a more profound mysterious way.

You're not going to experience that you're going to experience temptations that the lukewarm Christian doesn't even know about has never experienced. Your temptations are going to replicate the kind that Jesus endured.

It's going to be Satan trying to do everything in his power to get you away from God's call God's anointing and God's eternal purposes for your life. It has to do with eternal things. It doesn't have to do with the flesh.

It has to do with the spirit and and your purpose your call the reason you're here Serving the Lord and the very reason that you're seeking God with all your heart. That is the area in which you will be tried so after 40 days and 40 nights Jesus got hungry.

Now. There's no sin in getting hungry. He's a human. He's a man as well as God. But he's being tempted now as a man. God's not under trial. God's not being tempted. God can't be tempted. It is the manhood of Christ being tempted.

He's being tempted in the same nature as you and I the human nature. Keep that in mind. Otherwise this testimony or these trials don't relate to me. I couldn't relate to it. If it's God being going through it because he has all power.

He has all authority. He can say the word and it's over. I Relate to it because he entered this temptation as a man. And that's why he can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. That's why he knows exactly what you're going through.

He's been there done that if you're the son of man. Command that these stones be made bread. Now folks what's the issue here and how the world does that relate to you and me and our struggles. The challenge from Satan is this if you really are of God.

You have power. You've got the power of your father in you now, you know, your father is divine love. He doesn't want his children to suffer. Now. You didn't do anything to get into this mess you're here and the father has allowed me to get to you now.

Wouldn't you believe? Jesus this is the devil speaking. Wouldn't you believe that? He's a good God. If I were your father, I wouldn't let you go hungry. I wouldn't let these pains grip you. Use your power.

And turn this bread into into this stone into bread in other words meet your own need first. It's there's nothing wrong with that if you use this power. This is what God wants you to do. He's given you this power to use it when you're suffering.

That's the only reason God gives you power so that you can speak the word and command yourself out of your problem. And what he's saying command yourself out of this. This is a profound insidious temptation to all truly spiritual people who walk with God.

When God leads us into wilderness experiences and you're allowed to go through bouts of despair. Such as David described. You come out of the waters of coldness and lukewarmness and you've set your heart to seek God and then you find Yourself in this place suddenly in the midst of an unexplainable thing.

That's come upon you where David said I have sorrow daily in my heart. It's unexplainable folks when you come into the kind of thing we're talking about this spiritual despair. You can't explain it to anybody.

You don't know where it came from we know it comes that God has allowed this. God has led us into the place and God has it has a tremendous purpose in at all. We'll see that we've heard it preached. Well this week and we'll see a little a glimpse of More of what he's saying here.

Sudden you're in the midst of this bout of despair. You see the Holy Spirit led David into The wilderness experience and he became so discouraged. He thought the whole world had gone mad. You see when you get down you think everything's falling apart.

Everybody feels like I feel David said all godly men have ceased all the faithful have failed. He's so down he thinks the world's gone mad. He said everybody speaks vanity now everybody's double-minded.

That's his attitude though. He just down and folks it can cloud your vision of the whole world and the eternal purposes of God. David's in the midst of a long period of distress. I've always believed if it goes away in one or two days.

It's just something you ate. It's flesh. It's not a spiritual battle at all spiritual battles gonna linger. It's gonna be there. This was 40 days and 40 nights. David in this long time of Testing and in Psalm 13 11, he cries out.

How long will you forget me forever? How long four times in one verse how long are you going to hide your face from me Lord? How long shall I take counsel in my soul? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

How long how long how long how long how why should I take counsel my soul? No Lord, I can't figure this out. Are you gonna let me alone and try to figure this out? Take counsel in my own soul. Psalm 35.

David prays let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devised my hurt and Let the angel the Lord persecute them. He's talking about the powers of darkness. For without a cause they've hid for me their net in a pit.

He's in a pit and he said there's a net here. There's a hidden trap and the devil has said it for without cause. They the powers of darkness have digged from my soul a net a trap in a pit of despair. Now, what is this trap and folks?

Despair, Accusation, and the Trap of Distrusting God

I want you to listen very closely because if you bite on This if you if you're not aware of this and what the Holy Ghost to make you aware. That when you're in despair be very very careful. Be very careful that you don't accuse God of abandoning you David.

David even accused God of not hearing his prayers anymore. You see the enemy is going to come to you and say You don't have to do go through this. This is not of God. Of course, the devil tries to destroy the saints of God.

He's being tempted by the devil the scripture says but he was led by the Spirit into the battlefield. You see the devil is trying to get him to act independent of his father. Jesus said I do nothing except what my father commands me to do and he's asking him to break off from That dependency in his heavenly father because if he can get him to break this now he can get him to command himself off the cross.

The second design of Satan hears that he hoped that God would not honor his cry for bread. If he did use the power. He was hoping for a power failure. God was not going to answer this kind of prayer because that would have aborted the whole eternal plan of God.

But you see the enemy is saying command yourself out of this situation. Now speak the word. Just speak the word. And there are multitudes of Christian today, but one time we're real God seekers. They were anointed they prayed they fasted they were drawn close to the Lord and they were led into this wilderness of need and despair and there was suffering and there was pain and They're tempted at this point.

To try to get themselves out by their own power in from. They're saying look I'm tired of financial problems. I'm tired of the pain that I'm going through. I'm tired of my prayers not being answered. And if God has given me power and I have his word in my heart I'm going to exert that power.

And I'm going to speak my way out of this now. I can't go on any further. I can't endure it anymore. They're trying to abort God's design. To use that trial to produce total dependence on him and Also to produce a compassion for other people who are going through the same things.

So that you come out of this with compassion and you come out of it without Legalism without judgment and you come through and say well, I've been through it. I can help somebody now but you see When you say I'm going to command myself out of this I'm going to take the Word of God and I'm I'm just going to get myself out of this mess and You see people today in Financial problems and they hear pastor or they hear evangelist come and said just speak your way out say a word money come to me.

Folks that's the message everywhere now. They there's a song money come to me and you go like this money come to me come to me. And you see many of these people once had the true power of God. They were anointed they were hungry, but somewhere along the line they got tired of the battle.

They got tired of the seeking God they got tired of what they thought were unanswered prayer. And as I'm going to speak my way out of this, I'm gonna hold up a promise and I'm going to end this so they say money no more bills.

Now listen to me closely when God does not validate that promise when God doesn't validate that perverted power misused power. Then they start maxing out their credit cards. They get in debt. They buy that new car.

They'll put money down on a house that they know they don't have a chance in Iceland to pay for it whatever that means and then they say look how God's blessing me. Look what came to me? It didn't come to them at all it came to the bank.

It's on their credit cards and folks that stuff crashes in a little while it all piles up. And there's a payday and they can't pay the bills and suddenly bankruptcy. And then they turn against God and they get bitter and now you see power breakdowns all over the nation around the world.

Today their power didn't work because God will not validate Covetousness. Jesus said it's written man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God in other words devil.

My coming to earth is not about my needs not my physical comfort not my own hurts. The full revelation of why I am here is to give And not save myself. Jesus says it's written that I am his son and I'm going to learn obedience by the things which I suffer.

Now we'll suffer temptation to be able to comfort and succor those who are going to need help. That's Hebrews 5 8 and Hebrews 2 18 if you're in a hard place now. The Lord has you there to teach your submission and full dependence on him.

That he's trying to achieve a purpose in your life. So that you're not trusting any man. You're not trusting your own power or ability. We've said that over and over again, but more than that that you can come down out of this temptation.

Down to meet human need with the compassion that you've never had before that out of your hurt. God will create in you a compassion for hurting lost people and the only people I know that have the true compassion of Jesus Christ are those who've suffered those who've been through the battle.

They've been battle-scarred who like Paul said I have the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ on my body I have I've been marked. Then Satan takes Jesus to the roof of the temple the highest point and says at the pinnacle.

Testing God Through Isolated Promises

He says jump. Jump. In other words if you're really the Son of God He's going to send an angel and give you a soft landing. Because the scripture says and I he's giving the Lord a promise. He said the Bible promises you Jesus your word promises you that The age of the Lord is going to camp around about you.

And no danger can befall you because you're not even going to dash your foot against the stone. Now I want you to see how devious this is. He's asking Jesus To cast his whole life and jump in listen to it to one specific promise.

Take one promise like the woman did in this church. Who came to me and said brother Dave I am so disappointed I hear what you're preaching from the pulpit, but I've had such great financial need for so long and I Put my whole trust and confidence in Malachi 310.

Well a man robbed God. You know that Scripture bring all the ties in the storehouse that there may be meat in my house. And prove me now in this way said the Lord of hosts if I'll not open the windows of heaven.

Pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. She cast herself down from the temple. She cast herself on one specific promise. This is what the devil was trying to do ignore the whole Word of God ignore all the commandments of God.

Ignore all of those things that God Desires of us in knowing and understand the whole counsel of God. And cast yourself a one specific problem. She did that. She said I've paid my tithes regularly and I gave offerings and I'm still in need and my need hasn't been met.

And she was angry you see. She didn't Understand that there is a a heart condition that goes with that promise that God has commanded. That we not covet. There was a spirit of covetousness in here and the Bible said if they are Disobedient the Bible says in 2nd Chronicles 626 because they sinned against me and were disobedient.

I shut the windows of heaven. I Shut them up. Because you see there's a commandment that goes with it and some of you right now when you're in it you say God has made me a promise and you try to lay hold of one promise, but you don't search your heart.

Is there some wicked way in me Lord? Is there something now that would hinder this promise from being fulfilled in my heart? Psalm 42 10 David cried my enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me.

Where is your God? And then David added these words to his cry lighten my eyes. Oh Lord. In other words, give me evidence that you're with me. That's my enemies say I prevailed against him. And those that trouble me rejoice over me and here's the taunt from the devil and listen closely, please.

The devil come to you say look at you and this is what he he's trying to say. Did he look at you? One. Let me talk about David first. The devil taunted David this way look you're you're a Man after God's own heart according to God's own testimony.

You're one who prays three times a day morning night and noon. You're the one that's overcome with thirst and like a deer panting for water. There's no cause whatsoever for what you're going through. You've not sinned you've not done anything there's no cause for this whatsoever.

God's let you descend down into a pit of despair. You're cast down. You don't even know why. You've testified the world that God is faithful. And here you are spiritually dry you're being tempted you're in sorrow daily, where's God in all of this.

You've got to have proof that God's with you. You've got to have some kind of proof now jump off and if God saves you, you'll know that he's with you. And if he doesn't save you. Why live in despair might as well die.

Anyhow, you see the device of the enemy. I know what David. That's speaking Christ, but in David's mind the battle that he went through. Because What David went through is common to all men according to Scripture when you find yourself in a struggle that you don't understand and God seems to be silent.

Then this Christ how long how long it God are you reading with me? Are you with me? Jesus said to the devil man shall live by every word not by bread alone. But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Do you understand that all false doctrine all error all cults come from someone casting themselves? Upon one simple promise or one simple doctrine. They cast their whole life everything on to that one doctrine isolated from the rest of the scripture completely and then of course we come to this second temptation that I Know that I've been through and tested on a number of times of very severely ten times Israel provoked and tested and proved God.

Standing on the Whole Counsel of God

I Don't want to tell you something. God could prove himself to you if if you're going to live in the flesh and not in the Spirit and trust the Holy Spirit and what he's doing in your life God could. God could prove to you ten times.

You still wouldn't believe him. Because we're just like the children of Israel were bent on backsliding Children of Israel after ten times said is God among us or not and God called that tempting him.

Folks when you're going some of you came in this church today and you're going through the battle of your life. You're going through a struggle. Terrible terrible struggle and maybe it's lasted for weeks and maybe even for months and you're saying my prayers are not being answered and you're saying Where is God.

And the enemy is going to come to you and you're going to say you have got to have proof. In fact, I heard Somebody who was in a form of ministry in so many words was saying look I have been faithful to the Lord.

I paid my tithes have done all of these things and my prayers are not being answered and I can't bear this any longer and There's been a challenge to God. God you do something. You've got to give me a token of good.

You have got to give me a sign. You've got to give me a blessing somewhere just so I know you're with me. You've got to give me something. You've got you just give me something now now folks. The Lord said bring forth your strong reasons.

He's a patient God. He understands that. But if you're just trying to prove God and not stand on his word and ignore all the testimony of history your own testimony the whole Bible full of promises of his faithfulness and Overlook all God's past faithfulness to you.

Ignore the times that he's proven himself to you over and over again that he was with you here. You are after all these years or months and God has proven himself faithful to you. He's proven himself over and over and over again He said there comes a time after ten times.

He told Israel no more. He said you're tempting me now this whole body of evidence is the only proof we need.

This called standing on the word.

I mean believing what he said then. Finally Jesus has taken to an exceeding high mountain. He's shown the kingdoms of this world. Satan makes this offer all this. I'm going to give you if you just fall down and worship me a Single act of worship now at first glance this this offer seems so outlandish so ridiculous.

How could it be considered a temptation. Not even a coldest sinner in America the world would take up this offer. Nobody going to take this. What what is this all about. Because these test of these temptations relate to us.

He's going through a temptation that are common to all flesh. Did Satan really believe in the slightest that Jesus would be tempted by this offer. Now believe it or not. This is a very powerful enticing offer.

Folks, you've got we've got to understand what the devil is saying to Jesus at this point. He's challenging the Lord. He said you've been called to lay your life down for a lost world. You've come to save prisoners that I have captivated.

It's written of you that you've come To undo heavy burns that I've placed upon people. And you've come to heal those that I've possessed. You've come to deliver by your spirit those that are going through my temptations.

Here's the incredible insidious offer from hell. Since you're going to die anyhow. Folks want you to see this you're going to die. Anyhow, you're going to go to cross you're going to die. If you'll bow down to me in a single act of worship I'll quit the fight.

I Won't tempt anybody else. I'll not possess anybody else. You see I'm going to give you my power my glory. You've come to save the world. Now he's a man. He's not being tempted as God and all of his lifetime up to this point.

He knows he's going to die. He's preparing his heart has been set on redeeming the world. You remember what Paul said. I Wish I wouldn't even be accursed from Christ for the salvation of my kinsmen my brethren.

And this is what the devil saying to Jesus. I'll give up my power. I'll quit fighting. There'll be no more slavery to sin. No more demonic possession. No more enticing by my principalities and powers.

I'll call off my hounds from hell. I'll give up my reign all my glory. If you will just do one thing bow down. What act the world will be free. And if you're going to be a sacrifice. Why don't you make the supreme sacrifice?

Why don't you take hell for the sake of all others on earth to be delivered from it. You die and go to hell. You'll be accursed from your father. Let yourself be the accursed one for the sake of the church and my glory I'll surrender to you.

You say well now, how could that possibly relate to us today? None of this seems common to us. But it is yes it is. You see Satan's out to save his own skin. Because he knows You See he knows the father knows his tricks.

He knows the father knows this strategy. He know the father's on to the devil. He knew it, but Jesus being tempted as a man now. Not in his omniscience or in omnipotence. It's a man a man of compassion and he's playing on that compassion.

Folks if Jesus didn't have to be tested if he didn't have thoughts. If he if this didn't come as an enticement, then it was not a temptation that relates to humankind at all. It had to be a battle. When Jesus Hears this in his compassion.

No more demonics. Cutting and crying over the cutting their bodies and crying over the mountains no more alcoholics laying on the streets a World free from demonic oppression. For one act, of course, you know, the devil's a liar if the Lord ever Did that he'd just laugh at him.

He's a liar, but you see. He's so frightened of the shed blood. He was trying to save his own existence. Because he knows the moment Jesus denies this he's gone. He's finished. Even before the cross it's all over.

He knows his destiny has been sealed. You see if you don't understand that Jesus endured all of this as a man. Just like you and me with our feelings. Yet without sin. You can't understand the depths of it.

Applying Christ's Temptations to Christian Struggles

Thank you. Where do I fit in as a Christian president? Where do we fit in? Well, first of all Satan is Intelligent enough to know that we're not going to bite on that. He knows you and I'll never fall down and worship him not for a moment.

But he comes to us the Bible said with accusations and threats. Accuses us not only the heaven the father but accuses you at your lowest point in the pits of despair. He comes that's where the trap is and he'll he'll say look.

You don't have to worship me because I already have a foothold in your life. I already have your Adamic nature and I'm going to control that Adamic nature that's called indwelling sin but I'm going to control that and Just when you think you have the victory he said I don't care how many scriptures you read.

I don't care what you claim about the power of the blood. I don't care how many covenant promises you you claim you can claim that you're delivered. But when you least expect it, even when you have been free for a year or two from your lust.

He says, you know, I know all about you from childhood. I know your evil tendencies. I know your inherited nature. I know your weaknesses and for your lifetime. I've been nurturing those weaknesses and I know where your point of weaknesses and I'm going to come at you and I'm going to surprise you time and time again you don't have to worship me already at my foothold in your nature and Just what you think you have arrived just when you think I am free surprise.

I'm gonna bring it up again. I'm gonna bring the temptation right back up again. I've talked to minister the gospel who were free for years and in a moment of great blessing and anointing an old thought an old lust evil thoughts fear of man.

Things that they were delivered from the enemy would try to bring up and scare. It's all smoke and mirrors. But trying to bring up fear and condemnation in the hearts of God's people and some of you listening now.

Know exactly what I'm talking about. He's going to say to you I'll entice you the most powerful enticements and tell you despair of ever being free. I'll let you look good. I'll let you act free but deep inside.

You're going to be calling yourself a phony that my Bible says you resist the devil and he will flee from. You resist this these are. These are lies. These are fears sent from the very pits of hell folks.

I after I wrote the book on the Covenant, I Was hounded with evil thoughts. For a period of time. I was hounded by every demonic force of hell. To say the Covenant is a lie. The blood really doesn't cleanse you.

It'll always come up again. Those are lies and the Bible makes it very clear these are the accusations that the devil will use when you're down and you're out and you're hurting because he wants you to make you feel dirty and Filthy and unworthy to talk about Jesus or to witness or to preach the gospel.

He wants you to have a cloud of fear come over you to be afraid of that thing in your past. Folks I want you to know you don't have to be afraid of anything in your past. I don't care how many temptations the devil tells you.

I Throws at you. The Bible said you resist by the Word of God. You take the whole counsel of God and you cry out. Lord, you know my heart, you know. That's not what I'm like, you know that that's under the blood.

You know and you stand on those covenant promises of God you stand on the whole counsel of God. The Bible said he'll flee from you. Most most Christians don't know it but when that comes. They really don't know that they're free.

They are free but that fear I Plead with you in the name of Jesus. Don't let that fear come upon you. You have nothing to be afraid of. You have nothing to fear whatsoever. Even if he brings you to the brink of an act.

And I'm going to tell you something else. There is there there is absolutely nothing that he can do. To keep you from the Lord's presence with you in and through your battle. He is there and I went and now I don't ask God for proof anymore.

I just begin to worship him and the real proof is suddenly the presence of the Lord that comes. Assuring in the peace and then getting the Bible out and reading and rereading the covenant promises of God and that's when strength begins to flow.