Being young is one of the best privileges life gives. Our youth is a season during which dreams, desires and destiny intertwine in a tango dance to forge the rhythm of our later years.
Burdened with the anxiety to ensure that the rhythm of their later years is pleasant, many young
people unknowingly seal doom upon themselves.
This three fatal
mistakes that I’m about to show you, aren’t new at all. Oh no, these are as old
as Adam and Eve in the garden, Jesus in the wilderness; yet as young as you and
I in the days of social media revolution.
One thing you must
know my dear, is that the old trickster and his tricks are still the same. He
simply changes the cast on his movie. Read:
If you would be
patient to read through these verses, you would most likely see beyond what I
will say/show you afterwards.
1 “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 After fasting
forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
3 The
tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these
stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus
answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”
5 Then
the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point
of the temple.
6 “If
you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He
will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered
him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
8 Again,
the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
the world and their splendor.
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.’[e]”
11 Then
the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Mathew 4:1-11 (NIV)
From these verses,
we can say Jesus had three temptations right?
Jesus was in his
youth, on a mission and very human at the point of this temptation. The three
areas in which he got tested are still a test for young people who are on a mission,
in all generations to come.
Those areas are
1.The Crave Test:
The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Mathew 4:3
Jesus was hungry. In fact, he had every reason to have been hungry. Anyone
would be terribly hungry after a 40-day fast. His craving for bread was legit,
just as our craving for anything is legit.
As
young people and as humans, we crave sex, we crave food, we crave (name it).
Our cravings, desires are legitimate because we are humans.
However, the number one fatal mistake young people
make (that Jesus didn’t) is breaking principles to meet
needs/cravings.
Principles
are laws that govern life.
Stone
is stone and bread is bread. To make one become the other is to break God’s
principle of order. This is basically what magic is about (and God clearly
hates magic- Revelation 21:8, 22:15).
Understanding
that your purpose is more important that a momentary satisfaction, will save
you from this fatal mistake.
Read: 10 things I wish I knew 10 years ago
Read: 10 things I wish I knew 10 years ago
1 2. The privilege test
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Anyone would
feel pumped up after that kind of fast. Jesus was definitely edified after the
fast. He was convinced of his identity, abilities and benefits. He could do
anything!
The
trickster was going to indite him into abusing his privilege as a son but Jesus
knew better.
The second fatal mistakes young people make is being careless with
their lives. Believing their actions doesn’t matter because God is always in
control.
If
Jesus had thrown himself from that height? He would have died!
He
was destined to die and how he died was CRUCIAL to his purpose (salvation of
mankind). If he died by falling off that height he would have ruined the
salvation plan.He was to die but the acceptable death was the death on a cross.
What’s
my point?
As
believers we are “free to live” or do anything. However, we must remember that
all things are permissible but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians
10:23).
You must first consider how your actions will affect the purpose of God
for your life and the many others attached to you.
Some
of us feel, we can live carelessly because the blood of Jesus is there to atone
for us. We forget that the same bible which says God is faithful and just to
forgive when we ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9), also says,” Be ye holy for I
am holy” (1 peter 1:16)
Don’t
take the privileges of sonship forgranted. It could end your journey prematurely.
3.The
Power test
8Again,
the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of
the world and their splendor. 9 “All
this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
These days, we don’t
need to go up any high mountain to become well acquainted with the glory of
this world. The vivid description of the world’s alluring splendor steadily
shows itself in the comfort of our homes; from cable television to instagram,
to facebook, twitter and fashion magazines. We can’t deny that we have seen
the glory of the world and its majesty.
I admit you may not
have heard the trickster apparently beckon on you to bow in worship to him in exchange for
the glory of this world but I bet you’ve met with systems that challenged your
convictions and resolved loyalty to the principles of God’s kingdom!
The fatal mistake young people make at this point, is to bow/submit to
satanic systems (most times paraded as social/cultural norms) in other to
become influential.
Some did it
thinking it was just a secret bow. It was too late when they realized that the trickster
never gives back what (the soul) he seizes.
Young people, we
will always get offers; Offers dressed up in lace and red hot stilettos; Offers
whirling in cups of destruction like champagne in a glass; we will always get
offers.
We will be asked to
give a little to get the trickster’s so called much.
I must warn you that the
trickster never gives real glory.
The power,
influence, glory and so called prominence which the trickster offers is but a
rotten rag compared to the glory the father has in store for you (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Imagine that Jesus
bowed in exchange for the glory of the world. A then world, in which houses
were shapeless stones set upon rugged mountains.
Take a look at today’s
buildings. Can the buildings, political authourity and power of Jesus’ days be
compared to those of this present day?
I bet you said, NO!
Even you can see
that the trickster asked for something of eternal
worth (JESUS’ SOUL and REAL GLORY) in exchange for something of ephemeral worth (Insert that thing that seems like a big deal to you now).
Why would you deny
Jesus, join an ungodly association just because you want some power that it isn’t
real power?
Why would you?
God has called us unto an inheritance that can never fade nor expire.
Nothing is worth the exchange!
Meanwhile, did you notice how the trickster began his sentences with "If you are the son of God?"
Hmmmm, there's a lot to that sentence.
I will share with you in my next post. Till then, live earthly useful and eternally relevant!
Committed to your fulfilment
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