What a blessing it was to be in church yesterday. Four baptisms in one day! The Williams sisters, Will Wooten and my own son John Mark Atchley. God is indeed good! It was a special blessing to see both of John Mark's granddads pray over he and Will prior to their baptism.
A Short re-cap of the Sermon: "It Is Written" Matthew 4:1-11
It is a fact, Satan will hurl the fiery darts of temptation at believers. Paul confirms this in Ephesians 6. Jesus is our greatest role model when it comes to defeating the temptations Satan throws our way. In Matthew 4, we read how Satan tempted Jesus. The first point in the sermon was:
Use Your Sword
The Sword here is the same one used by Jesus in the face of Satan's temptations. For each temptation, Jesus reminded Satan that "it is written." Jesus pulled from the truths contained in the book of Deuteronomy. Paul calls the Word the "Sword of the Spirit" in Eph. 6. Therefore, when temptations and trials come, use your Sword, which is the word of God.
Sound the Alarm
The second point of the sermon calls our attention to that fact that we must be equipped to react when Satan tries to thwart our pursuit of God. We "Sound the Alarm" when we remind Satan what God's word says. During the second temptation Satan tries to persuade Jesus to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. The devil even tries to reinforce his argument with Scripture. However, Jesus was able to "Sound the Alarm" and rebuke Satan over his improper use of Scripture.
Speak Confidently
The third point in the sermon compels the listener to speak with confidence in the Word of God. When tempted with an earthly realm, Jesus charges Satan to leave him - to Go Away! With an emphatic declaration Jesus shews the devil from the scene. You and I can have the same confidence in the power of the name of Jesus and the Word of God. Satan can not inhabit what God owns. Therefore, the believer can "Speak Confidently" and rebuke Satan when he throws those fiery darts at your heart.
Thank You!
I would like to thank all of you who worked so hard on the meal. Also, a sincere thank you to all of the friends, family, and church family who came to see John Mark, Will Wooten, and the Williams sisters baptized. A huge thanks goes out to Mrs. Brenda for leading us in great worship music. It was truly an amazing day!
John Mark Atchley
Will Wooten
