King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 12 notes
1Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
I wonder what his prayer topics were at this fasting period.
It is worth noting that Jesus took on the whole cohort of hell by himself, literally.
He had no prayer partners or support, except his disciples, but we know their input... Very little, if any.
He forsook home and the jeering of family 👪 to pursue the call.
3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4But 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.
Because man is spirit, soul and body... There is part of us that needs for bread 🥪 of the word of God.
Without which we are malnourished.
5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6And 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.
Questions rise to mind:
1. What is there about “it is written”, i.e. what is there about the word? — It is the tool, and the true authoritative tool, to govern life.
That was how Jesus governed his life, and the devils recognize its Power.
Going contrary to it is what opens doors to devils. 👿
Also, even the devil quoted “it is written”, so the fact that it is in the Bible does not mean it cannot be twisted.
This reminds me of some hyper-grace people who sin and quote a scripture on grace.
They have placed themselves in hearing view of the devil 👿, and he's quoting scriptures to support the flesh.
7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
The moment you quote and govern your life and decisions by “it is written”, you are recognizing and activating the laws and powers of God set up to rule the world 🗺.
These laws keep us as men.
8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
The devil took Jesus.
So we can have encounters and spiritual experiences orchestrated by the devil 👿
9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Once again the devil exposes himself.
It is worship he wants. The same Godlike traits he desired which led to his fall...
He's at it again.
10Then 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.
I was wondering why didn't Jesus just say "NO" at the request of Satan.
A simple no on all his requests, because you know nothing good can come out of the devil 👿, but rather he stuck to the word.
The word, I believe, is like a barricade and weapon against the onslaught of the enemy. It is the sword of the Spirit.
After three “it is writtens”, the devil was driven away.
"No" alone would not be effective. The devil 👿 will keep hammering 🛠 till the flesh gives in.
But with “it is written”, he knows you are countering with a weapon 🔫, you have a base for your position.
11Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Where were these angels all this while? They were kept at bay, watching till the temptation was over.
Lord, have mercy on us. May we pass the tests of life. For that is what they are... TESTS
12Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
13And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
He dwelt there. Not he passed through there or spent some days there.
So this was where his home was now based. And this was in fulfillment of prophecy; no wonder the ancients, in seeing this, knew the city was blessed for such a privilege.
14That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Jesus was just a walking miracle; everywhere he went he was performing miracles, so much so that sometimes the writers overlooked his miracles, however amazing they were, and moved on straight to the point,
lest they risk overloading their readers and missing the intent of the writing or that particular passage.
This passage in Luke tells a different story, one of a catch of fish 🐠, so much so that their ship 🚢 began to sink.
Then when Jesus tells them to follow, it made sense that they did.
Because if they knew nothing of him, why would they leave their thriving business to follow him?
No wonder John says Jesus's miracles were not all recorded, in order to save the volumes.
20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Was this not after he had performed the miracle of fish 🐠 without number?
21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.