Boasting, Bowing and Bread

 

Boasting, Bowing and Bread…

Matthew 4: 4-11

Mary Ann Wray

It’s not an easy thing to admit that a spiritual leader who you once admired and followed for a long time could be and has proven to be involved in many egregious sins and coverups. It takes humility and the Fear of the Lord to accept this harsh truth. 

At the same time, it’s a test to see where our true allegiance is and who we love more: a man, a ministry or the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is a holy and jealous God, and will share his glory with none other.  When the Lord sees that a man/ woman is being  lifted up by other men to the level of a god, the door of discipline begins to open. Satan is allowed to come in and severely tempt them. This too is a test for the leader to see whether or not they will abuse their power, and how much humility versus pride they have in their hearts. 

If they fall into sin, and begin to be exposed, they can’t blame the devil or pin it against some ominous spiritual attack against them and/ or their ministry. At the same time we can’t say things like, “Judge not lest ye be judged.” We are supposed to judge but with righteous judgment (1 Cor. 6:3). They have to look deep within their own hearts to see what darkness  lingered in their soul and opened the door for such deception. They must ask themselves what allowed them to commit egregious sins and greed repeatedly without any remorse but rather selfish justifications.

Will they feel entitled to get away with such sin or do they fear the  Lord more and regard their duty in ministry to the flock of God as a holy and sacred task with greater judgment attached to it?

The same way that Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, every spiritual leader will be tested. The servant is not above His master. They will be offered the kingdoms of this world over the kingdom of God; they will be offered the gratification of their fleshly appetites over consecration; they will be tempted to put God to the test in their ministries by ignoring the warnings and admonition of the scripture that are applicable to every child of God and feel that they are entitled to do and engage in certain things without any repercussions. They will be tempted to receive the worship of man rather than giving God the glory in all humility. They will be tempted to  bow their knee to the god of Mammon rather than the God of their salvation.

We also face the same temptations that are common to man and we all have choices to make (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Jesus did not begin his earthly ministry until he passed these temptation tests to bow down to the allurements of this world and Satan. Unlike Jesus, we are all prone to sin and fall, but if we will humble ourselves under his mighty hand, repent and accept the consequences, He will lift us up. We must carry the two edged sword of God with us and allow his word to be engrafted in our hearts, so that we too can resist the enemy and overcome temptation the same way Jesus did. 

We must open our eyes and seek the Lord, saints of God. Who do we love and trust in more and where is our true allegiance?

Psalm 118: 8-9