Now When the Tempter Comes

‘Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " Jesus said to him, ''it is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' "

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these things I will give You if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

(Matthew 4:1-11 NKJV)

Now when the tempter comes, because of the Lord's testimony, we may understand and be strengthened: angels will come and minister to the body of Christ when they recognize and resist the tempter in the fast; when they tempt not God when the devil offers an unrighteous end to their calling; when they are unwilling to serve the world's things they see. The might and power of the hand must learn to be submitted, as Jesus was in His worship of God, the Father.

Incision: Three Characteristics of a Circumcised Heart

‘Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.' 

(Philippians 3:1-7 KJV)

Worshiping God in the spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh are imperative to understand for transformation. How to?

'Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them as dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith; That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead.' 

(Philippians 3:8-11 KJV)

We may now see the intended result: this is the joy of the Lord!

'The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children oof God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.'

(Romans 8:16, 17 KJV)

Incisions that heal perfectly!

Preserved in Jesus Christ: Salted with Fire; Salted with Salt

‘For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.'
(Mark 9:49,50 KJV)

'Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.' 

(Matthew 5:13 KJV)

'Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and PRESERVED in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and to exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.' 

(Jude v.1-4 KJV)

Ungodly men turn the grace of God into lustfulness, and therefore denial, when they depart from the 'faith which was once delivered unto the saints': they desire other things than being preserved in Jesus Christ. If Jesus declared to his disciples that 'each one shall be salted with fire' and 'each sacriifice (of turning to Him in obedience, I would suppose) shall be salted with salt', I am convinced He speaks to us as well. As you read Jesus' words to his disciples in the first two passages above, allow the Holy Spirit to quicken truth to you. Have salt in yourselves!