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March 12 & 15, 2026 – Paul McNutt

How to Win

Main text: Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)

Our Enemy is:

• The Tempter (Matthew 4:3)
• A Liar (John 8:44)
• A Thief (John 10:10)
• Predictable (1 John 2:15-16)
• Defeated! (Rev. 20:10)

Revelation 20:10 (NLT) Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Our Enemy is predictable.

1 John 2:15-16 (ESV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world

Genesis 3:6 (ESV) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil

2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple

6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall 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 glory.

9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him

We Win When:

• We Know the Word of God

Ephesians 6:17(NIV) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We Win When:

• God’s Word Renews Our Minds

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NIV)

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

Romans 12:2 (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We Win When:

• We Know Whose We Are

Don’t give Satan a voice

When Satan says: “You are not enough.”

God says:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

— Philippians 4:13

When Satan says: “Your past disqualifies you.”

God says:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17

When Satan says: “You are alone.”

God says:

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

— Hebrews 13:5

2 Corinthians 5:17(ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come

You are no longer defined by your scars, but by Jesus’ scars!

We win when:

• We know God’s word.
• Renew our Minds.
• We know Whose we are

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