{"id":41561,"date":"2026-11-01T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/?p=41561"},"modified":"2026-11-02T01:09:32","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T23:09:32","slug":"jesus-victory-over-temptation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/jesus-victory-over-temptation\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus&#8217; Victory over Temptation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u0430 \u0418\u0438\u0441\u0443\u0441\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0434 \u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u043c\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-nmlia85w8E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Livestream:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/U-qC0Iz25s0\">youtu.be\/U-qC0Iz25s0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From the Identity of God&#8217;s People to a Life of Obedience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>May God bless you. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you. We can sit down. Thank you, worship team. Let there be light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Marks of God&#8217;s People<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You see, those who were once little children here have already grown into adult ministers. Glory to God. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last Sunday I spoke about five features of our identity. I said that, if God allows, I would continue. I will continue. Right now I just want to remind you of what was said and move on. This will be somewhat connected to last Sunday&#8217;s topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everyone who names the name of the Lord belongs to Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 7:21-23 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>John told the people of Israel: you call yourselves children of Abraham, but you need to show worthy fruit. Not just to be called that, but to be that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 3:8-9 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>The apostle John repeated this thought: look at the love the Father has given us, so that we may be called that and be that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1 John 3:1 1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>The point is that many call Jesus Lord. But when Jesus comes to them, as He did to the fig tree, and looks for fruit, He does not find any. So He has to say that no one will eat from you anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mark 11:12-14 12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you remember this story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we see that those who belong to God&#8217;s people have a revelation of these five characteristics, and this is reflected in their lives. They recognize that they are called. A calling is God&#8217;s invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God invites us to enter into fellowship with Him, to follow Him, to learn from Him. He hands out invitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone who is part of God&#8217;s people has accepted this invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Called, Set Apart, Chosen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And they follow Him. They live in obedience. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God&#8217;s people are a people set apart. We have already talked about this. To be set apart means: I no longer belong to myself. This is not about words, it is about actions. It is reflected in what I do every day. I think about Him when I make decisions, when I make choices. I want to understand: is this pleasing to Him or not. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also know that God&#8217;s people are set apart from the world, from its standards, morals, and values, so that you can clearly distinguish: this belongs to this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the book of Acts, the disciples are called people of the Way. The word &#8220;way&#8221; is not just a word. It is the way they have chosen, it is the way of life they have chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Acts 9:2 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 14:6 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>People of the Way are those who walk this way. That is, we are called, we are set apart, and we are chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have already talked about this, so I will not go any deeper. But the blessing is that we are chosen. Interestingly, the Word of God says: many are called, but few are chosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 22:14 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>You must prove that you are faithful, that you are dependable. You did not turn away when things were hard. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are ready to lay your life on the altar. God chooses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chosen vessels, chosen people are those whom God has entrusted with a special purpose. They must fulfill it. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is, I am called, I am set apart, I am chosen. And God tells us to be faithful and live a holy life. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be faithful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Victory through the Faithful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That is why we read Revelation, chapter 17, verse 14. And this is a word for us, dear ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Revelation 17:14 14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>God creates and builds. He builds with people who have these qualities, who receive a revelation about this. It is through people of this kind that the Lord brings victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you see that God is winning, that His will is being carried out in some territory or somewhere, it is because God has found people there who realize: I am called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Called, Chosen, and Faithful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I am set apart, I am chosen by God, I must be faithful, I must live a holy life. And God reveals Himself, and people see God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen. We want to be like that. Right, yes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we must pay this price. As we read in Revelation, the Lamb will win, and with Him will be the called, the chosen, and the faithful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say: &#8220;There is a war going on.&#8221; A war for dominion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who is the true master on earth?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who rules here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And this is not proved by our declarations. It is proved every day by a life of victory. Say: &#8220;Victory!&#8221; Say: &#8220;Victory!&#8221; His people are winning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lord wins through them. He is Lord. Heaven, angels, and demons know this. But there are those who are with Him. Those who are with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everyone is with Him, but there are those who are with Him. And we so want this to be about us. We are with Him. Amen. We are called, we take part in His work here on earth. We take part so that His Kingdom will come and His will will be done where we are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 6:10 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen. And we are chosen for specific stretches of time, for specific tasks. And we are faithful. Amen. Hallelujah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faithfulness That Wins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Today I will focus on this. Jesus left us an example. I will speak about simple things. Usually we overlook simple things. So tune your ears to hear, so that we remain faithful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We must learn to overcome: to overcome temptation, to overcome challenges, betrayal, to overcome everything life throws at us. To overcome the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bible speaks of those born of God overcoming the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1 John 5:4 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spiritual Preparation and Jesus&#8217; Example<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>And this message is connected with what I have been hearing lately: we need to prepare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which of you has heard that we need to prepare?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need to stock up on water. Hallelujah. I don&#8217;t know for how long. I don&#8217;t know. Some say: for three days, for a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need to get food ready, we need to prepare. Dear friends, I am not against it. The Bible teaches that a sensible person sees trouble and takes shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proverbs 22:3 3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We live in very unstable times. And we really must be wise. But as a pastor, as a minister, I want to talk about how we need to prepare spiritually first of all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Three Spiritual Principles of Victory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The basics of spiritual preparation are these: a person&#8217;s spirit sustains them in weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proverbs 18:14 14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are prepared in every area, but your spirit is weak, you will break. Let&#8217;s look at how Jesus prepared and see His example. It is all very simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three spiritual principles that we know. If I name them now, you will say: &#8220;I know.&#8221; We will talk about Jesus&#8217; temptation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, and in this we will see the main principles of victory that He shows us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 4:1-11 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But 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. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And 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. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then 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. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>The devil will do everything on this earth that he thinks he can. He has a threefold task: to steal, to kill, and to destroy. He is persistent in his mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 10:10 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But glory to God, Jesus came to give us fullness of life right where the devil is at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen. God wants to make us overcomers. Say: &#8220;I am an overcomer because the Victor lives in me.&#8221; Say: &#8220;I will believe this.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am an overcomer because the Victor lives in me. I don&#8217;t know what will happen or how it will happen, but I know that the Victor lives in me. I overcome everything through the power of the One who loved me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Romans 8:37 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Your victory and my victory are always connected with our relationship with Him. Amen. How well you have come to know Him, His ways, how obedient you are and how closely you follow the principles He has established. Jesus came to show us how to live. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the account of His temptation, Jesus reveals to us important spiritual principles for victory over temptations and the powers of darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus met Satan face to face and has already defeated him. He did not rely on His human strength or human wisdom, and certainly did not compromise. He won through three spiritual principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first is prayer and fasting. I did tell you, you know this, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through prayer and fasting we strengthen our spirit and develop a close relationship with our Heavenly Father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God&#8217;s Word &#8211; a Spiritual Weapon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>God&#8217;s Word is a spiritual weapon. The Bible calls God&#8217;s Word the sword of the Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ephesians 6:17 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a weapon the enemy cannot withstand if we know how to use it. God&#8217;s Word is not a human word. God stands behind His Word, amen. He testifies that His Word accomplishes what He sends it to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Isaiah 55:11 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>But we have weaknesses: we do not always know the Word. And we need the Word. It is alive and effective, it penetrates deeply and discerns what is happening within us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hebrews 4:12 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Purpose and Mission<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The third thing Jesus used was a clear understanding of His purpose, His mission in this world. He understood: &#8220;I am a man with a purpose. I am a man with a mission.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, once He was threatened: &#8220;They are about to kill You, run away from here.&#8221; This news reached Him, and thank God they passed on useful information. He answered: go and tell Herod that He is continuing to heal, to do God&#8217;s works, and will finish His journey at the time appointed by God. He knew they would not kill Him there, because He had to be in Jerusalem. He cannot die outside Jerusalem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luke 13:31-33 31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. 32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a man who knows his mission. These are three spiritual principles available to us if we will use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This does not mean you will have no challenges, difficulties, pain, suffering, or sorrows. Dear friends, all of these were in Jesus&#8217; life. He is an example for us. But He overcame, because He had a spiritual weapon, spiritual principles that He left us so that we could succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The First Principle &#8211; Prayer and Fasting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s look at these thoughts briefly and simply. The first principle is prayer and fasting. As I said, prayer and fasting strengthen our closeness to God and our spirit. This humbles our flesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the flesh is well fed, it does the works of the flesh. When it is weakened, a person begins to recognize their dependence on God. All fleshly desires move into the background, our inner person becomes stronger, and our relationship with God deepens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How many of you want the works of the flesh, the desires of the flesh, to be subdued?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fasting and Spiritual Preparation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not let fleshly thoughts, whose essence is death, rule over you, but let your mind be set on the spirit, which gives peace. Even during a storm, during anxiety, let your thinking be spiritual. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Romans 8:6 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>So, before Jesus faced temptation, what was He doing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bible says that He spent forty days preparing for this encounter. He fasted. I am not ready to go and fast for forty days right now, okay?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is not the point of my sermon. But the point is this: God is now inviting us not to forget the importance of fasting and prayer in spiritual preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is good if this becomes regular, becomes a way of life, and if we understand what it gives me. It subdues my flesh and fleshly desires. It strengthens my inner person. It deepens my relationship with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jesus in the Wilderness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preparing for Temptation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthew, chapter four, verses one and two. Just write it down; we will not read it now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 4:1-2 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>We see that the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness. So this is a lesson from the Holy Spirit for us. This action of Jesus was guided by the Holy Spirit. He led Him into the wilderness because temptation from Satan awaited Him there. And He fasted for forty days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Deliberately Humbling Ourselves before God<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Fasting is not just abstaining from food. It is deliberately humbling ourselves before God, when we set aside fleshly, physical things to have more time and attention for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will repeat that. It is not just giving up food or abstaining from food, but deliberately humbling ourselves before God. We put physical needs in second place to give more attention to our spiritual lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps someone has already said this. It is good if we can fast together. But you know that God builds us up individually. Together is good, but individually too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God Does Not Change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We have come to a time when we need to take God&#8217;s call very seriously. These are unstable times, but God is stable. He is very stable. He is very predictable. In what way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He does not change. We can rely on His Word, on His promises. His person, His nature &#8211; He is the only One in the whole universe who does not change. And when He calls us to something, we know: He does it out of love for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strengthening the Inner Person<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Our lives do not depend only on our physical abilities. So we need to strengthen our inner, spiritual person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have a question for each of us, including myself. I am not only preaching to you; I am preaching to myself too. Do you understand that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am not exempt from the effect of the Word I preach either. First of all, this Word is addressed to me, but it also calls all of us to strengthen the inner person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fasting as Part of Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One way to strengthen that inner person is fasting. We need to return once again to understanding what it means to fast and why it matters. But most of all, we need to make a decision today: to make fasting part of our lives during the week or month, whether the church calls us to it or not. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You do not agree?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then do not rush to raise your hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let us look at other passages of Scripture that confirm the importance of fasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prayer and Fasting &#8211; Part of Our Armor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 17:21 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus speaks of cases that require prayer and fasting. How many of you know that He knows what He is talking about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He knows this because He Himself lived that way, fasted, and prayed. He showed us the way to victory and says: this is part of your armor. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I ask those who serve in media: post all the sermons on fasting that we have in our Signal group. I urge you to find time to listen to them and be inspired. There is also a book and an audio version of it for those who find reading difficult. All of this is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helping One Another<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In your home groups, please discuss the subject of prayer and fasting. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s not just know about this theoretically and intellectually. The goal is to help and encourage one another, to embrace this as a way of life. That is the very goal I am pursuing today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spiritual Readiness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We are equipping ourselves, dear ones. Then, no matter what happens, we will be ready to do this. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through this way of praying, we not only drive out the spirit that oppresses. We are close to God because our spirit is open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which of you knows what will happen before it happens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God tells us, but we do not always hear because there is a physical filter &#8211; our preoccupation. It keeps us from even hearing what God is saying. He may tell you that you should not be somewhere, but you went there anyway. The Holy Spirit gives us an inner signal, an inner prompting. But we must be in a spiritual state. This is a dangerous path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fasting as Humility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fasting is humility; it strips us of pride. We humble ourselves before God. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You say, &#8220;Lord, I want to be humble.&#8221; One way to live in humility is to make fasting part of your way of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s look at Psalm 34, verse 13. This is exactly what I wanted to show you: David speaks of humbling his soul through fasting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Psalm 34:13 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>I realized why I could not find this passage: I had opened a different Psalm. Thank you. How can we humble our souls?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through fasting. Look for yourselves: you will see many passages in the Bible where fasting is always connected with humility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To receive grace from God, we need to live in humility. This is a clear point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">James 4:6 6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>One way to humble ourselves is fasting. This is how we receive grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drawing Close to God Through Fasting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Letter of James, the Word of God says, just write this down:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">James 4:8 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>What do we need to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Draw close to God. And what does God promise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He will draw close to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who wants God&#8217;s presence, His closeness in their life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are no longer interested in just activity; you want God&#8217;s presence. You are focused on wanting God&#8217;s presence in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This passage says we need to draw close to God. This does not happen automatically. The words &#8220;draw close&#8221; mean action on our part. One of the ways we draw close to God is through fasting and prayer. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And what happens when we do this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God draws close to us. We begin to sense God, to hear Him, and we receive guidance from Him. He fills us with Himself. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He prepares us for what is to come. So, Gars un Paties\u012bba church and everyone who hears me, whether you are from Gars un Paties\u012bba church or not, God is calling us to learn from Jesus how to overcome. The first principle is fasting and prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you struggle with this, you won&#8217;t believe it: I have seen Christians who are frightened by the word &#8220;fasting.&#8221; That word frightens them. Not because they are bad Christians. They say, &#8220;We can&#8217;t manage it.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Woman&#8217;s Testimony<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I met a woman in Kyiv. There was some gathering, and she came up to me and said, &#8220;Pastor Rufus, thank you.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I asked, &#8220;What for?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had never seen her before. She was from Kazakhstan, but at that time she was in Kyiv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I asked, &#8220;What are you thanking me for?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She answered, &#8220;For your book.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I asked, &#8220;Which book?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She named my booklet on fasting. I was surprised, because back then you couldn&#8217;t even call it a book. It wasn&#8217;t what you see now; you could call it a booklet. It had nineteen or twenty pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who here remembers that one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, someone still remembers. Well, that one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said, &#8220;I&#8217;m a Christian, and I know I should fast. I tried, but I just couldn&#8217;t manage it. I read and listened, but I just couldn&#8217;t manage it.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her testimony was an encouragement to me. There was a time when I thought: why write a book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After all, there are already so many books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My friend used to say, &#8220;Pastor Rufus, write, because there is an audience for your book.&#8221; And this woman said she had read many books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Testimony About Fasting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And when she mentioned Derek Prince, saying she had read his books on fasting, I was surprised. Derek Prince is a spiritual giant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is a teacher, a very strong, consistent teacher. You read him &#8211; and nothing. I thought, &#8220;Well, yes, Pastor Samuel, who told me, &#8216;Write,&#8217; was right.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said that after she read that page in the booklet, she found freedom: &#8220;I started a fast, and I managed to fast for a whole week.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hallelujah. If you are here and you say this is an area you struggle with, don&#8217;t hide, don&#8217;t try to conceal it. Just seek help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps find someone who can walk alongside you. Sometimes it is easier when we can agree with someone and support one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stay with me. This is a simple thing, but a very important one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Second Principle &#8211; The Word of God<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Word of God is our spiritual weapon, before which the enemy retreats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the devil came to Jesus, Jesus answered every temptation from Satan with, &#8220;It is written.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What does this mean for me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will be different thoughts, different predictions, different feelings. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But only what God says in this situation has the final say. Jesus always said, &#8220;It is written.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When was the last time you fought with the words &#8220;It is written&#8221;?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you face struggles, thoughts, battles, circumstances, do you draw your sword and say, &#8220;It is written&#8221;?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need to believe what is written more than what is being said. Stay with me. You did not hear me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that does not mean we do not seek wisdom in other areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who here is a specialist in any field?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who here is a lawyer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No hands. Is there a lawyer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All right, no one. The lawyer is not here, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have a law degree too. You do not consider yourself a lawyer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All right, okay. Who here is an engineer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All right, there is an engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God&#8217;s Word as a Spiritual Weapon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you become an engineer by reading only the Bible?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same applies to a doctor, a nurse, or a consultant. I am not saying you should not read other authors. Do you understand me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are talking about spiritual things. We must be educated. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we must learn. We have a physicist, but did he read only the Bible to become a physicist?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am not taking the conversation off track. I am not teaching that you should not read other authors. You need to read, develop, educate your mind, and be educated and cultured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I am saying that this will not help you in the battle against spiritual forces. Your spirit must be nourished with God&#8217;s Word. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then you will be able to take up this sword. Jesus used the Word as a weapon and won the victory. Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we keep God&#8217;s Word in our hearts, we are protected. God&#8217;s Word is truth, but in this world the devil rules through lies, distorting the truth. He lies, but we can counter his lies with the truth of God&#8217;s Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 17:17 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>This means we must be people of the Word. This is a simple but important reminder: God wants us to be people of the Word. Never reach a point where you say you have already read it, already read the Word. You read it all your life, and every day it opens up in a new way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So pray: Lord, stir up my thirst for the Word. Jesus responded to temptations with the words of Scripture. He could quote specific passages of Scripture not because He opened a scroll at that moment, but because He lived in the Word, recalled it, reflected on it, and proclaimed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 4:4-10 4 But 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. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And 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. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then 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. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what we must do: read the Word, study it, reflect on it, memorize it. And there is grace for this right now. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whenever God releases a word, He releases grace along with it. For some of you, this is your time to step in and take hold of this grace so that from this moment on you can move forward and break through in this area. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Third Principle &#8211; Identity and Purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally: Jesus knows who He is. He knows His purpose. He knows why He came into this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The enemy came and offered Him everything in this world, all the kingdoms of the world, in exchange for worshiping him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 4:8-10 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then 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. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Confidence in Your Identity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus rejected this offer from the enemy. He knew whom He was to worship and understood why He had come into this world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In one of the first temptations, the devil questioned whether Jesus was God&#8217;s Son. He tried to cast doubt on who He was, attacking His identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 4:3 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>When God tells us who we are, we must believe it, accept it, and show it in our lives. Identity is one of the most important foundations of a person&#8217;s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A person who does not know who he is seeks people&#8217;s approval, seeks recognition from others. But God had already confirmed that Jesus was His Son and that He was pleased with Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luke 3:22 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus did not look elsewhere for approval. He had received it from the Father and knew that the Father loved Him. He knew that He was the Son of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus knew where He was from, why He was here, and where He was going. When the devil came with a promise to give Him everything, Jesus did not need those gifts: He was an heir, the Son of the One who created heaven and earth. He would not sell His soul for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who here is with me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;re in charge for now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ll live and see. Hallelujah! Jesus did not sell Himself to him because He was sure of His identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don&#8217;t Sell Yourself Cheap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>He knew who He was &#8211; the Son of God. He also knew why He had come. He knew that the purpose of the Son of God&#8217;s coming was to destroy the devil&#8217;s works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1 John 3:8 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>The devil asks Him to worship him, but Jesus came to destroy his works and take everything away from him. This is His mission, and He knew His mission. Hallelujah! Let&#8217;s not sell ourselves cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are called, you are set apart. God is your Father. You are an heir and a fellow heir with Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Romans 8:17 17 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. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>If you believe this, it should affect how you behave. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calm, Not Indifference<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just look at the Son of God. When there is a storm all around, He is calm, but not indifferent. There is a difference. Some people confuse the two: they are indifferent and think they are calm. No, don&#8217;t confuse them. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calm is your inner state. It is confidence within, knowing the One who holds everything in His hands, your faith and trust in the One who spoke to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay Where God Leads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Be where you are and do what you are doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you with me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. He was there because He had been led there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 4:1 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prepare Yourself for the Future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, dear brothers and sisters, we are preparing ourselves. We believe that victory is not only possible, it is real as we look to the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We do not see darkness, we see light. I do not know about you, but I do not see darkness, I see light. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I want to impress this on you: it does not matter what people are saying. Because He is alive, and we will live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 14:19 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Who believes this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say: there is always a way out. But you need to see that way out. And to see that way out, you need to consult the One who sees it. You need to draw close to our Heavenly Father, who has all the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can we do this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through fasting, prayer, the Word of God, and faith in your God-given purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know why many people want to leave here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The devil wants to get you off the path. He wants to break you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Call to Spiritual Steadfastness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You must be strengthened, you must be spiritually strong. You cannot be spiritually weak. May God help us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your neighbor: &#8220;Grow strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ephesians 6:10 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Arm yourself for victory. Draw close to the Lord, and He will draw close to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">James 4:8 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Take the spiritual sword, which is the Word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ephesians 6:17 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (KJV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>And say: you are a beloved son of God, you are a beloved daughter of God. This is your title. Amen. And may this always help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hallelujah. Let us stand to our feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How many of you received something from this word?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does this word inspire anyone even a little?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One, two, three people. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prayer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Father, I thank You. Thank You for Your Word, thank You for Your call, thank You for being such a wonderful God. You have everything ready already, You have already made every provision for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Livestream: youtu.be\/U-qC0Iz25s0 From the Identity of God&#8217;s People to a Life of Obedience May God&#8230;","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41560,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[490],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sermon-notes"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":490,"label":"Sermon Notes"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/app\/uploads\/2026\/11\/2026-11-01-jezus-uzvara-pari-kardinajumam-en-1024x576.webp",1024,576,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Rolands Zelti\u0146\u0161","author_link":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/author\/rolands-zeltins\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":490,"name":"Sermon Notes","slug":"sermon-notes","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":501,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":490,"category_count":18,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Sermon Notes","category_nicename":"sermon-notes","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41561"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41564,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41561\/revisions\/41564"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}