A great communion service today was. It was in no way short of great teaching either as the message of the day was delivered than none other than Ps Ebenezer Agyapong, the resident pastor of PIWC Graceland. He spoke on the “Victory over Satan, the world and self”.
He started by establishing the fact that every normal person is tempted emphasising on the fact that every normally functioning person would go through one form of temptation or the other. He further explained temptation as an invitation to sin. Satan tempts us, the world as well as self, he added.
Quoting from Genesis 3, he stated that Satan always questions what God has said. He also added that the Bible stated that the serpent was craftier than all the creatures ever created by the Lord and the devil used this to his advantage. Drawing lessons from this scenario, he stated that sometimes the devil takes advantage of the natural and God-given qualities of individuals and manipulates it for his own gain. He also added that the devil appeals more to the logic of individuals to lure them from what God has actually said.
Speaking on sin, he stated that sin had entered the world through one man, Adam (Romans 5:12) and sin increased so much that God cleared the world with a flood saving Noah and his family (Genesis 6) yet sin continued to increase. God then decided to raise a people that will not give in to sin and he gave them laws to regulate their behaviours. The more they were given laws, the more they sinned. God decided he was going to put His laws in their heart so they could live inside out (Ezekiel 36:27), pastor Agyapong added.
Fast-forwarding to the new testament, Pastor Agyapong stated that Jesus was an example to know that it was possible to live without sinning. In his temptations, we see the repetition of Eve’s sentiments in the Genesis account. Satan tempted him with food, being lifted up by angels (which would have been a spectacular show) and kingdoms of the world. These things are captured in 1 John 2:15 -16 as the Lust of the Flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life
Jesus went through all the three phases yet didn’t fall and Luke’s account mentions that the devil left him for an opportune time. Drawing lessons from this, Ps Agyapong mentioned that this means that there is a right time to be tempted; the devil takes advantages of times and circumstances you are likely to fall. Jesus went through temptation during two tough times. The first is the devil tempting him and the second was the struggle with self; he didn’t want to die yet he submitted to Gods will.
Man is tripartite (1st Thes 5:23); he is a spirit having a soul living in a body. He further stated that the Soul body always fights the new spirit. If the soul is made to align with the spirit, body will concede. Romans (7:14-25). Quoting from Romans 8, Pastor Agyapong mentioned two laws. He first mentioned law of sin and death which seems to pull many downs; this he likened to the law of gravity. He also mentioned the law of the spirit which grants life and sets us free from the law of sin and death; this he likened to law of aerodynamics which allows planes to fly despite the pull of gravity (sin and death).
Christianity is more than following a moral code, it is life. How an individual life tells the position of his mind (romans 8:5). When things of the world are more appealing than the things of God, you know its carnality (Romans 8:6-7). If all your thinking is on the flesh you cannot please God (Romans 8:8-9).
Concluding, Pastor Agyapong Stated that It is not about being a hypocrite or being “Crife” it is about pleasing God. He encouraged the church to do so no matter the pressure that might come from the outside. He stated that victory over Stan, the world and Self is a matter of walking in the spirit (Galatians 5:16).
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