Overcoming Temptation (Sunday, February 8th, 2026)

Praise the Lord, brothers and sisters! It is such a joy to see the Holy Spirit moving among us today. I want to thank Pastor Joshua for that powerful testimony; we serve a miracle worker for whom nothing is too hard. Whether it is raising the dead or working in our daily lives, Jesus Christ is Lord over all.

Recently, while I was in Mexico, the Lord began to deal with my heart regarding a message on temptation. I was staying at a resort surrounded by beautifully decorated liquor bars—the lights, the arrangements of bottles, it was all very striking. Now, I wasn't tempted, but it certainly brought back memories of my previous life in India. Back then, a huge portion of my space was dedicated to a bar with imported spirits and fancy glassware.

But I remember the New Year’s Eve I stood outside the church, drunk, and heard the Lord call to me: "Come in, my son". That day, I wasn't washed by "Nirma" washing powder or any soap you find in the market; I was washed by the blood of Jesus Christ! Since then, God has changed me and helped me overcome those old habits. However, temptation is something we all face every day in different forms—whether it’s food, games, or spiritual pride.

Understanding Our Adversary

In the Bible, we see two primary figures tempted by Satan: Eve in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New. We must understand who this tempter is. He is a fallen angel who rebelled against God due to pride. He is the "father of lies" and the "prince of darkness," seeking to deceive us through spiritual corruption.

The Prophet Isaiah describes his fall:

"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit." (Isaiah 14:12-15, NASB 1995)

Though Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, he is still active in this world today, operating under God’s permission with limited power—like a dog on a chain.

The Divine Confirmation

Before Jesus was led into the wilderness, He received a powerful confirmation at His baptism. When He came out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father spoke from heaven. Matthew tells us the Father said:

"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." (Matthew 3:17, NASB 1995)

But Luke records it as:

"You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (Luke 3:22, NASB 1995)

Both are true! It’s like a student graduating with distinction. The principal might congratulate the student privately—"You did a great job"—and then address the whole crowd at graduation—"This student has done a great job". God confirmed Jesus’ identity both to Him personally and to the world. This same confirmation belongs to you today; if you have accepted Christ, you are a child of God, and no one can take that privilege from you.

The Strategy of the Enemy

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted after fasting for forty days. He was hungry, tired, and alone. This is a key lesson: The devil attacks us when we are weak. He comes when you are stressed, depressed, or in a bad mood. Never make big decisions when you are hungry! Look at Esau—he sold his entire birthright for a single meal because his hunger blinded him to what was sacred.

1. The Temptation of Physical Needs

Satan first asked Jesus to turn stones into bread. It seemed like a "good" idea since there were no restaurants nearby, but Satan’s goal was to get Jesus to act outside of God’s will. Jesus responded with the Word:

"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4, NASB 1995)

Lesson: Our needs must never override our obedience to God. Money is a need, but cheating is a sin.

2. The Temptation of Pride

Next, the devil took Him to the pinnacle of the temple and told Him to jump, even misquoting Scripture to do it. Satan knows the Bible, but he doesn't obey it. He wanted Jesus to "show off" and force God to act. Jesus replied:

"On the other hand, it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Matthew 4:7, NASB 1995)

Lesson: Faith is about trusting God, not testing Him. Beware of pride—judging others by their dress, language, or status is a form of pride, and God gives grace only to the humble.

3. The Temptation of Power and Shortcuts

Finally, Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would simply bow down and worship him. This was a shortcut to bypass the cross. Jesus, the Creator of all things, commanded:

"Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" (Matthew 4:10, NASB 1995)

Lesson: Fast success can cost you your soul. Easy money and popularity can steal your holiness.

How We Overcome

Jesus won this battle not by His feelings or experience, but by the Word of God. He knew His identity, so the temptation lost its power. He waited for God’s timing, and after He passed the test, angels came to minister to Him.

In our modern world, the devil doesn't even have to chase us anymore; he just sends a "notification" to our phones to tempt us. To overcome, we must:

• Delight in the Lord and fill our hearts with His Word.

• Pray consistently—pray before the temptation comes, not just after you fall.

We are equipped with powerful weapons: the Name of Jesus, the Blood of the Lamb, and the Word of God. Let us use them and stand firm.

The LOVE THAT ResTored Peter (Sunday, February 1st, 2026)

Church, I want to talk to you about something that happens in our brains on a daily basis. It’s called cognitive dissonance. This occurs when we have established knowledge or beliefs, but then we encounter new information that contradicts what we thought was true. When our minds become uncomfortable with this new data, we generally do one of two things: we either accept the new truth and live according to it, or we make excuses to justify our previous, erroneous beliefs so we can continue living the way we want.

We see this clearly in the Garden of Eden. When God confronted Eve, she didn’t say, "I’m sorry"; she blamed the serpent. When God confronted Adam, he blamed Eve. Like them, we constantly justify our actions even when we know they are wrong because it’s more comfortable than repenting. Every time you hear a message or read Scripture, the Holy Spirit brings this dissonance to the surface. You are faced with a choice: repent or justify.

Lessons from the Sea of Tiberias

Let's look at the Word of God in John chapter 21. The disciples had already seen the resurrected Jesus twice, yet they seemed hopeless and bored. Simon Peter, a professional fisherman, decided to go back to what he knew best: fishing.

"Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.' They said to him, 'We will also come with you.' They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing." (John 21:3, NASB 1995)

In our own hopelessness, we often rely on our own strength and professional experience. But that night, they caught nothing because Jesus was teaching them a lesson. Even the fish obey the Master; they stayed on the other side of the boat because He told them to.

When morning came, a "stranger" on the shore told these professionals to cast their net on the right side. Now, usually, we don't like being told how to do our jobs. But God will allow you to be frustrated in your own strength until you reach a point of despair where your only response is, "Yes, Lord". They obeyed, and the catch was so great they couldn't haul it in.

Obedience: Love vs. Convenience

We often obey God only when it is convenient or when our own ways have failed. But that is not the measure of love. Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" to restore him from his three denials.

"He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Tend My sheep.'" (John 21:17, NASB 1995)

The only true gauge of our love for God is our obedience to His Word. Not obedience born of convenience, but obedience born of love. When we obey, we see the goodness of God—even if the path is inconvenient or seems crazy to the world.

The Cost of Following Him

From the beginning to the end, Jesus’ call is simple: "Follow Me". To follow Him means to be led by Him and to do what He does. This journey requires our "death".

"I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Romans 12:1, NASB 1995)

When you follow Jesus, you die to your own desires, wants, and convenience. Jesus told Peter that while he once walked where he wished, a time would come when he would be carried where he did not wish to go. This is the beauty of total submission. When we truly submit, God takes over. Peter eventually went from trying to protect Jesus in his own strength—and failing—to being willing to die a martyr’s death because the Holy Spirit enabled him to do so.

Eternity and God's Sovereignty

Church, we spend so much energy striving for comfort in this life. But our life here is just a grain of sand compared to the beach of eternity. Don't worry about the weight of this church or even the future of your children; God loves them more than you ever could.

Your success isn't defined by the world's standards. If God calls you to be a janitor and you try to plant a mega-church instead, you are a failure in the only eyes that matter. But praise God, He is faithful to complete the work He started in you.

He holds your future in His beautiful, precious hands. No matter how horrendous or difficult life may seem, it is okay because you are the apple of His eye. Our only requirement is to look closely at what He is doing, submit, and obey.

Ask God in the Name of Jesus (Sunday, January 25, 2026)

Good morning, church. God has given a specific word for us today—including me—and I believe it is special because it deals with truths we know so well. There is no "new" information or hidden revelation here, but the Lord laid this so strongly on my heart that I feel he wants to remind us of it. As we meditate on these scriptures, I request that you make them a prayer, a declaration, and a proclamation, because there is power in declaring the Word of God aloud.

Key Pillars of Standing in His Name

• The Power of Proclaiming the Word

  • God told Joshua to never let the Word depart from his mouth day and night; it is not enough to just read it in our minds.

  • We must have the high praises of God and the two-edged sword of His Word in our mouths to see an impact.

  • Proclamation is a spiritual tool that creates an impact in the world around us and the unseen realm.

• All Authority is Invested in Jesus

  • Jesus is the heir of all things and the exact representation of God's nature, upholding all things by his powerful word.

  • Because of His act of redemption, God has given Him a name more excellent than any other.

  • He is seated far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, not only in this age but in the one to come.

  • Scripture: "God... in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things..." — Hebrews 1:1-4.

  • Scripture: "...far above all rule, all authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named..." — Ephesians 1:21.

• The Authority of the Name in Action

  • When Peter and John encountered the crippled man at the gate called Beautiful, they gave him what they had: the name of Jesus.

  • The man didn't just stand; he leaped up and walked instantly by the power of God.

  • The religious leaders were astonished because they recognized that Peter and John, though uneducated and untrained, had been with Jesus.

  • Scripture: "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk." — Acts 3:6.

  • Scripture: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven... by which we must be saved." — Acts 4:12.

• Standing Solely in His Righteousness

  • We do not stand before the Father based on how long we prayed or by stopping our bad habits; those are filthy rags.

  • We stand solely in the finished work of the cross and the righteousness of Christ alone.

  • God has taken our "rejected" stamp and replaced it with "forgiven" and "redeemed".

  • Scripture: "He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross... God has highly exalted him..." — Philippians 2:8-9.

• The Necessity of True Lordship

  • Praying in Jesus' name is not a "magic word," "coupon code," or a "secret password".

  • It is a relationship; the ability to use the name comes from being close to the Person who owns the name.

  • If Christ is not Lord of all—including our secret thoughts and desires—then He is not Lord at all in our lives.

  • Scripture: "Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do... If you love me, you will keep my commandments." — John 14:13-15.

  • Scripture: "You did not choose me, but I chose you... so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give to you." — John 15:16.

• Sincere Heart vs. Empty Repetition

  • True prayer is a heartfelt vocalization of inner longings, not a "radio" we just turn on to play automatically.

  • The Lord does not hear us because of the beauty or perfection of our words, but because of a broken and loving heart.

  • We must check our motives; asking for the wrong reasons, like personal credit or pleasure, hinders our prayers.

  • Scripture: "This is the confidence... that if he asks anything according to his will, he hears us." — 1 John 5:14.

Conclusion

As we go from here, remember that you are an ambassador for Christ, representing Him in every word and action. Like the sun spreading warmth, let your godliness rub off on others to connect them back to God. When you face "impossible" situations this week, do not just utter "in Jesus' name" as a habit. Instead, stand in His righteousness, surrender your will as Jesus did in Gethsemane, and watch the power of that name change your life.