Triple-dog-dare
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the
will of God lives forever.
—1
John 2:17
Growing up, we would often get each other into
trouble by daring someone to do something risky or not permitted. Who would do
it first? “I dare you” was the first response. If the dared person was
unwilling or afraid, he could always reply, “I double dare you.” Now the
challenge was squarely back on the other. Then, there was an ultimate, unable
to be topped challenge, the “triple-dog-dare.” Now, the originally dared person
must act or be labeled a chicken or fraidy-cat.
In the Christian life, the power of Satan and
worldly desires have been defeated by Jesus’ blood and His sacrificial death
and resurrection, but Satan continues to use lies and temptations to lead
Christians astray. Colossians 1:3 tells us, “For he has rescued us from the
kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.” If God has rescued us
from the kingdom of darkness and the world and its desires pass away, why do so
many Christians live defeated lives?
Just like the triple-dog-dare, Satan and this world
launches a triple attack upon those who would live godly lives. If we back up
one verse in 1 John 2, we find verse 16 shows us three ways we get sucked back
into wanting what the world offers. “For everything in the world—the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from
the Father but from the world.” We are not
alone in this. Jesus Himself was tempted in these exact ways by Satan.
After His baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. The first temptation concerned the
lust of the flesh. Jesus was fasting—had not eaten for 40 days and was hungry.
Satan tempted Him to turn the stones into bread. Jesus, with ultimate power and
unlimited resources, could do anything He wanted. Jesus responded, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone’” (Luke 4:4).
How many of us are challenged in our bodily needs
and desires. Our human need for food can become abused as gluttony. The world
also uses triple-dog-dares to tempt us to eat more. The Chinese recipe for the
Happy Family meal is also called Triple Delight because it includes shrimp,
chicken, and beef. Many restaurants offer a tempting dessert, Triple Chocolate
Delight, combining chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate fudge
topping. Take it. Eat it. You can afford it. Food, clothing, intimacy, and
shelter are all human, God-given needs that can be taken to the extreme and
abused as sin.
Satan then tempted Jesus with “the lust of the
eyes.” Satan offered all the kingdoms of this world to
Jesus if He would worship Satan. Jesus could have it all without suffering and
without the Cross, but the world would have remained lost in sin. Jesus
refused. God alone is worthy of worship. Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with the
“pride of life.” By jumping off the highest point of the Temple, angels would
have rescued Jesus, and He could have said to all, “Look at Me.”
Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and receive the
victory He purchased for each of us. We can defeat the attacks of the evil one
and live in victory through the power of God’s Holy Spirit within each
believer. Jesus has already “rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and
transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.” Let us live as children and
heirs of the King.
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