Matthew 4:8-11
8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’[e]”
11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
When I first started in ministry I was warned that there were three temptations that leaders experience. The first was alcohol. Too many Christians make huge mistakes because they drink too much, either relying on alcohol in the pressure of life or acting unrighteously under the influence and doing something fooish. Be very careful with alcohol, I was warned. The second was women (or men, depending on your gender). Too many leaders have affairs, get into wrong relationships and throw it all away because they allowed themselves to connect with the wrong person. Finally, money. Especially in pentecostal circles money has been a thorn in the side of the church and many have become greedy and dishonest. I was warned that these three were the biggest temptations that we need to be extra careful in each area.
However, I think that they missed the biggest temptation for every leader: power. The ability to control events and make the decisions that you want. The desire to make your will be done. This is not just a challenge for leaders, it is a challenge for every parent who wants the best for their child, it is a challenge for every worker who wants to develop their career. Power has destroyed more Christian ministries that sex, alcohol and money has.
The problem of power is not the power itself. The Bible promises us power. Acts 1:8 says ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ Power is good, it is better to have power than to have none. Power can also be used to do great things. If you want to see change in the world, you need power. However, power is like fire, it needs to be handled carefully. Too often, what we want is power to do our will, and when our will clashes with God’s we choose control over trust. We can become addicted to power and when we feel insecure, seek power rather than presence.
It is tempting to think that if we pray the right prayers or follow the right disciplines then we can control the future. We can not. Jesus was the most powerful man to have ever lived and yet he prayed, not my will but yours, Lord! When we seek our own will, we will always start to look for power beyond God. Power that allows me to do what I want and to control my experience.
There are two approaches to power: one that is found in control and the other that is found in surrender. The startling realisation in this passage is that the devil has power and will offer it to us, promising us control. Jesus refuses any power that does not come through surrender and obedience to the will of God. This is the power that brings life and healing. This is the power that is at work throughout his life. This is the power that we are offered. This is the power that our broken world needs to experience.
