#Christian Straight Talk - Courage - Trials and Temptations (#3 Courage)

Simon Pinchbeck and Reverend Ben Cooper take to the mics to talk about the 3rd part in the series of Courage and this week they talk about the Courage to  withstand trials and temptations.

Transcript

Reverend Ben Cooper: 0:12

Yeah, God bless wherever you are. Today you're joining myself, Reverend Ben Cooper. And Simon pinchbeck today as we gather around the mics and as wherever you are today, we thank you so much for all the podcasts that are out there, wherever you are in the name of Jesus, you are listening to Simon and to me, Ben, as we just speak straight out the barrel of truth coming straight directly from the hip. You know, God is in the house. He's always in the house. But we got Simon today. And we are continuing these these discussions, these podcasts and it's about courage. But the title of today is the courage to get through trials and temptations. Have you got the courage? Have you got the endurance have you got what it takes to get through what's coming our way in the name of Jesus? We're here. #Christian Straight Talk wherever you are today. Thank you for joining us, Simon. We're in we're in the door

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:02

Good morning. Before we get into what we're doing today, but but some exciting news and we that the book is out on Amazon, the first Christian, Christian Straight Talk, # one, the book is out if done. So all about men's stuff. And it's it's great. And so but it's there, we we haven't got the link to give you a moment. But if you just go onto Amazon and see #Christian straight talk and the book will come up and yeah, it's a great, you know, it's there. I think, or something it's not very pleased passively

Reverend Ben Cooper: 1:38

someone buy just one. Just someone Please, dad,

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:38

buying a few copies.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 1:44

four five, which sold 10. In the name of Jesus. Yes, Simon. We're in,we're in today. # Christian straight talk, you know,

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:51

brilliant,# Christian, straight talk. And the third in the last day, the courage lineup. And as we said, the courage to withstand trials and temptations? Well,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 2:01

what a title. courage? That's an interesting word, isn't it?

Simon Pinchbeck: 2:05

without, without faith without Jesus without the Lord in your life? You know? Where do you go? Where do you go? And you just let the trials just overwhelm you? Or how'd you get over them? I don't know. But take courage, with the Lord. With the Lord. It's a different story. It's a we look at it things differently than we look at trials differently, to where to see, what we're finding, as we're doing these podcasts. Ben is that is that life with the Lord is completely opposite to life or the world.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 2:41

The life with Boris is completely different to the life of Jesus. Totally, completely different, isn't it? Yeah. So now is the time you know, you know, the Scripture is so onpoint it is an absolute beautiful text that we are in today. And it's about courage. But without the word of God, I actually don't know where I'd be. Without the Word of God. I don't even know he'll be on planet Earth. I don't know. I don't know where I would be without him without the call him without the word. But it takes courage just to be a believer, doesn't it to stand up for what you believe in, let alone facing trials and temptations, just the courage to stand strong on the Word of God.

Simon Pinchbeck: 3:22

It's huge. Its massive, and the world will look at trials as a real negative thing, Ben, but look, if we look in, in the Word of God, if we go to the scripture in James one, two to four, he says this binder so this is watch this Benny says come on my brethren and count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that a testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work that you might be perfect and complete, lacking. lacking in nothing lacking nothing.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 3:56

Consider it pure joy James chapter one, verse two to four. Look what James says Consider it pure joy.

Simon Pinchbeck: 4:04

What is your that is the opposite. Charles is the opposite than the world.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 4:08

Okay, James, what's going on in what you're asking me to do? Consider it pure joy. My brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, there are going to be coming at each and every one of us. If you are a Bible believing believer, if you stand on the Word of God, if you trust in God, you will have the biggest challenge that is before you to live and to walk like Jesus to be his ambassador. It will take courage but when you take that courage, you've got to also be equipped and be ready because the devil is trying to stretch you and draw you into some area. So where God God is doing what God is doing. Lucifer is trying to do what he is doing. So we have this massive press of the Holy Ghost, but then you have the earth so trying to find that disappear and go and do what it wants to do. So there are areas of life that all of us will be tested in, will be stripped back in. Consider a pure joy, my brothers and sisters when you face trials of many kinds, Lord, I want these trials, but it goes with the drumbeat, he goes

Simon Pinchbeck: 5:22

as a territory. And, you know, then we have an enemy, don't we? That that knows Yes, completely. He knows it. He's strong. And he's determined. Yeah. And he knows when to he is he knows what areas to is. He knows how weak we are in certain areas. He knows what to put in front of our eyes. But you see, Ben, this is our we are the opposite of the world. The world will say, Stand strong Ghana, bah, bah, bah. But in our weakness, we can be strong because in our weakness, we we are strong, they're in Jesus Christ, aren't we? Yeah. And if you look what Jesus said, in John 1633, he says this, he says, These things I've spoken to you that in me you may have peace, right in me you may have peace

Reverend Ben Cooper: 6:11

so it's got to be in him in him. Everything has to be in him if I'm in him, all is well but all is well but when I'm in him, I get peace,

Simon Pinchbeck: 6:20

peace because he goes on to say in the world you will have tribulation. So when he knows that in the world, we're gonna trials and tribulations. He said, but be of good cheer, be of good cheer, and unload. I have overcome the world. He says,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 6:34

Okay. So we understand through Scripture that Christ is overcome the trials, the temptations, when he was nailed to the cross of Calvary, everything was now to the cross. He took absolutely everything but now, but now my Redeemer lives, and because he lives I can face tomorrow. Now I have the challenge. That is probably going to be the biggest challenge for the rest of my walk on terra firma, until Christ calls me home, is to resist the temptations to smile for the trials, to understand that greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. And where the scriptures is telling me Consider it pure joy that is talking about peace. And as Simon has just said, as it comes out the Gospel of John Chapter 1633, that God will give us peace, however we look at that God will give us peace in the trial.

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:24

So how do we cope with how do we deal with those trolls? He sea trials that God allows trials, Joe testers telling just to move us on to the next level

Reverend Ben Cooper: 7:37

job,

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:38

because if we're still you know, as if I was sitting, we're still drinking, baby hear me? Well, maybe food? Yep. Can you move us on to users? For more? Yes. And stuff? He can't. So he allows us so. So we can either complain, remain or we can always go yes. Love be raised. Yeah.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 8:00

Thank you, Jesus. Lord, I thank you for the for the stretching. I thank You, Lord for the trial. It's interesting that the Scripture makes it very, very clear that that God never gives us anything more than we can bear.

Simon Pinchbeck: 8:12

Oh, yeah. No, that's a great scripture that's in Corinthians. And we'll come on to that. Ben, the thing is,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 8:18

but there's a difference because, you know, we just mentioned trials and temptations. See, the devil puts the temptation. God never tempts us. God never puts evil in front of us. It's Lucifer on what goes on in that spirit world. So there is a battle God, God's trials are there, to accelerate us and to draw us closer to him. What the devil wants for us, He wants us to foul He wants us to fall into temptation. He wants to slide on the ice of life. But what God has for us the trials, and the testings and the stretching, and it's just going back to the good old book of Joshua. When God said, You got to go and stand in the Jordan, you got to go, you got to trust me, because I'm going to put you to not to the test, but I'm going to put you to see how far you trust me stand in the Jordan. Just wait, just wait. Just wait standing your trial, standing your test. Hold your place, wherever you are today. Trust

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:17

me, trust me. But without Christ, you're on your own. And you're on your own mind.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:24

I'm chaotic. I'm Hi, we're sorry.

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:26

But you know, loose cannon Are you going to deal with Yeah, you're on your own. But if we look at that, if we look then Jesus dealt with temptation.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:39

And how did he deal with that? Let's have a pic about

Simon Pinchbeck: 9:42

that comes to Matthew. Right for Ben marking free info. And so in Matthew free Jesus is is is baptized and this is all before he starts his ministry but then it all before in

Reverend Ben Cooper: 9:58

there And what do you say? Let's have a look

Simon Pinchbeck: 10:02

at Matthew, Matthew free, is baptized by John the Baptist. And John doesn't want to baptize Him. But Jesus said, this is this is what you've got to do. This is decreed. And when he came up out of the water, you know, God said, verbally said, This is My beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. And very next line in Matthew forces this man, Then Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. So he didn't just wander into the wilderness when he was led into the wilderness. Yeah, by the Spirit, who knew this was a time of testing. So we might he fasted 40 days and 40 nights. I can't even fast I can't even go over at dinner without I can't even traveled, you know, you know, because the stomach is a cruel master

Reverend Ben Cooper: 10:56

crawl thing, you know, I didn't get this fit by eating grass. So you got some of those polled, or God has allowing us to go into this. Because when you when you look at that text in Matthew 412 11, I've got it right in front of me, it says that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:19

So is the deal, right? So 40 days and 40 nights spent? What's he doing? Yeah, just sit in round with his band. So that thinking about, forget about putting stuff on Facebook, and all that stuff is he know, he's praying and fast into the father, because he's the father's preparing him for the ministry that he has to go through, which will end up we moved across. So he's preparing him, so he's praying to the Father for 40 days and 40 Nights, constantly getting gaining strength, but at the same time getting spiritual strength at the same time, physically weaker, because you can't go for your guys in a 49 fasting without getting physically weaker. So at the end of that, what happens, oh, Mike comes along, and wants to have a go at it. And he knows us physically. So the first thing he hits him with is the hunger stuff. And even

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:12

if you are the Son of God, say the devil uses words. He speaks hint, and he knows the word of God. Here we have a classic example of the devil knowing scripture, in quote, in the Old Testament, he, he knows you know, that we have to be really on the gospel of Jesus Christ, we need to know genesis to revelation of God reveals that this is critical for a believer that we do not get called. In the false teachings. We don't get caught in all the seeker friendly stuff, the liberal church stuff, because the devil knows the word. The devil knows the word of God. But look,

Simon Pinchbeck: 12:50

are subtly is but yeah, look how subtle he is. He knows he's dealing with the sun if

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:55

you are the Son of God. So that's, you know, tell the stones to become bread. Listen to that,

Simon Pinchbeck: 13:03

if you are so if you if someone said to you, if you're a pastor at his church, yeah. And all of a sudden Dell prided rise up and cut when I am the pastor of this church. Yeah. Would you want Jesus dealt with it a different way?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 13:20

Isn't? Isn't this a really glorious text? Because when you look at that, and it says, the template in verse three of Matthew chapter four, the tempter, came and said to him, if you are the Son of God, if you go back in the book of Genesis, at the very beginning of time, when, when Lucifer was that serpent when it came to and he said, Did God really say, he drops them lit all lines that could question me and my faith and me and my relationship with God? Did God really say, do not touch? Did God really say for your words, you will be healed? Did God really save you? Are you are you really? Does God really exist? So these little one liners he drops are very powerful. If you are, now that is a very powerful, three worded sentence.

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:13

Let's get into your pride in it. So all of a sudden, you know, the sun Jesus, God, he could have got turned in a different way and ruined it completely. He could have gone I am the Son of God, what's this?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:25

Yeah, he could have said I created you. But you became the fallen angel.

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:29

Could you say that?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:31

What did he say? It is written? See, Christ comes back the word is being quoted the word by Lucifer. So in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God's we get that from the Gospel of John. Then John also says further down, and the Word became flesh. So we understand as we look at this theologically, and it may be in a little bit of a deeper way that that what we have have here is Christ is the image of the invisible God. This is the Word of God, this is the spoken word. This is the great I Am and Lucifer comes up to the word and quotes the word to the word.

Simon Pinchbeck: 15:14

And the next one he sang with is in with Psalm 91. But

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:20

then it's Psalm 91. Look at that, he will command his angels concerning you, they will lift you up in their hands, that you will not strike your foot against the stone. So he's quoting Deuteronomy, and he is quoting Psalm 91.

Simon Pinchbeck: 15:34

Yet again, he goes, if you are the Son of God, if you are the Son of God,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:38

that little killer word,

Simon Pinchbeck: 15:40

if if you want to summon God, if and again the center the pride in it, so is it and we've, he's it and then we've scripted, this is the temptation of Jews. So how did Jesus deal with

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:51

it? very calmly. He didn't call a pastor. He didn't call a prayer meeting. He didn't go and get deliverance ministry from anyone. He just said, It is written, the word is quoting the word, standing on the word, believing on the word, and a classic and a clear, powerful, very clear example of how to get the devil away. It is written, but no shouting offense

Simon Pinchbeck: 16:26

with the Word of God. That's what that's what this is what Jesus did. This is showing us clearly Yeah, and to overcome temptation

Reverend Ben Cooper: 16:34

out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. The Scripture says, put the word of God on the tablet of your heart. The Scripture also says in Ephesians, you know, make sure that you got your dressed in the full armor of God, it is critical that I am dressed, ready for what?

Simon Pinchbeck: 16:55

Ready for trials and tribulations and temptations because then here we see quite clearly, we have an enemy who knows the word refers back to front then we and uses it in a way, which can if you don't know it, so my friends is ain't enough just to know John 316. We, we need to know

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:20

you need to know the author

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:21

We need to know you. We

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:23

need to know this stuff. You need to know Hebrews chapter 12 verse to keep your eyes on Jesus the auther and the perfecter of one's faith is what we've been so good to know Jesus

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:34

in these podcasts been and we said, we say we've said it before our elders, the FBI, as the FBI and other organizations around the world out of they notice a counterfeit. They study the real stuff,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 17:53

the real stuff,

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:54

so we're spending time studying and learning and knowing the real stuff and when a counterfeit comes along. Yeah, recognize it straight away.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:03

I think the church is lacking a lot of Christ ology study in Christ. It is biblically illiterate it doesn't know the word. I'm not being I'm not being blase I'm not be. We are in the UK is in a serious spiritual crisis. It is so thin it is anorexic thinness spiritually. But there is a window of opportunity to know Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:31

Totally. I was in a meeting this week and did some work with a group of churches and and I said to in this meeting, I said, I believe that, that there's biblical biblical illiteracy out there. And then they said, Well, what do you mean? I said, Well, I, I quoted a few scriptures, and no one seemed to know it when I was in the meeting.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:55

Wow.

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:57

So within the church, the church becomes like a club, the church becomes like a social club, rather than a place of true knowledge and and given them a defense because look, it we go, the third time, the enemy tries to tempt Jesus is it he takes him up to the top, and he takes him up to na shows him all the kings among Well, I can give you all these, if you love worship Me, and which is what he truly wants. And then Jesus said, Away with you, Satan for his room, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only you shall so

Reverend Ben Cooper: 19:40

yeah, it's it's really, really important to grasp what Simon is actually saying God is speaking through Simon. And there are movements out there that are trying to get us to bow the knee. There is only one that we bound and need to and the name is Jesus Christ. We've got to be very careful because when you look at that line that Satan Christ in verse first nine of the text that we are in Matthew chapter four, this is this is really clear, very clear, very clear teaching and he set up all of this I will give you He said, If you bow down, bowing down to someone something of movement, idolatrous worship, whatever it may be, it is very dangerous to worship foreign gods, to worship to bow down to lift them up, to drop the knee to someone to something other than Christ at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow. If you put anything, anything before him before, anything before you're in trouble. silence from you're in serious now look what Jesus said in verse 10. Jesus just said to him away from me saying, there is no ramping up of worship, there is no atmosphere being drilled up, there is no euphoria. There is no adrenaline rush, there isn't. Jesus is just speaking the Word. And when I look at the way he speak in through the text, it's clear to me that there's no shouting or hollering. There's no raising of the voice jumping up and down, cartwheels, and backflips. As you see in certain evangelical movements and certain cultures. Jesus doesn't have to go and get deliverance. He doesn't have to go to the pastor and get me. He just says it is written, I think it is written, I think

Simon Pinchbeck: 21:31

it's very, very important that if you're listening out there, you grasp grasp support Ben's making, because, you know, you'll see many televangelists Yes. So yeah, much stuff. And they'll be shouting, and they'll be attacking on the union worst to, to get out to get the devil away, but

Reverend Ben Cooper: 21:52

paying for it as well, Simon, people pay good money, to go to deliverance ministries to do this to do that. When Christ is I don't like to use Romano, but it's the easiest way to put these families in an opinion. So when we look at Christ, so what do I do when I'm coming under spiritual attack? I quote The word. I speak the word of God. But what I cannot do is get in in historical trappings of how the evangelical movements certain ministries, certain churches, certain partners, will say that, you know, I've got to be very careful of the culture stuff because laced in all that is witchcraft within itself.

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:37

And it's very true and what you said there is critical here and I would say order read all the listeners out wherever you are, just grab ours because because don't get into an argument with a devil. Don't doubt. You'll never win. No, you won't win. Don't get into an argument with the enemy. Don't you see? You see it all the time where people go bring it Oh, knockin? No, yeah, no, no, no, you you are you stepping into something that that? I've seen that happen? And I've seen people destroyed MC ministries destroyed because of the of their attitude. Look, look, watch out Jesus dealt with this.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:15

How did he deal with it? Look,

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:16

he didn't he didn't get into an argument in

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:18

it. But what I find interesting there, Simon is that Christ allowed him to speak. He did not shout and Allah, he just let him say, and to do and to act and to be however it was going to be he just allowed that moment. And then he just said it is written

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:39

because he knew his identity. He knew his authority. He wasn't frightened.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:43

The authority didn't have the fight, did he? He didn't have to. He didn't have the fight. He didn't

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:49

argue with me. We didn't have a political debate with him didn't have an argument about God. And there was no argument there. It was just, it was just a word of God coming from,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:00

isn't it? Isn't it interesting how short it is, as well, is no long build up. There's no ramping up. You know, there's no euphoria. There's no atmosphere being whipped up. There's just these few words and where Satan says, If Christ says it, if you are crisis, it is Israel. It is it's solid, its foundation and foundational surgery, it is done, it is sealed. It is written then he says it is also written, do not put the Lord your God to the test. And again, it says the devil took into a high amount in him showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he says all this I will give you he said If so Satan always uses if because the F put doubt puts puts the seed of doubt in because the f are you sure you're not sure? Maybe possibly. If you bow down and worship me. And it says, Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan, for it is written, Worship the Lord your God and serve him only. But then I find this absolutely fascinating. In verse 11, it says in the devil left him in some translation, say, where the angels came in, when the devil left him, he left him for another opportune time. Yeah. So is that in look? Yeah. So and that's, and that's an that's a critical issue. Yeah. Yeah. Because he will come back.

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:30

And how did he come back to Jesus? Let's just pick that point out for a second. Let's move on without porn. Because Because hear the devil's advocate Jesus directly, yeah, he's had he fronted him out directly, and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 25:47

eye to eye

Simon Pinchbeck: 25:47

as bad. So it's kind of come at him another way. Time is gonna, he entered into one of his closest disciples, three years later, the outcomes that he comes out in. So for us, you know, we got to watch who's around us. You got to watch who's coming at us. And we've got to watch what what people are saying, without

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:13

any shadow of a doubt. You said. That's the way in someone. And we know that this this time gap. And then we as Simon has brought up this very clearly. And what also is really intriguing that, that when the devil entered into Judas Iscariot, they was at the communion table, eye to eye, contact. And Christ said to, to Judas, what you're about to do, Gondo quickly, the Scripture says that Satan entered in to Judas. So what we have is that Lucifer is directly in the wilderness with him. And then suddenly we see this time gap in between everything going on. And we understand that the scripture says that Satan is very important, I understand what I'm referring to that Satan entered into Judas. So Satan uses the vehicle of a human being to get his bid in that.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:10

Yeah, yeah, totally. And and so we have to be very careful who we let in or we let in very careful who we listen to very careful you know who you're listening to. On the YouTube very careful you listen to on the TV very careful of your so called friends really, as well. Because

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:31

if careful originalist religious folk, man,

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:35

you know, because Because Who

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:37

was it, Simon that that actually gave him the dosh? The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the priests, the chief priests, where did the money come from? It came from the religious folk.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:50

And this probably is for another podcast. But it's interesting, when he returns that, that money, they they know that this isn't easy to do. So that's interesting. But the thing is, with this 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus has been tested, he's been tested. So if he had fallen, then none of this ministry, none of the other stuff would have not he wouldn't get under the cross none of this other stuff. Because the the enemy was was trying, it was tempting, and from a human perspective, as well, because Jesus was fully human, and also fully God. So he was tired, he was weak, he was hungry, and the enemies coming in, and he's hitting him at a weak point

Reverend Ben Cooper: 28:38

too weak, a serious, weak, physical moment. When we talk about Christ being the man the Scripture says, The man, Christ Jesus, it clearly reference him very interestingly, as the man Christ Jesus. So here we have the man, Christ Jesus. Yeah. But the Scripture also says, And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. I think I need to just go back into the good old testament, a moment and just reference Joshua Joshua, it's a very important book. Because where he talks about courage, where he talks about being strong, he says, Do not let the book of do not let this book of the Lord depart from one's lips, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. So it's really important that I am in the Word. And when I'm in the word, I'd be very careful to do everything that's written in that

Simon Pinchbeck: 29:35

just mess. That's massive. I mean, that's gonna come really strong in another podcast, I believe that we're going to do on courage and that's going to but it is true. We have to stay in the world. But look, Jesus prepared himself for his ministry was prayer and fasting. Yeah. And that is also in our in our toolbox. We can, we don't have to do 40 1049 But we can fast yeah and pray. Man prayer is so huge

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:07

for Yeah. Now if there's an there's another aspect to this isn't there when we talk about prayer, the culture that I was brought up in in the Pentecostal movement was the unethical and spend a whole week in a church praying and shouting and dancing on the chairs, jumping up and down rebuking the devil, when actually prayer is the conversation with god.

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:29

praise conversation with God and, and it can be something because Jesus Yeah, thank you,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:36

Jesus, thank you for today,

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:37

Lord, watch over me, Lord, have your hand on me. As I'm going through this, you don't have to, you know, it's just not to be a long, as you said, drawn out, just a quick conversation with with the Lord is like, you know, we'd like your daughter coming or your son coming to you. And just saying that I just need to know you're there. Yeah. And, and you are. So you're right. So this, this was preparation, they said preparation for it for Jesus's ministry, and it could have gone the other way, but it didn't. So, so, the same for us, food trucks, trials, and temptations, we are getting tested,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:18

stretched, and not because the devil is stretching us. It is because now this this is this is I love that this is this is fact this is this is absolutely a fundamental point about God, God will not give us more than we can bear. The devil thinks that the devil is setting us up for failure. But God has already watched us in the blood of Jesus. So, and in Christ for the blood of the Lamb. So when we look at all these trials and tribulations and the satanic attacks, there is nothing outside of the framework of God, that Satan is allowed to do that God does not know about when you look at Job, Job said, even though he slay me, I will still praise him. Even though I've got all this breaking out in my life, I will still praise the God of Israel. See, the devil is only permitted to do what he can do, because he has been given the nod from above. And God knows that you will not fail because God is setting the devil up.

Simon Pinchbeck: 32:24

If you're a born again, spirit for real, yeah, if you're not, then it's spiritual suicide. If you're not, you're on your own, you're on your own. So what you're referring to there, and there's a scripture for that, which is awesome, which is one Corinthians 1012 13. And listen, this is this is Paul hall saying this and then Paul says this, and he says, Therefore let him move thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. And please get older, this scripture if you're out there, No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. So what he's saying there, you're going, you know, if you're think you're special, because you're getting hit a little bit in a certain area, you might special knows everyone, everyone has been in. We've all been in, in areas of life of life. And then he goes on to say, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 33:27

So God knows the limitation, that my thinking, my capacity as a human being, my logic, my thinking, my understanding, God knows that that I have a breaking point, I have a point. But God knows that he will keep me to the brink so that in Joshua is really important. He says, Go to the brink the brink is the place of the non return. So when you stand in in your Jordan, when you're standing in that river, when you're seeing everything else breaking out around you and there's trials and temptations, God knows that you're in that situation but hold still and take courage take

Simon Pinchbeck: 34:09

toleration take the courage to go through it because is the tail and he says further on, he says but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you will that you may be able to bear it so there's a how many how many people have given Yeah, just before just

Reverend Ben Cooper: 34:32

before the window changes comes changed, how many people give in hold in the place of the Jordan, you are at the what I should say then sorry is the river is at full flood stage. Take courage. Do not worry about the size of the River Jordan hold your place. Do not give into the temptation do not allow the trial. The courage to get through trials and temptation. What did Jesus say? To the disciples that went to the perimeter of the Garden of Gethsemane, pray that you do not fall into temptation.

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:09

And what you said just a minute ago is absolutely crucial to this. And then he says, You said God has put a limit on your trials and which he has and but he's, you're not

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:20

there because of the power of the devil. You're there. Because at the mercy of God, you're there. Because if I mentioned that perseverance must finish insurance,

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:29

and we're we're gonna dig into perseverance and insurance really deep in another podcast is the deal, Ben. Yeah. It's how you deal with that trial. Yeah. Is if you're moaning and complaining, but if you deal with, you know, a man lucky it says it James says, you know, we've all joy

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:49

summons, revert back to to James chapter one, verse two and four. Simon has just quoted the word again, Consider it pure joy,

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:57

Consider it pure joy, because, you know, give thanks when you you know, this is tough, but you know, I'm praising you in the middle of it. And praise and be raised, you will rise to that next level, but come on another level another devil, we know that when when we know that, that we're going to get trials and tribulations. Why? Because each one has a purpose. It's strengthening your faith is strengthen your faith to get into the Word of God. For what, for what purpose God has for you. I mean, I know Ben, a little bit about where you your life, and I know that you've come through some tough times in recent years. Yeah. But you've come from and get out to the Word of God out and things

Reverend Ben Cooper: 36:48

literally holding on your finger. Now's the huggin to the Word of God. So I learned I have learnt sorry, my grammar is atrocious young man, absolutely need to have elocution lessons. It says there Consider it pure joy. My brothers and sisters, he brings in the brother and the sister. There's no separation. So sisters, you're going for it, brothers, you're going for it. But we've got to Consider it pure joy, purely because God has set the devil up to foul. He has not set you up. He is not setting me up that we would slide down. And God would crack the whip over us. He says he is telling us very clearly that we have to go through so that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. You've got to persevere. I've got to persevere. And the way that we can persevere is finding our strength in the Lord. Take courage, as God told Joshua, take courage.

Simon Pinchbeck: 37:50

Ben, you will many ministries who go get some good Christians around you to help your fruit as well. Yeah, yeah, I guess I guess but where's the first call we made was called is Jesus Christ. getting on your knees as correspond to Jesus? Yes. Yeah. You don't need all of the

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:15

spiritual director, spiritual director, Mr. Bishop. You don't need all these, these labels that we put on the tin. My scripture says the scripture says very clearly, in Hebrews chapter 12. We quoted it and we will continue to quote Hebrews chapter 12 Verse two, keep your eyes on Jesus. All family are Jesus. Yeah, the perfecter of your faith. It's about Jesus

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:43

bending you you know gonna tell you out there that you and choose a certain the majority you really are and hang on a whim, mate, and the Father's arms are there we've spoken about that. He leads you to the Father and father's arms are there. But he says Come to me all those who are weary and heavy burden and I will give you rest because my burden is My yoke is easy. My burden is light. So you we keep our hands on a plow. We keep our eyes focused on Jesus, keep our feet firmly come on anchored in the in the Word. And and we're going to get through this because we got to share the focus Jesus as we're marching forward as we're walking forward through this. It's not rocket science. Jesus doesn't make a God doesn't make it hard for us. But he's saying, Come to me. Break through. Hold on. You see in front of you in your humanize is a brick wall break through that because it is not a brick wall. It is in fact a paper wall.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 39:45

It is that Jericho is about to fall obeyed obedience. Or does

Simon Pinchbeck: 39:51

it do that without Jericho? Ben that was the toughest place in the planet. It said 45 so thick that they kind of chariots running across and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:02

going across the top. The gates were barred. The Scripture says, I love that text in Joshua, when it says Jericho was locked up for the fear of the Israelites that didn't have a clue out of fight, that didn't didn't have a spear on them that had no weaponry whatsoever. But the power of obedience, as Simon said, that paperwork that Jericho that that that fortress that you are looking at, take courage and keep walking. Keep walking around Jericho, keep keep praising, keep worshiping, keep standing, take courage in your trials and your temptations, because it is not the tempter that you are going to give into you are going to hold your place. It says in Matthew four, First Street attempt to came to him and said, we understand that the tempter is Lucifer. But this is what the scripture says in the Gospel of John. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. But I have come that you'd have life and have it in abundance.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:05

Then the word of God, and the price of God is like a ring of steel around you. That is that's your defense. Yeah. Is your defense, knowing the word and knowing which scripture to go to Ben? Yeah. When you when you're in trials, when you're in the fire, if you're getting tried trials because of your anger, if you get in trials because of your immorality, your sexual stuff. Yeah, the trials be tempting because of money, things. It's knowing those goals that Oh, scriptures, find those scriptures in the Bible and know them. And quantum when you when you when you're in that position in that trial. Yeah, because you were, then that will then give you the courage to get through that, to get through it. Wow.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 41:57

Take courage. Take courage, wherever you are today. Hold on to the Word of God because the word of God will strengthen you. In your river Jordan, the word of God will strengthen your jaw around your Jericho, the word of God, we'll be reviewing your wilderness moment, the word of God. There is power in the Word of God, and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. God is with you. The Holy Spirit is upon you. You are able not because of the strength that you have in your physicality. But it's because who created you the great I Am is with you. And he says in the Book of Exodus, very clearly, I will be an enemy to your enemies. Take courage.

Simon Pinchbeck: 42:40

My new there so you've got you've got the greatest gift on your side. Haven't you been the enemy to your enemies? Don't get into an argument with the enemy. Don't entice the enemy, man. And I feel sorry, if you're not a born again, believing you the limitation is no is limitless, because you're on your own. But yeah, if you are, if you have got the spirit of the Lord in you, then yes, there is a limitation to what you go through. You can only go through that with Jesus Christ and coming out of the trials coming out the temptations with victory. A man see where the Lord's gonna take your glory walk on next level, the Lord's gonna raise you up. He's taking you up. Be careful of who you got around you. Because you know, even friends and family couldn't become danger can't Yeah, it can become dangerous because they can be compatible tools of the enemy.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:42

Because when your family see that the Father has given you a blessing. Joseph, what a classic example. Brothers. Look what dad has given me. Look what dad has given me. Oh, yeah, we know what happens when I want to happen. Be careful. Be careful. Can you stand to be blessed? Can you stand to hold on to your code? Can you? Can you carry the blessing that God has got for you? Have you got the courage to stand up for Jesus Christ?

Simon Pinchbeck: 44:10

All right, great words. Listen to what Ben said, Please, if you if you're out there, have you gotten a courage? Have you got the courage, the courage to take on the blessing that the Lord is given to you? Have you got the courage to get out to the blessing? Can you can you put down your pride? Can you put me can you be humble in the blessing that the Lord has given to you? You're not a spiritual superstar now. You're not wearing a

Reverend Ben Cooper: 44:36

cloak. You tonight Simon, I'm gonna be but you've got the shield of faith on the show. Now, listen to this. This is the Word of God speaking. God is directing you as we come to land. And as we bring this to some form of just the polls because this is not over. It's not over till he says it's over. There is always more. There is always more with Christ. He will give and he will reveal His word to you. It takes courage to hold on to the Word of God. As Jesus said to those three that went to the Garden of Gethsemane with him very, very clearly, watch, and pray, very important that we watch. And we pray purely that we don't fall into temptation, Simon, you know, God as God has blessed us again with his word as and he has taken us in, you know, we've reached that point, we've reached the point.

Simon Pinchbeck: 45:25

I think you said it, and have you got the courage to get through the trial, keeping your eyes on Jesus, to fulfill your destiny. In God in Jesus, have you got that courage? Because God has got plan for you, my friend. And it may mean there's a few trial was but if you keep your eyes on Jesus, they often have the Perfecter you get through the trials. And as Jesus did, as we found out today, he got through the temptation so he got through the trials, and he achieved the greatest Destiny ever he was he was tempted, in the greatest way that anyone's ever been tempted. But he got through that, and from the strength of that he achieved his destiny. He was on a cross.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 46:18

Hallelujah. Come on every battle across we've come back to the cross and there we will leave it at the cross. He will fire me at the cross. You know, you've been listening to simon pinchbeck, me myself, Ben Cooper, we thank you so much for joining us wherever you are, across the world. This is #Christian Straight Talk. Straight out the barrel of truth. And the title of today's podcast was the courage to get through the trials and temptations Hold on. God is with you never give up in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. God bless you. Amen. Amen.