Greater Than The Enemy

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

February 23, 2026

in Spritual Growth

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February 22, 2026:
Readings: Genesis 2: 4b-9, 15-17, 25-3:7
Romans 5:12-21
Matthew 4:1-11

First Sunday Of Lent

We are entering the Season of Lent. It is a preparation for the coming of Jesus into our lives. The enemy has somehow convinced us that we are weak because we are humans and unfortunately, we have believed in that and that we have not used what God has given us. The message of Ash Wednesday is supposed to bring us to repentance as God has given us a new life. God breathed life into us in creation so that we could be like Him. He created the whole universe for man and He created us blessed. In the garden, He planted many trees. In the midst were two major trees: Tree of life and Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The enemy wants man to doubt. He does not want us to know the truth, which is why he deceived man. God had created paradise. He had intended us to be blessed. But He also gave man a free will, the ability to choose. Whatever happens in our lives depends on our choices.

At the baptism of Jesus, it was the beginning of His Ministry. When Adam was in the garden, he had to make a choice, and he failed. In order for restoration to take place, there had to be a second Adam who would need to go through what man did, after the fall. Before that, Adam lived a life of peace. But Jesus had to face the difficulties because sin had already entered the world. As soon as Jesus was baptized, He was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He had nothing with Him- no food, no water, no comfort, no provision. And for 40 days He was alone. What Christ was showing us here was that in spite of the torment we may be facing right now in the world, we have the Holy Spirit who strengthens us. When we are tempted, we should bear in mind that we are conquerors, that we are over-comers. The purpose of the baptism was to identify Jesus as the Son of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit and is greater than the enemy. The power within us is therefore, greater than the enemy’s. We have bitten into the “apple” and we have listened to him to the point that we live in fear and anxiety. We must know who we are in Christ and stand in it. Proverbs 18:4 “The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. “Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

While Jesus was alone in the wilderness, He was meditating and communing with God. Paul, likewise, spent much time with God to learn from Him. So much so that He wrote more books in the New Testament than any other. When we encounter temptations, we are face them, conquer them and not run away.

When the devil tempted Jesus the first time, telling Him to turn the stone into bread, he was planting doubt on Him. Jesus’ response was, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God.” James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

Hebrews 2:18 “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. “
The devil then took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple where He was told to jump saying that the angels would rescue Him. To which Jesus replied, “Do not put God to a test.” The Lord is showing us here that we are greater than the enemy. The main tool of Satan is to make us doubt in the Lord’s promises. When Satan led Jesus to the mountain top which was overlooking the vastness of the kingdoms below, he told Jesus that everything would be His if He bowed down to worship him. Again, Jesus confronted him with God’s Word, “You shall only worship God and God alone.”

As human beings, we fail and make many mistakes. But if we know who we are in Christ, we can get up on our feet and bounce back if we put our trust in God. Elijah, Job, Peter all made mistakes and experienced many difficulties. But God was there to restore them. May we truly believe that we are more powerful than the enemy. Our strength, confidence, trust, provision comes from Him.

Lent