I have recently really come to love this part of the Bible where Jesus is tempted. Not because I desire that Christ would have to endure temptation, but because of the example He sets for us on how to overcome it, when it happens, and why it happens.
First of all, we must realize who is behind ALL of our temptations: satan. Many Christians today believe that satan is more a spirit or an idea of evil rather than an actual being. But here, it is quite clear that he is a real creature as he interacts with Jesus. Remember how we've recently talked about satan being a liar -- that it is his nature to lie? A temptation is a lie! It's the thought in your head that if you could just get _____ then you would be _____. But unless it is found in scripture, it is not true.
And look who took Jesus out to be tempted! The Holy Spirit. Verse 1 says, "Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the devil." It seems cruel, doesn't it? But in Deuteronomy 8:2, we read that God led Israel into the wilderness to humble and test them. The Lord wants to see if we, His people, will really obey Him in times of pressure. It's not to be cruel and to watch us suffer, but rather so that there is proof of your convictions -- will you stay strong or give into temptation? The Lord knows us, so I can't imagine that the testing and temptation would be merely for His sake, but I fully believe tempting is also for our sake. I can know, for myself, that when I don't give into temptation that my convictions are strong. And, I also know the Truth of the lack of my convictions when I have fallen into temptation. I can't lie to myself about the strength of my convictions if I've just fallen into temptation, can I? If you aren't sure of the strength of your trust in Jesus, just wait for a little temptation to come (and it will come).
The fact that it will come doesn't have to be a burden to us though, because my favorite part about what Jesus demonstrates here is what to do in the midst of temptation. He fights satan's lies with the Word. Satan catches onto this little game, and even satan himself uses a passage of scripture to tempt Jesus. But Jesus knows the context of that scripture, so He refutes satan with the truth in a different passage. We have GOT to learn the Word, my friends! We can't know if what is in our heads is our voice, satan's voice, or God's voice unless we know what He says. One verse I came across lately has been challenging me when it comes to learning the Word. It's in Deuteronomy 6, and it says, "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." My mom did this so well when we were kids. There was Scripture in our house on the walls and refrigerator that I memorized just by seeing it so often, and she bought different scripture memory cassette tapes that we'd listen to in the car, singing along at the top of our lungs. Those verses are sealed in my brain, and they HAVE come up time to time when I have needed to know Truth. We don't just have to sit and read an index card over and over until we have a verse memorized, but we can let it be just part of our day. We don't have to literally wear it on our foreheads, but that is a picture of close it should be us -- near by, easy to access, and dear to our hearts.
Finally, Jesus commanded satan to leave, and he did. In Jesus' name, we can do the same thing -- I've done it! The One who is more powerful will protect you. In a few verses previously, satan quotes the following to Jesus when he tempts Him to jump off the highest point in Jerusalem saying, "He orders his angels to protect you. And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on stone." But Jesus reminds satan that "the Scriptures also say, 'Do not test the Lord your God.' " And I find it interesting that satan knows this scripture about angels protecting us, because this is exactly the scripture we need to know when we are feeling tempted and want satan to flee! It comes from Psalm 91 (read the whole thing, it's amazing, but here's part of it). Verse 9 begins with,
"If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!"
When we are being tempted, we need to verbally say who we serve and who our refuge is! (Remember, satan can't read your mind, but he can hear your voice). Declare that Jesus Christ is your Lord, and in His name, you can command satan to leave. Then just as they did for Jesus, His angels will come and care for you and protect you.
You are safe today, my friend. Call on His name when you are tempted, and He will rescue you!
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