In Matthew 4:1 it says, “Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” He fasted for forty days and forty nights and when he was most hungry the devil came to him and asked him to turn stones into bread. Jesus used Scripture to respond to Satan and replied, “It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus went on to be tempted in many ways by Satan, and each time he used Scripture to combat his enemy.
What Does This Teach Us About Jesus?
Jesus, being fully man was famished after fasting for forty days and nights. Jesus, also being fully God, had divine power at his disposal in order to satisfy his desire for food. But, he didn’t use his divine power when he needed it, instead he chose to face his problem in an entirely human way. When the devil came to tempt him, he chose instead to use his knowledge of the Word of God to defeat his enemy. He did this multiple times. Jesus used the Word of God to defeat Satan, but it wasn’t just knowing Scripture that defeated Satan, it was the fact that Jesus obeyed Scripture. It is important to note here that Satan also knows Scripture. In Matthew 4:6 Satan said, “If you are the Son of God…throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Satan used Scripture too, but failed to obey it.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
Greed, pride, lust, and many other worldly desires creep into our everyday lives and it is easy to give in to these temptations. Instead of giving in though, like Jesus, we must stay focused on our Father’s glory. For every temptation that comes our way, for every attack thrown at us, we need to seek God first and focus on the answers He provides us in His Word. The enemy is trying to keep us from finding and following God’s will for our lives. We have to constantly remember that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39) unless we allow it. We are never alone in overcoming our temptations and through the love of Christ we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).
Meditate on Scripture – I Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) – No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.