Temptation

Temptation

While our Lord, Jesus Christ walked upon this earth,
He was called into the wilderness.
He was hungry and tired after 40 days and nights,
When the devil conducted a test.
Now the devil came out and said,
“You’ll hunger no more, just make some bread of this stone.”
But our Lord shook His head and said back at him,
“Man shall not live by bread alone!”

Oh, not to give up, Satan tried yet again, and from the top of the temple he said,
“Why not throw yourself down, for if you really are God’s Son,
You will not harm a hair on your head.
For the angels will come, and they will bear you up, and people will give you laud.”
But our Lord shook his head and said back to him,
“You shall not tempt the Lord your God!”

In a final attempt, to the mountain they went, and the devil surveyed the scene.
He showed Jesus all the kingdoms and the wealth of the world, and said,
“It’s yours if you will worship me.”
But, the answer was clear, and there was no mistake. 
“Be gone!” our Savior replied,
“For the Word of God says that the Lord
God alone shall be worshiped and glorified!”

So when we are tempted by the things of this world,
And the lies of the devil himself,
We need only look as far as the Scripture of God
To deflect his evil message of death.
If we hold true to the unfailing Word of God and keep it deep in our hearts,
Then we need not be afraid when the devil tries to strike
In our lives with his fiery darts.

In Matthew 4, the Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted by Satan just prior to starting his ministry.  After fasting for 40 days and nights, Satan came to him in the desert and tried to lure Jesus into disobedience.  Even though he was God, Jesus was fully human as well.  After fasting for 40 days, he was in a greatly weakened state physically and mentally when Satan approached him.  Satan tempted Jesus three times as written in the lyrics above, but each time, Jesus denied him and remained sinless.  

When I read this account, several things stand out:  

1. Satan will often attack us when we are in a weakened state.  In 1 Peter 5:8, the apostle Peter warns us of this.  “Stay alert!  Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  If you think about lions in the animal kingdom, you know that they will first go after a weakened animal because they are easier to conquer.  Likewise, if we are tired, sick, stressed, or overwhelmed, we are much more likely to sin.  We might even justify it to ourselves and others based on our difficult situation.  Jesus was in a weakened state, but he refused to give in to Satan.  Peter goes on in chapter 5 verses 9-11 to tell us how we can stand strong in our suffering.  “Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.  Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus.  So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.  All power to him forever!  Amen.”
   
   
2. Satan knows the Scriptures.  He is also a master of manipulation and half-truths. Remember how Satan tempted Eve in the garden?  He told her that she would not die from eating the fruit.  While it was true that they did not immediately die, they began the process of decay that would lead to eventual death.  In the case of the temptation of Christ, Satan knew what Jesus was capable of, so he used the words of God against the Son, but Jesus didn’t fall for it.  He denied Satan all three times, also with the scriptures, without twisting their meaning.  What does this mean for us?  We need to read, know, and understand the Bible so well that when we are tempted, we can turn to the source of truth.  God gave us his word as an instruction manual for life.  The Bible was “written” by the One who is eternal.  It was written for then, and it is written for now.  We cannot expect to get through this life in one piece if we don’t turn to the manual of life.  God gave us his word, and he expects us to use it.  We have no excuse not to do so.  “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.  But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.”  (Psalms 1:1-2).
   
   
3. Satan will try to make sin look attractive.  In the first temptation, Satan played on the immediate physical needs of Jesus.  “Come on,” he hissed, “you’re hungry and weak.  This can’t be healthy.  You have a ministry to start, and here you are out in the desert starving to death.  Just change this stone to bread, and you’ll feel much better.”  Now on the surface, this suggestion doesn’t sound so wrong.  After all, it isn’t a sin to eat, right?  Typically, that answer would be no, but Jesus had committed to fasting, and he would not allow Satan to distract him from this commitment with mere physical desires.  How often do we give in to a desire for physical comfort or the satisfaction of a physical desire?  The second temptation was equally as sinister.  “So you say that you’re God’s Son.  Prove it! Jump off this temple, because if are who you say you are, then the angels will save you.”  How often do we commit sin just because we are challenged to prove something?  The final temptation was to take the easy way out – the path of least resistance.  “Just worship me now and I’ll give you the title deed to the whole earth, right here and right now.  It is mine to give.  You don’t have to suffer here anymore.  Think of all the good you could do.”  Jesus knew that he was to suffer at Calvary in order to pay the penalty for the sins of the world – sins that he had never committed.  This suggested route would certainly be easier, yet it would not have accomplished what he needed to accomplish.  Although he could have won the earth, he would have lost all of those who he loved on this earth.  How often have we been tempted to take shortcuts?  How often have we been told (or thought ourselves) that the ends justify the means?  How often have we compromised and then justified it to ourselves by considering all of the “good” that could come from it?
   
   
4. Satan will try to discourage your ministry.  Have you ever noticed that when you begin a new ministry, are thinking about starting a ministry, or share your faith with others,  that bad things often happen?  Sometimes, they are just little darts that seem to keep hitting over and over.  Other times, it is giant boulders that seem to be coming from every direction.  And still other times, Satan attempts to discredit you and your ministry by leading you into temptation.  The account of the temptations of Jesus occurred just prior to him starting his public ministry and Satan did not want that to happen.  He doesn’t want us to succeed, either.  Don’t let him win.  The salvation of others, freeing them from eternal separation from God and damnation, is simply too important.
   
   
5. We have a Savior who understands temptation.  Jesus, as a fully human man, knew temptation.  These were the only three times in his earthly life that he was tempted, as we can see in John 12:27 and Matthew 22:15.  Certainly temptations popped up every day, just as they do for us, and yes, he knows what it is like for us.  Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”  We can thank God that he never gave in to sin because it meant that Jesus could present Himself for us at Calvary as a “lamb without blemish”, a perfect sacrifice.  He could pay our penalty completely and fully.
   
   
6. God will always give us a way out.  In 1 Corinthians 10:13, it says, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”  We will never be tempted beyond our ability to resist it as long as we are walking with Christ.  Many have been tempted into sin when they were trying to manage their own life.  If you are tempted, ask God for help to overcome it, and he will help you.  Immerse yourself in God’s Word.  Know it and live it, so that when you are tempted, you can resist sin. The closer you remain to God, the easier it will be to resist temptation.  “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” (James 4: 7-8)

Temptation comes from a spiritual being.  We are fighting a war against Satan and his minions.  They seek to destroy us and our relationship with God.  Because of this, we need to go into battle with a spiritual defense.  In the book of Ephesians, Paul tells us how we can have this defense by putting on the armor of God.  

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

(Eph 6:10-18)

Here is one more practical piece of advice for resisting temptation. When you are tempted and you simply tell yourself, “No,” there can be a tendency to dwell on the very thing that is tempting you.  Think about a piece of cake.  Eating cake itself is certainly not a sin, but it can be harmful to you if you eat too much, are diabetic, need to lose weight, etc.  If you simply try to avoid the cake, you may find yourself dwelling on the cake and thinking about how deprived you feel.  Instead, next time you are trying to avoid a temptation, consider replacing the temptation with something that is healthy or not sinful.  Instead of not eating the cake, try eating a piece of fruit.  Let’s look at something more serious than cake, such as pornography.  Pornography addictions can be very difficult to break, since the images remain in your mind.  The next time you are tempted to look at pornography, try reading God’s word or singing a praise song.  Find a suitable, healthy, and non-sinful substitute for the temptations that most attack you.  The more you run to the substitute, the less power that temptation will have on you. 

Related Devotional

Dealing With Temptation

The book “Spiritual Warfare” by Ray Stedman discussed the application of Ephesians 6 in the life of the church.  It is reprinted online at Spiritual Warfare

“7 Ways to Resist Temptation” by Leah Baugh:
7 Ways to Resist Temptation

“When Sin Looks More Enjoyable Than God” with Francis Chan:

Music and lyrics by LuAnne Barnet.  Copyright (c) 2004 LuAnne Barnet.  All Rights Reserved

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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