When Jesus was tempted in the desert by the Devil, He was tempted by the very same things we are tempted by today. Your body, your ego, and material things. There’s not much more we can be tempted by, is there? Just think how many people live to showcase their bodies, or live for the food that goes in it? Think about how pride drives a person to abandon things or people meant to be in their lives? Or think about how television encourages us to be dissatisfied with what God has blessed us with? These temptations are what Satan uses to keep us distracted, busying ourselves with irrelevant actions that ultimately rob us of our true purpose; serving others and glorifying God. Jesus resisted these temptations and gives us the power to do the same when they come. What will you do the next time they come knocking at your door?
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights He fasted and became very hungry.3 During that time the devil came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”4 But Jesus told Him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If You are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect you.And they will hold you up with their handsso you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” 7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”8 Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to You,” he said, “if You will kneel down and worship me.”10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your Godand serve only Him.’” 11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
Matthew 4:1-11
An Ordinary Man's Pursuit of the Extraordinary God of the Bible. These are daily insights from reading the Bible from cover to cover yearly. It is intended to point others to the Truth, and inspire people to pursue the God of the Bible individually.
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