Have you ever thought deeply about temptation? How often, on a daily basis, are we tempted to do something (or not do something)? Do we give in and do it? Do we really even know we are being tempted? God says He never tempts anyone. However, Satan is constantly trying to tempt us away from God. Here in Luke chapter 4, we read of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Jesus is tempted 3 times. I’m sure He was tempted many more times than that, but this is the only account specifically mentioned in the Bible. Upon close examination we learn Satan is the great tempter. He uses our physical needs to lure us into sinful thoughts or actions. He uses the accumulation of possessions to appeal to our greed and selfishness. He even uses our faith in God to appeal to our pride to test God to see if He will do what He says He will do. If Satan was allowed to tempt Jesus, then we are certain to be tempted through out our lifetime. What are we to do? Flee from it. If we don’t, we will eventually give into to it, even though the mind is willing, the flesh is weak. Ask God to fill your mind, heart, and soul with His Spirit, so that when temptation comes, we will be able to resist the Devil by standing in the power of Christ.
1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where He was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.3 Then the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’”5 Then the devil took Him up and revealed to Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 “I will give You the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to You if You will worship me.”8 Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your Godand serve only Him.’” 9 Then the devil took Him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If You are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect and guard you.11 And they will hold you up with their handsso you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” 12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left Him until the next opportunity came.
Luke 4:1-13
Thursday, August 8, 2019
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