How Can I Overcome Temptation in My Life? - Matthew 4

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a]by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “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.’[c]”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Today Matthew teaches us Jesus' strategy for overcoming temptation and defeating Satan's strategies.  Like Jesus' cousin John the Baptist, Jesus also spent time in the wilderness.  After 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus was hungry.  I would be hungry after 1 day.  If you remember from yesterday after Jesus was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, he began his ministry of teaching, preaching and healing as a sign that God's kingdom had come near.  

One thing we can be sure of in this life is that we will be "tempted".  The other similar meaning for this word is "tested".  In what way is a temptation a test?  At the heart of every temptation since the Garden of Eden, is when we are tempted to trust in ourselves rather than God.  In every temptation there is a lie that Satan is trying to get us to "buy into", or we might say to "bite into".  While it may seem intriguing or seductive, the result is never good for our relationship with God or others.  

So Satan tempts Jesus in three different ways to get his to trust in his own way rather than in His Father.  In each attempt Jesus uses scripture from the Old Testament to combat the lie Satan is prompting him with.  Satan even tries to distort the meaning of the scripture when he tells Jesus to jump off the temple.  After all he says, "Doesn't the scripture also say he will command his angels concerning you."  Jesus sees through this trap and uses another scripture to send him packing, "Do not put God to the test". 

What can we learn from Jesus?  If Jesus was tempted so will we be.  It is not a matter of if, but when.  Satan tempted Jesus when he was weak, tired and hungry.  When we feel weak, tired and hungry we are vulnerable too.  That is why taking care of ourselves is important but there will be moments will be a target.  Rather than being on the defensive, Jesus goes on the offensive by using scripture to redirect his thoughts and go back to the truth.  Every temptation is built on a lie and by knowing the truth we can recognize it and defeat its power to influence us.  

Where are you most likely to get tempted in your life and faith?  Temptation can present itself in feelings like discouragement, frustration, anger, pride and lust.  Also another thing to note is that when we do sin, we should not wallow in it but confess it to God and maybe someone else and then move forward.  The more we languish in the "woe is me" stage we leave ourselves vulnerable to further attack.  Satan loves to keep us trapped in our guilt and shame. Don't let him do it.

Take a moment to jot down where you get most tempted?  Find a bible verse you could use if that temptation presents itself.  I have found that when I am ready and willing to use God's Word and rely on the Holy Spirit, I can and will overcome temptation. It is God's promise to us. There is no temptation we "have" to give into.  And the more we defeat a temptation in a certain area the less pull it has on us.  This is where true transformation takes place, one day at a time!