by Bruce Mackay | Download PDF | Purchase Hardcopy

As we look at this significant event of Jesus' temptation, it is full of lessons for each of us. Throughout our lives, and even on a daily basis, we are tempted with many things; whether material things we desire to have, the food we eat, financial security, or even the love of a specific person. These are the fundamental things that can control the decisions we make and the relationships we have with one another.

When we feel tempted by something, we believe that if we possess that one thing which we don't have, that's out of our reach, then we will be satisfied. We believe that, having been satisfied, this will bring contentment and peace to our lives. However, we continue to be tempted because there is nothing of this world that can truly satisfy us. We will never find contentment by being drawn by our desires.

Temptation can have such an overpowering control of our lives that we become irrational and unreasonable about the decisions we make. And this will affect the way we live our lives, and in turn, affect those around us. If we surrender to such temptations and desires, we must realise that this will, in fact, ultimately lead to the corrosion of our identity and the destruction of our lives. As we step through the issues Jesus faced in His life, we can learn and be helped.

Wilderness trials

'Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God". Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours". And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve'." Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone'." And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God'." Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.' Luke 4:1-13.

Immediately after His baptism, having been filled with the Spirit, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Being filled with the Holy Spirit does not stop us from experiencing trials. Many people think that being filled with the Holy Spirit is the doorway to ease and abundance. The Holy Spirit is not an escape from trials. Rather, He leads us through the trials and strengthens us in the midst of them.

Tempted by the devil

If Jesus, the Son of God, was tempted by the devil, why are we so surprised, shocked and offended that the devil tempts us also? It is interesting to compare the mode in which the devil tempted Jesus to the temptation of the first creation, Adam and Eve.

Satan tempts us in our natural desires, in our purpose, and also in our identity, by using the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Firstly, Satan tempted Eve in her desire for food. Likewise, with Jesus temptation, He was hungry. He had a desire, and it was Satan who endeavoured to take advantage of that desire. But Jesus knew that every good gift and His daily provision came from the Father. He understood His predestination and His purpose. He knew that His identity and worth came from the Father and in the timing of the Father. He was not drawn and enticed by desire. Secondly, Eve was tempted by what she could see. In the same way Satan caused Jesus to see the kingdoms of the world. And, thirdly, the pride of life was used by the devil to tempt Eve who wanted to be wise. Similarly, if Jesus had jumped from an extreme height and not been injured, He would have had instant fame.

Another aspect of the mode in which we are tempted by Satan is his misuse of the Scriptures, or the word of God. 'Did God say … ?' This leads to a questioning of the truth. 'If you are the son of God … .'

The desire of the flesh

The book of James says that we are tempted when we are drawn and enticed by desire. Jesus was hungry, which is a very normal and physical reality that we all face. Satan will always entice us in the area of our normal, everyday needs. Food, clothing, finances and our material possessions are just some of the areas where many of us fall victim to enticement. Satan endeavours to make these things our complete focus and purpose. We begin to see that these things are suddenly put above relationships; in particular our relationship and fellowship with the Lord , and our devotion to Him.

Jesus overcame His temptation by putting the everyday necessities in their proper context and by putting the living word of God above all else. Our focus should be that we live by the word that God is speaking, and not by the food that will perish. We must not be drawn away from living and obeying the word of God that is coming to us. Remember, Satan causes us to be enticed by our desires and wants us to gratify our flesh. This stops us from living by the word of God.

We have natural physical desires and we must know that this is not sin. Sin is when we are drawn to gratify those desires in a manner that is contrary to the word of God.

Drawn by our eyes

Our sight is a wonderful gift from God. But we notice that the devil tries to cause us to sin through the lust of the eyes. Our eyes are just as capable of looking at what is evil, as they are of looking at what is good and beautiful. The young child can see its mother and is filled with love and trust. Just as easily, the eyes of a young child can fix on a lolly or a cake that they have been told not to touch. We are tempted by the devil when we allow him to entice us to look at things that are not the will of God for us.

In this second temptation of Jesus, His eyes were drawn to the kingdoms of the world. The devil sought to use this to tempt Him into possessing them outside the timing and will of God. Whenever we take to ourselves what God has not given to us, we become victims of idolatry. Idolatry is putting something which is not given from God, ahead of or before God. This is why Jesus said, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve".' Luke 4:8. We face such temptations regularly. Constantly, we are being drawn to dwell on and take to ourselves things that take priority over the will of God.

We could be drawn into taking a better paying job, thinking that this opportunity could be the answer to all our problems. But to do so, could mean moving from where God has placed us, and thus leaving and breaking relationships that have been established. Maybe we've seen something material that we like and long to have, but we can only acquire it by spending money which has been dedicated to the Lord's work. This is Satan's motivation and his plan is for us to put the things of the world, material possessions, career decisions or lifestyle choices, above the Lord.

The pride of life

We all struggle with identity and acceptance. This is a prime area for the devil to tempt us. We see Jesus, who had all the power but chose to use it for the glory and will of God. Imagine the instant fame He would have received, if He had done what Satan tempted Him to do, throwing Himself from the pinnacle of the temple and not being harmed. It sounds like something we would commonly see in a James Bond movie! With this thought in mind, we can see why so many characters are created and movies are made using this same heroic, superhero style. This mode causes us to question our identity, and seek acceptance and approval through physical or intellectual achievements.

All people crave happiness, approval and success. And this is where the devil entices us to foolishly seek it in the wrong way. Satan knows that people will sell their souls for a moment of adulation or praise.

Jesus was not drawn. He didn't allow Satan's use of Scripture to entice Him to disobey other vital truths. How often do we see this happen? People will quote from the Bible to justify themselves and their own actions. In doing so, they are in fact violating many other precious truths of God.

Fellowship with others becomes vital as we make decisions that affect our life. This precious fellowship allows us not to be deceived by Satan's temptation. Others can speak to us and show us we are being drawn and enticed if we are going a way that is contrary to God's way for us.

Blessing through enduring

'Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.' James 1:12-18.

We see here that when we are tempted, we are drawn away from Christ by our own desires, which then give birth to sin and bring forth death. We must draw near to Christ, for Christ overcame temptation and He Himself tempts no one. Every good gift, that is all that is best for us, comes from the Father. We must know that we will not receive from the hand of God, nor apprehend the things the Lord has for us, if we are drawn and enticed by our desires. The one who is not deceived by desire and who endures temptation, is blessed and approved and will receive the crown of life. It is through Christ's life, and through living by the very word of God, that we can endure temptation.

Author: Bruce Mackay | Citywide Christian Fellowship - Cairns | CCFC
Published by Vision One at Toowoomba Christian Fellowship | TCF
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