Tuesday, March 18 || OVERCOME TEMPTATION THROUGH WORD AND SPIRIT

Read : Matthew 4: 1-11

“At once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert, and He was in the desert for forty days, being tempted by Satan.” - Mark 1: 12,13

Both in Mark and Luke’s gospel accounts we see that Jesus’ temptation was ongoing, it was for 40 days. So Jesus was tempted continually, but the last three assaults by the devil was the worst. The test for Jesus was from an outside source, of course the tempter himself, the devil. (Matthew 4:3) Here is where Jesus’ temptation is different than ours. Our temptation comes primarily from an internal source - our godless, unredeemed flesh, our sinful Adamic nature. Obviously Satan can provoke our flesh to tempt, but it is not mandatory. Our flesh is fully capable of tempting us on its own power. It continuously seeks for an opportunity to reign as a “master” in our mortal bodies. (Romans 6:12-13) And so we cannot always say, “The devil made me do it!” Let us not forget that our greatest resource in the face of temptation is a close relationship with Jesus and imitating His pattern of being filled with the Spirit and with the Word. Remember, the strongest weapon in Satan’s arsenal is no match for the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

Dear friends, here is something we can do that will help in moment of temptation - to fix our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2) Take a long look at the Son of God who spent 40 days being tempted in the wilderness and won the victory over the devil. If He won the battle depending on the Spirit and the Word, so can we, because both of these supernatural resources are available to us today. This truth in turn makes it clear that we should venture forth each day filled with the Spirit and with the Word. Not to do so, will leave us vulnerable to the spiritual attacks of the devil.