OUR HOPE IS IN THE LORD!
OUR HOPE IS IN THE LORD!
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” Then the devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. “I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory,” he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. So if You worship me, it will all be Yours.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” Then the devil led Him to Jerusalem and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple. “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard You carefully; and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” But Jesus answered, “It also says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. —Luke 4:1-13
Jesus was hungry and the devil knew it and so designed a temptation in that area. Satan tried tempting Jesus to PROVE He was the Son of God by turning stones into bread. There is no way Jesus was going to follow the lead of Satan and He quoted a higher calling than physical hunger. He said that “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone”’ and the parallel passage in Matthew He adds “but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). We are to listen to God and not to satanic temptations in the areas of physical appetites. Is God speaking to me in some area of physical appetites where I am being tempted? Will I listen to what God is saying to me in that area or give in to the temptation of Satan? Here are some areas of physical appetites: gluttony, sexual immorality of any kind, drunkenness, drug use…
Another area where Satan tempted Jesus and does so with us as well is with positions of power. There is fallen nature tendency to want to rule over others and not serve them. Jesus mentioned this in Luke 22:24-27 where “A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” We are not to look for power positions. Instead we are to be servants in whatever position we find ourselves in. May this be the case for each of us!
Lastly, Satan tempted Jesus with proving He could have His life preserved. Jesus would not cave to Satan’s temptation. He knew who He was and that His life was already preserved forever, being the Eternal Son of God. So we also need to remember this. Brothers and sisters, no virus, no demon, no famine, no nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). We are safe in His hands to live the life expectancy that He expects us to live, that He planned for us to live according to His purposes. So let us not fret about the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Dear Father I am so grateful to know I am safe in You regardless of what happens in or around my life. Now may I encourage others toward You that they may know this as well. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. So be it!