Jesus' Temptations and Ours, Part 4

      Having examined how Jesus’ temptations mirror ours, we ought to take note of some general principles regarding temptation.

      First, we must always be prepared for temptation, no matter what is happening to us. Just before Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted (Matthew 4:1), He had been baptized and God had made a public declaration, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

      What a victorious day that must have been for Jesus. Yet, it was immediately succeeded by these temptations. No matter what kind of victories we have had, we need to be prepared for temptation.

      Second, similar to the first, we must not spend too much time thinking about how we overcame a temptation that we are not prepared for another.

      Jesus’ first temptation put his ability to trust God to the test. But, His second temptation stepped things up a notch or two. Remember, Satan saw that Jesus would trust God. Then he attacked Jesus, trying to get Him to prove His claim was true. Would God really take care of Him?

      Too often we overcome the onslaught of the devil only to get confident and then sloppy with our Christianity. Satan was giving us the old “one-two punch.” We blocked the first one, but we let the second through our defenses and were knocked out cold.

      Third, we must note that Satan will not always be direct. That is, he will appeal to desires that are not sinful in order to get us to do something sinful.

      Consider, was Jesus’ desire to eat a sin? Was His desire to know God was present a sin? Was his desire to avoid suffering a sin? None of these desires were sinful.

      Satan tried to use these lawful desires to get Jesus to fulfill them unlawfully. That is exactly how Satan will attack us. He will use our lawful and natural desires against us. But when we allow even our lawful desires to carry us away and we give birth to sin, we will die (James 1:15).

      Fourth, we must be completely aware that Satan will lie to us when he tempts us. Satan promised Jesus the kingdoms of the world. But, if God, who never lies (Hebrews 6:18), had the power to grant the kingdoms to Jesus (Psalm 2:7), then Satan did not. He lied.

      That is no big shock. Jesus said Satan was a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Sin promises a great deal but it is deceitful (Hebrews 3:13).

      If we are to overcome temptation, we must be prepared for it. We are not ignorant of Satan’s devices (II Corinthians 2:11). Therefore we can overcome.

Edwin L. Crozier