Our Wilderness Temptations

Categories: Bible: New Testament, Devotionals: Bible Studies, Commentaries
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Submitted by: Nannette | View Member Profile | View Other Posts
Created: 12/15/2001

As I was studying Matthew 4:1-11, the story of Christ's temptation in the wilderness, it made me think about the lessons it has for us today.

Just as Satan came to tempt Jesus at His lowest point, "He had fasted forty days and forty nights" (Matthew 4:2), Satan also comes to us at our weakest moments, when we're at our lowest.

But what should our response to Satan be, and how can we prevail against his temptations? The answer is in how Jesus Christ prevailed.

What was His answer to Satan, when He was hungry, no starving, and Satan tempted him to "command that these stones become bread?"

It was a simple "It is written."

"It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4.

Jesus had one simple reply, "It is written." And this can be our reply to Satan's temptations. Look to the scriptures. Look to the word of God. What does it say there? There is your answer Satan.

"Jesus met Satan with the words of Scripture. "It is written," He said. In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was the word of God. Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a sign of His divinity. But that which is greater than all miracles, a firm reliance upon a "Thus saith the Lord," was a sign that could not be controverted. So long as Christ held to this position, the tempter could gain no advantage." Desire of Ages p. 120.

"Whenever one is encompassed with clouds, perplexed by circumstances, or afflicted by poverty or distress, Satan is at hand to tempt and annoy. He attacks our weak points of character. He seeks to shake our confidence in God, who suffers such a condition of things to exist. We are tempted to distrust God, to question His love. Often the tempter comes to us as he came to Christ, arraying before us our weakness and infirmities. He hopes to discourage the soul, and to break our hold on God. Then he is sure of his prey. If we would meet him as Jesus did, we should escape many a defeat." Desire of Ages pp. 120-121.

I had been raised a Christian, but left God in my late teens to early 20's. Then in 1982, I looked up to heaven and said, "If you're there, show me." Through some amazing circumstances, I became a Christian again. There were some changes in my life. I lost my job, my boyfriend, my car - but I never saw them as trials, I had a faith that God was taking care of me no matter what.

God wants us to have this assurance every day of our lives. It's hard when you don't know where the money is going to come from to pay for your kid's tuition, to make the house payment or rent. Maybe you don't have transportation. Maybe you or a loved one is sick or dying. God doesn't leave us alone during this and He wants to help us learn a lesson from Christ's temptation experience -- that we, too, can prevail. There's one thing in this world we can rely on, and that's the Word of God. And we can have it freely!

I have to say a thank you that I live in a country where you can own a Bible -- where you can study the Bible. Unfortunately, we may take this freedom for granted and have several Bibles in our homes, collecting dust. We should contemplate those in other countries who risk their lives to have just one page of God's Word.

"Often the follower of Christ is brought where he cannot serve God and carry forward his worldly enterprises. Perhaps it appears that obedience to some plain requirement of God will cut off his means of support. Satan would make him believe that he must sacrifice his conscientious convictions. But the only thing in our world upon which we can rely is the word of God. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:33. Even in this life it is not for our good to depart from the will of our Father in heaven. When we learn the power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan in order to obtain food or to save our lives. Our only questions will be, What is God's command? and what His promise? Knowing these, we shall obey the one, and trust the other." Desire of Ages p. 121.

""The prince of this world cometh," said Jesus, "and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30. There was in Him nothing that responded to Satan's sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ's humanity was united with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to perfection of character.

"And how this is accomplished, Christ has shown us. By what means did He overcome in the conflict with Satan? By the word of God. Only by the word could He resist temptation. "It is written," He said. And unto us are given "exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4. Every promise in God's word is ours. "By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" are we to live. When assailed by temptation, look not to circumstances or to the weakness of self, but to the power of the word. All its strength is yours. "Thy word," says the psalmist, "have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." "By the world of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Ps. 119:11; 17:4. " Desire of Ages p. 123.

For the entire commentary on Christ's temptation in the wilderness from the Desire of Ages, please see the online chapter at: The Temptation