Scripture
When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came along.
Observation
straight after his baptism, full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is driven by the Holy Spirit (literally “thrown out”) into the wilderness for forty days of fasting followed by the biggest temptations the devil could throw at Him.
We must not underestimate the strength of this testing. The devil threw all he had at Jesus knowing that He was the Son of God. Our temptations are just piddling little things in comparison.
In each temptation, Jesus responds with Scripture. These are not just words, but heart-felt declarations of personally experienced truth. Satan cannot withstand this.
Application
Temptation is a fact of life. Satan will do all he can to sever our relationship with God. We all have our weak points and our default setting is to sin.
The three temptations used against Jesus are common:
* focus on the needs of this life at the expense of our relationship with God
* pursuing glory or significance as an end in itself
* misuse of spiritual power
Of these, the first two are common to all people, but the third is a uniquely christian test- when I make my prayer, my ministry, my gifting, my calling more important than God's direction I fall into sin.
Prayer
Lord lead me through times of temptation. Help me to fix my eyes on you so that I may always walk in your ways. Amen.
Always!
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