Have you ever considered that it is most often when we are at our weakest times of our lives (whether it be emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual) that Satan comes to tempt us – in order that he might draw us to sin? For it is at our weakest moments that we are most vulnerable.
James 1:13-15 states,
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
In Matthew 4:1-11 we read of the account of Satan [also called the “tempter” and the “devil”] tempting Jesus to sin.
Matthew 4:2 states,
“And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.”
At this moment, Jesus was very weak. In Matthew 4:3 we read that the [tempter] tempted Jesus in his “flesh“, in that he tempted him to turn stones into bread. Here we see that the tempter tried to get Jesus to perform a miracle for himself – in order that he might satisfy his fleshly need. However, Jesus stated, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” [cf. Deuteronomy 8:3].
Failing at his first attempt, he did not give up. In Matthew 4:5 we read that the [devil] then tempted Jesus in his “soul” (wherein lies the mind, will, and emotions). The devil tempted Jesus to throw himself off of a pinnacle of the temple. The devil then stated, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Notice here that the devil challenged Jesus’ deity, and he used Scripture [cf. Psalms 91:11-12] as a means to get Jesus to “prove that he is the Son of God”. But Jesus responded with, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Let us understand two points here: 1) the devil knew that Jesus is the Son of God; 2) but in this temptation, he attempted to get Jesus to be “prideful” to show forth that he is the Son of God. Let us also observe here that when the devil tempts us in our mind, our will, and/or our emotions, he will often offer us Scriptures as a means to rationalize and to justify our giving in to the temptation to sin.
Failing at his second attempt, the devil still did not give up. In Matthew 4:8-9 we find that the [devil] then tempted Jesus in his “spirit“. The devil took Jesus up to a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world, and all their “worldly” glory. The devil then stated, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” But Jesus the Son of God judged the devil and stated, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Notice here that Jesus called him [Satan]; for it is Satan who desires that we all fall down and worship him.
Each time that Jesus was tempted, he responded from God’s Word, “It is written.” We too must learn to respond to Satan [the devil, the tempter] with God’s Word, but it requires us to study to know God’s Word; lest we allow ourselves to succumb to the temptation, albeit in our “flesh“, our “soul“, or our “spirit“. Let us also learn that when we are at our weakest moments of our lives, we truly need to turn our whole being unto the Lord where we will find rest, peace and strength, whereas we will be able to stand against the “wiles of the devil”.
Ephesians 6:11-12 states,
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
And let us always remember Hebrews 4:15,
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
