The following is another one of my favorite devotional thoughts:
What does it take to overcome temptation? Really, simply, know the word of God. Is it really that simple? I believe it can be. One of my favorite stories is the one about Jesus going into the wilderness for a forty day fast. In both Matthew 4 and Luke 4 we read about this story. Now, for years I believed that the devil tempted Jesus just three times. As I read the story again I see, especially in Luke, that the devil tempted him the whole time he was in the wilderness.
Luke 4:1-2: 1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan
So, the devil was working on him from the beginning. Now, before we move on here, I want to make note of the fact that Jesus has just been baptized and is full of the Holy Spirit. How many times in my life have I come off of a spiritual high to be attacked very quickly afterward by the devil? Can you relate? It happened to Jesus, it will happen to us.
As I read these two verses, I envision a continual battle over temptation. Now, for any who have fasted from food before…you know this is an added difficulty. Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline points out how reflective fasting can be:
More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside us with food and other good things, but in fasting these things surface. If pride controls us, it will be revealed almost immediately. David writes, “I humbled my soul with fasting” (Ps. 69:10). Anger, bitterness, jealousy, strife, fear—if they are within us, they will surface during fasting. At first we will rationalize that our anger is due to our hunger; then we will realize that we are angry because the spirit of anger is within us. We can rejoice in this knowledge because we know that healing is available through the power of Christ. (Pg. 55)
Jesus was a man. He was God in the flesh, yet he lived as a man. He had to be tempted, deeply and succeed so that we would have an example. His fasting made it all the more extreme.
I believe that the three written examples of the temptations were the three types of methods Satan used through out the forty days. Many Scholars believe that these three types of temptation were equivalent to the types of temptation used by the serpent on Adam and Eve. Those three types of temptation are: 1. Lust of the eyes. 2. Lust of the flesh. 3. The pride of life. When Adam was tempted, (and I refer to Adam because he has standing with Eve the whole time the serpent was working her [in my blog article Men and Integrity I refer to this]) these three types of temptation were used by the serpent. Lust of the eyes=the woman saw that the fruit was pleasing to the eye. Lust of the flesh=you will be like God. Pride of life=desirable for gaining wisdom. (Genesis 3)
Now Satan uses the same three types of temptation on Jesus. I believe it is no accident that the writers used these three examples. They knew them by heart for they knew the Genesis story by heart. Lust of the eyes=tempting him to throw himself down for the angels to guard him. Lust of the flesh=turn this stone to bread and feed yourself. Pride of life=worship the devil and he will give Jesus power over-all of the earthly kingdom. Who knows how many different examples of these three types Satan used during that forty days.
An interesting twist is revealed through Jesus’ temptation. Satan uses scripture. If you think about it…this is a common tool for him. Most who have been around church can finish this phrase from Romans 3:23…”for all have sinned…” You are finishing the verse as you read it…”and fall short of the glory of God,”…Notice the comma at the end of that phrase. Many do not know what follows the comma because I believe Satan has used that verse to discourage us from having joy in the Lord. Verse 24 finishes that phrase in the positive, “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Satan commonly uses God’s word and twists and perverts it in order to draw us further away from God. During Jesus’ temptation, Satan used scripture that is quoted in both Matthew and Luke. Satan took out of context Psalm 91:11-12 concerning the angels. Satan did the same with Adam and Eve. He did not have scripture to twist. However, he did twist God’s word. Notice in Genesis 3, 1b“…Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Then again, 4”You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman, 5”for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” And they did not die…right away. They did die later, which I do not think was the plan. Satan twisted God’s word. God did not tell them when they would die if they ate of the tree. After the fact in 3:19 God tells Adam of his fate by ending the verse with…”for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
Returning to the original question, “How do we overcome temptation?” The simple answer is, “with scripture.” Notice Jesus response to all three examples of Satan’s temptation. In Luke 4, vs. 4, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”(Deuteronomy 8:3) In vs. 8, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”(Deuteronomy 6:13) And in vs. 12, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”(Deuteronomy 6:16) Scripture is a powerful source of overcoming temptation. Knowing God’s word, having it written on our hearts, prepares us for the temptations that come our way. One thing to recognize, it is not always Satan that sends temptation our way. Many times, temptation comes from within. It is born from our remnant of sin left from when we became a new creation in Christ (See my article on Transformation Observations). Either way, scripture is a strong defense against temptation.
So, for years, I would hear, “you need to read your Bible.” I would feel guilty because I did not read my Bible. Today, I do not get into my Bible enough. But, for so long I approached Bible study with an approach of learning and following right from wrong. I felt like I needed to read it in order to earn some “Heaven” points. Or, I would read it in order to answer questions and opposition by those who did not believe. Or, even worse, I would read it in order to have a strong argument against someone who interpreted the word differently than I did. Years ago I began to recognize the importance of scripture against the power of temptation. I would find myself avoiding certain situations because of what I knew in the word. It was written on my heart, even from the little bit I read and from the Bible class teaching I received in my Christian school and college. The Spirit revealed to me how important the Bible is in the spiritual battle in which I am engaged. It is scripture written on my heart that helps me face my on fleshly desires and Satan’s attacks. In the last few months I have visited a website called Setting Captives Free: http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/ . This website is dedicated to helping those with several struggles and addictions. Some of the greatest power in this site and its authors is the push for feasting on God’s word. This feasting allows for defense against temptation. The more we know the word, the more access we have to weapons to fight with against the temptations that come our way. The Spirit works through the word to speak to our spirit to stand strong or even flee.
My plea and exhortation is to urge all in Christ to stay in His word and gain strength from the knowledge the Spirit instills in us from the word. Remember I Corinthians 10:13:
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.
Scripture gives us that base, that way out. It worked for Jesus while he was under great duress, it can work for us.
Peace and Grace.
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