20) (Luke 4:1-13) “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered, ’It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’Jesus answered, ’It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.”
Even Jesus was tempted by the devil. In these verses, He is tempted 3 times, but stood firm. He used the Word of God against the devil, quoting the Truth and living by it.
We are always getting tempted. Every day we are pressure and tempted to do things God does not want is to do, and more times than not we give in. Is that what God wants us to do? No! We need to be giving in to God, giving ourselves TO Him. We need to stand firm and refuse to let the devil knock us down.
Later in Luke 5 it says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” EVEN JESUS PRAYED!!! If Jesus, who was so mighty, prayed to God, GAVE himself to God, why can’t we? Why are we sitting around saying we love God instead of showing this by our actions!?
So here’s the point: Be faithful and pray all the time. Don’t let the devil tempt you. If Jesus cried out to God, you shouldn’t be ashamed to.
