Read Matthew Chapter 4
Is It Really All About Jesus?
It says Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
God does not tempt us but he’ll put us in tempting situations, not to destroy us, but to empower us into victory. When we are connected to Christ we are empowered to be overcomers. The problem is, we often fail because, unlike Jesus, we choose to follow our flesh desires or allow our emotions to override what the Holy Spirit wants to do in and through our lives. It’s a choice. The three times Jesus was tempted, he quoted scripture to hush the mouth of the devil. Do we use scripture to hush the mouth of the devil. Or do we let him entertain our flesh?
First Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread because he had been without food for 40 days and 40 nights. But Jesus reminded the devil that man cannot live on bread alone but by God’s word. Fulfilling flesh desires is not the most important thing in life. But we act like it is. What are some flesh desires people invest into while leaving God behind? Relationships? Money? Sports?
The second temptation, the devil used scripture that says God will protect Jesus. Jesus reminded the devil of the scripture that says do not put God to the test. Sometimes, I want something so bad, that I put God in my box of expectation. I find a scripture in the Bible that fits with my needs and I quote it to God while expecting him to answer my prayer. I EXPECT him to answer my prayer. Jesus said to the devil that we’re not to put God to the test. Let God Work how he wants to work and in his timing.
The third temptation put Jesus into a situation that allowed him to have great power and possessions. All he had to do was worship the devil. Jesus reminds him that God is the only one to be worshiped. No one else! Money, power and possessions seem to easily blur the vision of our spiritual eyes. Once something or someone becomes so important to us that our attention (worship) toward God diminishes and our attention (worship) for something or someone increases, then we are in danger of doing the very thing the devil wanted Jesus to do. It’s easy to worship things or others in this world. We just don’t call it worship. We call them “blessings” when actually they are gods.
Where’s your hunger and thirst? For God and God only or in created things or created people? Help us Lord to worship you and you only.
