~ Jesus Was Tempted ~
Scripture ~ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Second Temptation
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Third Temptation
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:1-11)
Comment ~ Temptation is normal and not a sin. Christ, Who lived a sinless life, was tempted but never yielded to the temptation. As one scholar put it, “You can’t stop a bird from landing on your head, but you can prevent it from building a nest in your hair.”
Key Principles ~ “God is faithful who will with the temptation also make a way of escape.” (1 Cor. 10:13)
Testing is normal – 1 Peter 4:12
Evil is not from God – James 1:13
Mind is the battlefield – Romans 12:2
Passion can be disciplined – Galatians 5:16
Truth provides the exit – 1 Corinthians 10:13
Accountability gives strength – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Time reveals true desire – Hebrews 11:25
Intercession of Christ sustains us – Hebrews 4:15-16
Obedience brings blessing – James 1:12
New nature empowers victory – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Key Takeaway: Temptation is not a sin. Surrender is the sin. Victory is possible in Christ.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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Bible Version: Quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted. Emphasis is added.
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