Have you reached the point that the devil no longer tempts you? Do you walk an uninterrupted life? One of the most influential books that I have ever read was, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. The book is written from the perspective of a devil (Screwtape) to his young nephew (Wormword), a devil in training. It lays out the trickery and coercion of the devil. And repeatedly refers to God as the enemy. Because after all, God is the Devils enemy. If the devil is not after you, then he may not see you as a threat. If you are not a threat against him… are you an ally?
I was recently reading in Matthew 3 and 4. I recommend you pause and Go read it real quick.
In Matthew 3 we see John the Baptist preparing the way for the coming Messiah. We see him call Jesus out and Baptize Jesus. Up until this point we have seen no temptation by the devil. Why? Is it because Jesus had not started his Fathers work yet? I don’t know. What I do know is that we have witnessed a few very significant things.
- Jesus is baptized by John
- The Spirit of God descended and rested on Jesus
- God presented Jesus as his Son
- Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness.
In Matthew 4, The Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. I compare this to a father taking his son to compete in a wrestling match. He takes him not with the forethought of defeat. Instead he takes him with faith that he will prevail. Just as Abraham took Isaac with faith that God would show up. We should never walk into a battle with the thought of defeat, but rather ready with the sword of God. [Ephesians 6:17]
The word says, And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” but he answered, “it is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Jesus has fasted 40 days. That is 960 hours. That is 57,600 minutes. He has gone without food for this long period and the word says, He was hungry. The first thing the devil did was attack not only his hunger, but also Christ’s Identity as God’s Son. He also subsequently tried to lay out the fact that the Holy Spirit would have you fast, but I would not. The Holy Spirit would have you deny yourself, but I would not. Jesus responds to this attack with the perfect weapon.
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “he will command his angels concerning you and on their hands they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, “again it is written, ‘you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Jesus is no longer in a low place… but rather brought a little higher. The devil takes him and again attacks his identity as the Son of God while simultaneously he tells Jesus that when he is in trouble he can save himself. Have you ever been told that? Has anyone ever told you or made you believe that you don’t need God? Or any of these other phrases that slowly lead you away from the Lord…
- Follow your heart, dreams, ect.
- Good karma out good karma in
- If God does this then I will ____.
- If God is real he will_____.
How low would your faith have to be to believe that God has to prove himself. How low would your thoughts of God have to be to believe you don’t need him. BUT, I warn you.. this is a sly temptation that can get any of us.
Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “ All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone Satan! For it is written, “ You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Jesus is brought up high and is then tempted with his biggest temptation. To worship one other than God! Jesus has the perfect response pulled straight from the Law right by the Shema. How many times have we been on a mountain and looked at things other than God?
Jesus was tempted when he was low in a valley. But he looked to God and used the Word. Jesus was tempted on level ground. But he looked to God and used the Word. Jesus was tempted on a mountain. But he looked to God and used the Word. Don’t for once believe that devil won’t tempt you at every chance he gets. If you are his enemy walking led by the Holy Spirit, he will be after you. He will attack your desires, your pride, your humility, your loneliness, your faith, your doubt. More than anything else, he will tempt you to abandon your identity in God. If this one thing is abandoned, much will follow. Use the weapon that the Lord has fashioned for you. Keep it sharp. Keep it within reach.
Praying this has been fruitful and encouraged you to seek the Word.
Chorley
Hear o, Israel. The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:4-7