Today's Bible Reading: MARK 1:12-13; MATTHEW 4:1-11; LUKE 4:1-15; JOHN 1:19-2:25
Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
We all struggle with temptation. We experience daily encounters that divert our devotion. Self, society and Satan collaborate to defeat us. They are a cohort of compromise that challenges our commitment. We are tugged and pulled in every area of life. We are bombarded by an endless barrage of sin laden fiery darts, seeking our surrender into sin. These are committed to our defeat. They are determined to derailing our discipline, stall our sanctification and discredit us as disciples.
Jesus was tempted. Not from His flesh, but from the father of lies. He was confronted by Beelzebub, Satan himself. He was assaulted by Lucifer, the fallen one, seeking to cause His fall and His failure. The serpent enticed the Savior. The devil sought to destroy the deliver. Yet Jesus prevailed.
It is in His victory that we can find valor in our temptations. Jesus won. In every encounter He overcame. Tested, He triumphed. He was enabled to stand against sin and defeat the devil. It is His response that gives us resolve in our struggle with sin and gives us strength for our battle. In Him we find a foothold of faith to fortify us.
His weapons are accessible for our attacks. His method of warfare is our model to win. We don’t have to surrender to sin. We don’t have to fail in our faith, falling to the flesh. His resources are readily available to us.
His battle array was twofold: the Spirit and the Scripture. God’s presence and principles were His armor. In every account of the wilderness warfare, we find the Spirit leading and filling Him. The Spirit equipped Him for the spiritual battle. The struggle with sin is spiritual. It is a soul struggle. The indwelling Spirit gives strength to our soul. He is our strength in the struggle, and our stronghold against sin. The Holy Spirit is the fortress for our faith in our fight against sin.
Accompanying the Spirit is the Scripture, His word for our war. It is His truth for our test. It is God’s sword against Satan’s onslaught. Satan is the deceiver. He twists the truth. He confuses the context. He falsifies it. He makes it appear irrational and irrelevant. He manipulates it for his end. Jesus didn’t fall into his trap. He held to the truth and turned it lose upon the tempter. The sword of the Spirit was wielded against Satan. God’s word was His weapon. “It is written” was His battle cry.
So it is in our temptations, the Spirit and the Scripture are our battle attire. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God’s Holy Word are the weapons of our warfare. A swordless sheath saves no one. Daily temptations demand daily training. It necessitates more than mediocre “quiet times”. So, we must learn the scriptures. We must train ourselves in them. We must be diligent to daily dig their depths. We must plant its truth deep into our soul. A scriptureless saint is a sinful saint. Daily meditations are the training ground for maturity. They are the makings of mighty men. It is daily fillings that develop faithfulness. Don’t discount them. Devote yourself to them.
Today temptations will surely come. Preparations must be made to prevail against them. So, read the Scripture to sharpen the sword that the Spirit can utilize in your certain struggle with sin. It is your daily obedience in scripture that will lead to decisive victories over sin. Don’t disregard this training for testing. Discounting this daily discipline will lead to your sure defeat. Everyday read the word to ready yourself for the reward in battle. Ask the Lord to help you to recall what you read when temptation arises.
The formula for success in our spiritual struggle with sin is simple, learn the Scriptures and lean on the Spirit. Jesus did, you must.
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