To be fully HUMAN — A Daily Reflection

 

 

  Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

   Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"

   Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
   " ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
      and they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’"

   Jesus answered him, "It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’"

   Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."

   Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’"

   Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

 

This passage gives us the full account of when the devil tempted Jesus while our Lord was in the wilderness, fasting and praying and preparing for His ministry.  The devil tempted Him in three primary areas - His physical needs and desires, His possessions and power, and His pride.  Remember, He had been without food for FORTY days!!!  As the scripture says, He was hungry!  And, after being without food that long, if He had not been both 100% man and 100% God, the other temptations would have hit home really hard, and would have been virtually impossible to resist. And yet, Jesus withstood all of them and remained sinless. 

 

Scripture tells us that Jesus understands everything we’re going through.  This session with the devil in the desert is one of the reasons.  Jesus has been tempted to sin.  He has felt what you and I feel.  He knows how tempting it can be.  He knows… because He’s been there.

 

So what does that mean to you and me?  It means that when we are tempted, we have more to rely on than our own strength and commitment.  We have Jesus.  When we’re faced with temptation, when we’re weaker than we’ve ever been before, we have Jesus.  He knows what’s going on.  He knows how we feel.  And He offers us His strength to get through it.

 

Do you have a problem with your temper?  Only when you’re tired or hungry or sick, you say?  Think about Jesus in the desert.  Have you ever been as tired or hungry as He was after forty days and nights?  Probably not.  But He’s been where you are.  Call on Him the next time your temper gets the best of you.  He will be your strength and the calming influence you need to get past it.

 

Has your pride taken a hit lately?  How do you think Jesus felt when others ridiculed Him?  He was God Incarnate, after all.  He created the universe.  “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3 NIV)  Why should He have to run around barefoot, without a home of His own and take handouts for food?  Will your pride ever take that kind of hit?  No – at least not to the extent that His did - but Jesus understands where you are.  Ask Him to give you the strength to withstand injuries to your pride, and to keep His purpose and God’s glory as your central focus rather than your own ego.

 

Do you have a problem with extra-marital sex?  Do your hormones direct your actions instead of your brain?  Are you falling for the favorite lie of today that you need to “try out the merchandise” before making a marriage commitment?  Or are you just looking for love in all the wrong places, and letting lust become a poor, sinful substitute for pure marital love?  Jesus knows that you are weak in that area. He knows how strong that temptation is for you, and He will help you gain victory over your sex drive.  So, first, stop putting yourself into situations that you know will lead to illicit sexual encounters.  And then pray.  Pray that the Lord will give you the strength to avoid those situations, and the ability to see yourself through His eyes, and understand what a precious, holy vessel you are, one that should not be defiled by your own inability to say no.

 

In all kinds of temptations, no matter what they are, remember this - nothing will come your way that Jesus does not understand.  He has walked in your shoes.  He knows first hand what you’re experiencing.  And He will give you the strength to overcome temptation when you have no strength of your own.

 

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV