Temptation is one of the things common to every person who walked on this world; yes, even to Jesus. And from His example, we can learn about how to deal with temptations the way He did.
1. THE ENEMY WILL ATTACK YOU IN YOUR VULNERABLE STATE.
In verse 2, it says that Jesus was hungry because He was fasting 40 days and 40 nights. Basically this implies that the body was in a weak state. And hunger can be a vulnerability.
We all have those moments when we are weak or vulnerable, or even simply when we are just not that conscious of what is happening to us or around us. And these dispositions are the favorite moments of the devil to attack us, because he knows that it is highly likely to corner us in these situations.
2. THE ENEMY WILL NOT STOP AT ONE.
From Mt. 4:1-11, the devil tempted him not once, but thrice. He will not stop at just one. He knows the power of persistence. And the intensity of his attacks might also increase after each attempt. If he cannot get you at one thing, he will find other footholds to exploit.
Supporting verse: (1 Pt. 5:8b) "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
3. HE WILL USE ELABORATE TRICKS OR LIES.
In verse 6, we can see that the devil also made use of the Word of God in tempting Jesus. He is an expert in bending the truth to his desires. The devil will do anything, use anything, as long he can achieve his goal: to separate us from God.
A lie is still a lie even if some truth are mixed into it. Many people get deceived because of this. They fail to see the lie because they only look for some truth. But in Gal. 5:9, it says that "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."
1. HE DID NOT FOCUS ON HUMAN WEAKNESS BUT ON THE STRENGTH OF GOD. (Mt. 4:4)
At that time, yes, Jesus was hungry. Probably his body was weak from it. We've all been hungry before. We know how it feels. There is even a Filipino saying "Walang hindi masarap para sa taong gutom." Indeed, just as the devil says, Jesus can turn stone into bread, but He didn't give in to the coaxing of the devil, because He was not concerned for his body, but for the Will of the Father.
Our bodies have a lot of needs and desires, and the devil will try to use these to his advantage. Supporting verse: (Mt. 26:41) “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”.
But we should not focus on the weakness of our bodies, and just like Jesus, look instead to God. There is nothing God cannot give us. All our needs, even our wants. His Word is the food of our spirit. What good is it if the body is satiated, but the spirit is malnourished? The body we have gets old, it will eventually pass away. It is only a shell for our spirit. We cannot bring our current body with us to Heaven, only our spirit gets to enter. Our relationship with God, that is for forever. Do not exchange something passing with something that is eternal and priceless.
And as in 1 Pt. 5:8a, we have to be alert and of sober mind. We know that the devil will attack us in our moments of weakness, that is why we have to be prepared for it. We have to always be alert for his schemes so that he will not catch us and back us up against a corner. And also remember that for every temptation, God provides an escape route. (1 Cor. 10:13)
2. HE HELD STRONGLY TO WORD OF GOD. (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10)
For every attack of the evil towards Jesus, His weapon to fight back was the Word of God. We all have this same weapon, and we are called to don it along with the full armor of God. (Eph. 6:13-17)
God will protect us, but we have to let Him. And how can we do that if we do not even wear the armor He has given for us? Also, we should know that the strength of our sword is dependent on how much we know the Word of God. That is why we need to immerse ourselves with His Word. Fill your hearts and mind with wisdom and knowledge that can only come from His Word.
Do not let yourself be deceived by his cunning tactics of mixing lie and truth. A good foundation in His Word will help you distinguish lie from truth. Verify everything you hear and hold strongly to His Word.
3. HE WORSHIPPED GOD THE FATHER ONLY. (Mt. 4:10)
The enemy will offer you a beautifully packaged lie. And He will tempt you with it. But if your heart is where it should be, you will not give in.
It all boils down with your relationship with God. Do not exchange your relationship with Him for a lie that can never match up. As you grow more in love with God, you will naturally be less likely to turn your head to anything else that has nothing to do with God's Will for you. Grow more in love with God and worship Him only.
4. HE TURNED THE ENEMY AWAY. (Mt. 4:10)
If you want the devil to leave you, you have to declare it. You have to declare your faith to the Lord strongly, resist the devil and turn him away. The devil and his underlings are not omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient like the Lord. The enemy is attracted to weakness, to unsureness. Do not keep him beside you by having a weak declaration of faith. You have to turn him away strongly like how Jesus did. The devil is allergic to an impenetrable faith.
We will continue to face temptations as long as we live here on Earth. They are bound to come, so all we can do is be prepared. Make the devil flee with your impenetrable faith that is rooted in your love for God and His Word. Even if our enemy is the master of lies and deception and wields temptations, our Savior has overcome Him once and for all, and as His co-heirs, the receivers of His love, grace and the Holy Spirit, we are more than conquerors and are able to overcome by the power of our Christ.
