Temptation of Christ 1 of 3

For the next three weeks, I would like to look at Luke chapter 4, verses 1 through 13. This section covers a time when Jesus was face to face with the Devil.

Satan tries three times to tempt Jesus and each time is met with rejection. But why these specific three temptations? Today we will take a look at the first one.

Keep in mind that this comes in Luke chapter 4, just after the story of Jesus' baptism. I do not know for sure the exact order and I don't know that it should really matter. But I can tell you that accepting Jesus and receiving the Holy Spirit and having Him as a backup most defiantly comes in handy during those times of spiritual warfare.

1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone." -Luke 4:1-4

Here he is referencing Deuteronomy, when the Israelite were in the desert.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. - Deuteronomy 8:3

This first temptation is one that goes to a basic instinct. Remember, Jesus had been fasting for 40 days. He was no doubt hungry. Very Hungry. So he offered him food. The most basic of human needs. I admittedly have never fasted more than 12 hours so I can only imagine...

But here is one thing that ol' Satan forgot. Jesus is not just any ol' human. He knew that the earthly form, in the long run, is not what will be when we see Glory. This form is temporary. He did not need the bread of Satan. When we look to God we can overcome the temptations that come at us. Even when you are 40 days into the thick of it. Whatever "IT" may be.

So, have you ever fasted? For 40 days? A week? I would love to hear all about it from you. Until then may He lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil so we can...

Press on. Fight the Good Fight. As a Soldier for Christ.