Happy Day 8 of #LentenDaily2025! If you have committed to fast from something during this season, you’ve made it through week one. How is it going? Any headaches from a lack of caffeine? Realizing how much time you have since fasting from social media and not quite sure how to fill it? If you are fasting from food during the day, are you finding yourself exhausted by 5pm and still have 4-5 hours before you can head to bed? Or maybe you’ve given up television and that bowl of ice cream that is your regular go-to activity in the evenings and don’t know what else to do, since it’s still winter and dark and gloomy outside.
How are you resisting the temptation to just give up and go back to your regular routine? Have you thought about sneaking a quick Coca Cola in the afternoon, just so you can stay awake at work or while driving the kids around to their after school activities? If so, then take heart, dear one! You are not alone! From the very beginning of time, humans have been tempted to doubt God’s good provision and rebel against His good law. We are most vulnerable to temptation in moments or seasons of vulnerability, insecurity, pain, success or failure, pride, unbelief, despair, lust, greed or bitterness. And we better believe that the enemy of our souls, the devil/Satan/the accuser - whatever you want to call him - will take advantage of our weakened state.
In today’s reading, we follow Jesus from the Jordan River into the wilderness where He is tempted in every way, just like us, and yet does not sin. How does he do it? Let’s read and find out!
Read Luke 4:1-13
As soon as His baptism, the Trinitarian reunion and proclamation of Jesus as the Beloved Son of God were over, Jesus - full of the Holy Spirit - was led by that same Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days. Why? It wasn't to have some time alone, to get refueled and refreshed before starting this next chapter of His life. Quite the opposite, in fact, “to be tempted by the devil.” (v 1) Again, this was yet another way that Jesus identified with us in our limited humanness, going without food, not because He was nauseous or nothing sounded good to Him, but because He needed to strip away anything that would make it easier for Him to overcome the temptor.
After the Blessing Comes the Temptation
In his short book, Jesus in the Wild, Dan Wilt observes in the transition from Luke chapter 3 to chapter 4, “After the blessing comes the temptation.” I imagine how pumped Jesus must have been as He entered the wilderness, having just heard from His Father God in the presence of a multitude of witnesses, how proud He was of Jesus, His beloved Son. For 40 days Jesus fasted and the devil was like a flying bug in Jesus’ face, desperately pulling out every tactic in his bag to trip Jesus up and cause Him to sin. At first, the devil’s tricks and lies rolled right off Jesus’ back and He was able to easily swat at the buzzing and it had no effect on Him. But then, the 30th day came, of no food or human companionship and the questions the temptor posed hung in the air a bit longer - “If you are so “precious” to God, then why is He forcing you to endure all of this suffering?” As the days of fasting ticked by, the moments of temptation were more opportune and Satan took full advantage of Jesus' weakened physical state.
Luke includes three of their interactions, when Jesus is at His absolute weakest physically:
* Satan: “You’ve got to be starving. If you truly are what that voice proclaimed, ‘the Son of God,’ turn these stones into bread…prove yourself!”
Jesus: “Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God…my Father telling me that He is proud of me has and will carry me farther than a loaf of bread” (Deut 8:3)
* Satan: “See all of this vast property? All the kingdoms of this world are mine and I can give them to anyone I wish. I’m considering sharing them with you, but I need something from you first…worship me, and all of this will be yours.”
Jesus: “The Torah is clear, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” (Deut 6:13)
* Satan: “Two can play this game of quoting scripture to serve your own purposes. Let’s go up to the very tippy top of the temple in Jerusalem. Okay, throw yourself down from here and trust that God will send angels to save you. If you truly believe, they won’t let any harm come to you.” (Ps 91:11-12)
Jesus: “Scripture also says, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’” (Deut 6:16)
After Satan had tempted Jesus in every way - how frustrating for him; he’d never had a human he couldn’t crack, given enough study and time to present the perfect temptation for him/her - he left Him for a time. Satan would be back and was confident that somehow he’d make Jesus crack.
“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit - which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:10-18, emphasis mine)
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* How did Jesus resist Satan’s temptations? Do you think it was easier for Jesus because He was God’s Son?
* How do you resist the temptations that Satan presents you with daily?
* Do you feel equipped to stand firm against the schemes of the devil?
Pray for God to strengthen you with the power of His Word to resist the temptations that come your way today, and specifically those that trip you up regularly.
