Temptations

So I was reading in the book of Matthew. Specifically Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “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.’[c]”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

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

 There were so many things that went through my head on this. I have to see if I can put them in some sort of  order. If not forgive me....

1. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. THEN He was tempted. Apparently it is at our weakest points (or what satan feels is our weakest point), when satan will come around us trying to make us come out of the will of God. When we are weak, we don't have our sense about us. We are looking for ways to get out of the current situation we are in and usually at that point, we are at the point where we are fed up and will seem to do just about anything to get out of our situation.

2. Jesus uses the word of God against satan. There are some of us who are buried so deep into His word, we can do the same thing when temptation comes upon us. But a large majority of us are not that far.(and some of us haven't even accepted the Lord in our lives so they are still out there lost!) To the large majority, which includes me, we need to get it together. We need to get ourselves buried into the word of God so when temptations come upon us, we can state the word of God to defeat whatever it is that is going on.

3. What I thought was interesting was how satan used the word of God too! But Jesus came back with "It is also written"....this is why we need to know our word. Even the deceivers know the word of God and will use in manipulating way. BUT if we continue to read the word of God, we can know what it says and even if someone says a portion of it, we will not be deceived because we know all of it! ( we can't listen to everyone who claims they know the word of God. And once we are buried deep into His word, we can weed out the false prophets and those using the word to manipulate for selfish reasons)

4. At first reading, it seemed like this temptation didn't last very long. Nor did it say how long the temptation was. Wouldn't it be nice to have a very short-lived temptation?  Wouldn't it be nice to be tempted, say God's word and be done with it? Well we all know it doesn't even work that way. First of all because satan knows we are not Jesus. Second it would actually be nice not to be tempted at all! (But then again how would we ever grow?) But as long as we are in His word and we pray for Him to strengthen us and be with us as His words says, then we will get through each and everything we come across. Maybe not in the way we wanted to get through it, but best believe the way God thought we needed to get through it, impacting us with something learned once through it.
 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NIV)
     But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
    Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

 Isn't God awesome?

Thank you God for my morning time with You. Please allow me to get closer and closer to You. Allow me to know thy word to do Your will and prevent those that are false from guiding me from Your path. Thank You for who You are and Your promises given to us. Not my will but Thy will be done each and every day. In Jesus' name, Amen

Until next time........