How Do We Resist Temptation?
As believers in Jesus Christ, we always face temptation. Now we have been reworked by God’s grace, however we aren’t but free from temptation. One of many causes we stay up for heaven is that temptation will probably be over.
Whereas we reside on earth, although, the satan will proceed to tempt us to sin. In 1 Thessalonians 3:5, Paul calls Devil “the tempter,” and that may be a good description of what he desires to do.
Maybe one in all our buddies doesn’t take note of us as a lot as they did beforehand. We really feel ignored or snubbed. We’re tempted in such a scenario to really feel bitter and resentful and to take pleasure in self-pity.
Or maybe our funds are very tight, so we’re tempted to reply in fear and nervousness, questioning the place we are going to get the cash we have to make it.
Maybe circumstances in our lives have taken a flip for the more serious. We surprise if what we do is basically important and whether or not it actually issues. Devil in such conditions tempts us to be discouraged. He whispers in our ears, Your life is meaningless and also you would possibly as nicely reside to please your self.
How can we resist the various temptations that we encounter in our lives? We all know from Hebrews 4:15 that Jesus wasn’t exempt from temptation. We learn there that “we do not need a excessive priest who’s unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, however we’ve got one who has been tempted in each means, simply as we’re—but was with out sin.”
Three New Testomony students provide passage-by-passage commentary via the narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, explaining troublesome doctrines, shedding mild on missed sections, and making purposes to life and ministry at this time. A part of the ESV Expository Commentary.
Jesus’s Temptation
And in Luke 4:1–15, we examine how Jesus resisted the temptations of Devil. Many issues are occurring in these verses, however I wish to shine the sunshine on how Jesus capabilities for instance to us.
The very first thing that we should always discover is that Jesus relied on the Holy Spirit. Discover in verse 1 that “Jesus, stuffed with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit within the desert” (Luke 4:1). Solely Luke tells us that Jesus was stuffed with the Spirit when he returned from the Jordan.
Verse 14 additionally emphasizes the Holy Spirit: “Jesus returned to Galilee within the energy of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). Luke is telling us that Jesus resisted the temptations he skilled as a human being, in the identical means we do, by counting on the facility and energy of the Holy Spirit.
Certainly, Luke desires us to distinction Jesus within the wilderness with Israel within the wilderness. Israel wandered within the desert forty years and persistently disobeyed God’s will. Jesus fasted within the wilderness for forty days and did what God commanded.
Temptation to Bodily Satisfaction
Now let’s take a look at the temptations one after the other. We all know from Luke 4:2 that Jesus fasted for forty days and was very hungry. In verses Luke 4:3–4 the satan involves him and says, “‘If you’re the Son of God, inform this stone to develop into bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It’s written: Man doesn’t reside on bread alone.’”
Keep in mind that the Lord examined Israel within the wilderness by inflicting them to starvation after which by satisfying their wants with manna.
When Devil tempted Jesus, I feel he had this passage in Deuteronomy in thoughts. Devil turns the passage on its head. Devil’s phrases to Jesus are clear. Since you might be God’s Son and you’ve got the authority to show a stone into bread, accomplish that. Fulfill your bodily wants.
Devil invitations Jesus to meet the function that the Lord performs in Deuteronomy. Simply because the Lord provided manna for Israel, so Jesus is to point out that he’s the Son of God by supplying manna for himself.
Jesus refuses Devil’s temptation, for his calling on earth is to reside in dependence upon God, counting on the Spirit to strengthen him. Jesus won’t fulfill his personal starvation in his personal energy. He’ll depend on God to feed him. He’ll watch for God to meet what he has ordained.
So what’s the lesson for us? How are we responding to our bodily wants? Are you financially strapped? Do you’re feeling sexually unfulfilled? It’s tempting to attempt to fulfill our wants by counting on our personal knowledge and our personal sources.
God calls upon us to belief in him. What would it not imply so that you can belief God in such conditions? When Eve noticed that the tree was good for meals within the backyard, she ate it. She didn’t belief that God would meet her wants.
Temptation to Pleasure
We see the second temptation in Luke 4:5–7: “The satan led him as much as a excessive place and confirmed him right away all of the kingdoms of the world. And he mentioned to him, ‘I offers you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can provide it to anybody I wish to. So should you worship me, it can all be yours.’”
I take it that we’ve got a real provide from Devil right here. God has given Devil authority over the kingdoms of the world. Jesus doesn’t dispute Devil’s capacity to provide him authority over the kingdoms of the world.
We have to be cautious right here, for God is sovereign over all of the kingdoms of the world. As Daniel 2:20–21 says, “Reward be to the identify of God with no sign of ending; knowledge and energy are his. He modifies occasions and seasons; he units up kings and deposes them.” Discover that kings are established and eliminated by God.
Romans 13:1 additionally makes it clear that nobody guidelines aside from God’s will: “Everybody should submit himself to the governing authorities, for there isn’t a authority besides that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
So, how can we put collectively Devil’s rule over kingdoms with God’s sovereignty over who guidelines? I take it that no matter Devil decides have to be permitted by God for it to happen. Devil doesn’t have any authority aside from God’s will and his permission. So, finally, God is sovereign over all that occurs.
Returning to the temptation itself, we see that Jesus is tempted to fall prey to delight. Make your self nice, Devil says. Rule over the world on your personal reward and glory.
The same temptation strikes us at this time. The world tells us, Do no matter you may to advance your self. Be assertive. Don’t let anybody get in your means.
Possibly you might be pondering, I’m not tempted with delight. However should you assume that means, you overlook your self rightly. Pleasure, as C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, is the “nice sin.” It’s the sin Eve dedicated within the backyard as a result of she ate of the fruit to develop into smart and to develop into like God. Pleasure is independence from God. Pleasure is self-sufficiency. Pleasure is a rejection of God’s lordship.
Discover how Jesus answered the satan. Jesus counters the satan once more with Scripture. This exhibits us that one of many nice methods to answer temptation is with the phrase of God. In all three cases, Jesus counters the satan’s temptation with Scripture. However should you don’t know the Bible, then you’ll be unable to answer the fiery darts of Devil with God’s phrase.
How necessary it’s to memorize Scripture in order that we are able to reply to Devil when he assaults us.
Jesus solutions the second temptation with a citation from Deuteronomy 6:13: “It’s written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him solely.’”
The Lord God whom we’re to worship and serve right here isn’t Jesus himself, however the Father. In different phrases, Jesus responds to the temptation to delight by reminding the satan that his objective in life is to worship, adore, and serve the one true God.
That’s the reply for delight in our lives as nicely. The best antidote to delight is worship. Once we are proud, we exalt ourselves as nice. However once we worship, we exalt God as nice. Once we are proud, we are saying, “Take a look at me.” However once we worship, we are saying, “Take a look at God.” Once we are proud, we would like individuals to serve us. Once we worship, we would like individuals to serve God.
God is looking every one in all us to belief him in what we do in on a regular basis life, in what he has referred to as us to do this day.
Temptation to Check God
Devil tempts Jesus yet another time. He tempts him to place the Lord to the take a look at. We see what the satan did starting in Luke 4:9:
“The satan led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the very best level of the temple. ‘If you’re the Son of God,’ he mentioned, ‘throw your self down from right here. For it’s written: “He’ll command his angels regarding you to protect you fastidiously; they are going to carry you up of their fingers, in order that you’ll not strike your foot towards a stone.’”
The satan is artful and difficult on this temptation as a result of he quotes Scripture to attempt to ensnare Jesus. He quotes from Psalm 91. Plainly the satan desires Jesus to do one thing dangerous and spectacular to point out how a lot he trusts in God.
The satan reminds Jesus of God’s promise: Nothing will ever occur to you as a result of God has put angels in command of you. Your foot won’t ever hit the bottom should you leap off the temple. That’s what the Bible says!
We be taught from this that Devil is a artful and delicate opponent. We are going to by no means defeat him via our personal knowledge. Devil is brilliantly evil. He can quote the Bible to advance his personal agenda. We are able to solely defeat him if we really know God and really know the Scriptures.
The temptation right here is to do one thing nice for God, to point out him how a lot we depend on him. After all, God might name upon you to do one thing dangerous for his kingdom. The Lord doesn’t command us to at all times do what’s secure.
On this case, nonetheless, the temptation is to assume that we should do one thing radical and dangerous if we’re really following God. We could be tempted to assume, Effectively, I’m hardly doing God’s will if I’m merely working in enterprise. Or we would assume, I can’t please God just by being a homemaker. I’m going to point out God how a lot I belief him by doing one thing actually stunning and strange.
Jesus counters this temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16: “Don’t put the Lord your God to the take a look at.”
Jesus is saying to Devil, If I soar off the temple, then I’m testing the Lord. I’m attempting to power his hand. I’m attempting to point out him and others how remarkably dedicated to him I’m. And Psalm 91 (which the satan quoted) isn’t about me doing radical issues to point out God how a lot I like him. Psalm 91 is about God watching over me within the peculiar occasions of on a regular basis life.
God is looking every one in all us to belief him in what we do in on a regular basis life, in what he has referred to as us to do this day.
We see, then, that Jesus resisted temptation by the Spirit and the phrase. He relied on the Holy Spirit for energy and countered Devil with the phrase of God. Could God give us grace to do the identical.
Thomas Schreiner is a contributor to the ESV Expository Commentary: Matthew–Luke (Quantity 8).
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