Matthew 4:1-11
I want to implore you to read the above Bible text many times as we study the word of God this week. I believe the Holy Spirit will interpret God\’s word to you in the best way for you.
I believe the scenario here happened in the mind of Jesus. Several times our minds are bombarded with tempting thoughts. These thoughts could be so real that we see ourselves fighting an invisible being. At that point, we can realize the spiritual nature of the battles in our minds.
The mind is the battleground, where the devil throws darts of terrific thoughts that challenge our relationship with God in diverse ways. Let us look at the three distinct temptations thrown to Jesus and apply them to what we face daily.
1. If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread (Matthew 4:3-4). Satan knows how to challenge our relationship with God cunningly. The imagination of \”if you are the Son of God\” is an expression of uncertainty of our identity in God. Our sonship is not a matter of \”if\” but a matter of \”yes.\” We are sons and daughters of God by redemption through the blood of Jesus (John 1:12). So, we do not need extra wonders to confirm our redemption. We are redeemed, and we are God\’s children. The response of Jesus also confirmed that we have more responsibility to live by God\’s word than to live by fleshly desires.
2. If you are the Son of God, jump off! (Matthew 4:6). Another dimension of the devil making us doubt our identity in Christ is to think that anything is covered by grace. You cannot live in sin or intentionally engage in sin and expect grace to abound (Romans 6:1). We cannot jump off the line of righteousness to prove God\’s love for us. God loves us, and there is no further proof than what he had done. He gave us His only son, Jesus. There is nothing more to do. No jumping off!
3. I will give you all these things if you kneel and worship me (Matthew 4: 9-10). The most confronting temptation of the devil is when he demands our worship. Satan may not directly demand our worship like bowing before a god or goddess, but he does that when he wants us to give up our faith for mundane things. Any action to deny our faith, ignore the Holy Spirit or disobey God is an agreement to kneel before Satan.
While there are battles in our minds, victory comes through our faith in the Lord Jesus. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. (1 John 5:4). Let us hold on to our faith in the Lord, and our victory is certain.
Also, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16). Through the word of God, Jesus overcame. You, too, will overcome when you feed on God\’s word because the light of His word will reveal the wiles of satan.
BATTLES IN THE MIND: THE THREE TEMPTATIONS
