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Newest Comments on Matthew 4:1
2015
Jul 15
Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Donna N. from Orlando, FL said:
What Satan suggested made perfect sense, I mean, "Why starve yourself to death?" How many times have we done what God said, even tho it didn't make sense, only to find out that if we'd have done what made sense it would've been a nightmare?
The devil was trying to get Jesus to use His gifts to serve Himself by performing a miracle with food, tempting God, and proving His diety. The temptations in the desert are the same 3 things he used in the garden and the same things he uses now. He uses the same bag of tricks he's used all along because they work so well with us. The only person they didn't work on was Jesus.
The devil used the Word to make His point, but twisted it ever so slightly. But Jesus, being The Word incarnate, knew it inside out and used it right back at him.
It's Oh so important, in these last days, as evil deception ramps up, to know the Word so we'll know how to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony. The devil knows the Bible himself, and is an expert at quoting it out of context to confuse and defeat those that don't know it well or at all. Even in the garden, when they only had one command, he said, "is that REALLY what God said?
Jesus didn't just silently disagree with the devil or give mental ascent. He answered him out loud with the Word each time the devil tempted Him. We're supposed to do the same thing.
When Satan tried to get Jesus to throw himself off the cliff, he was appealing to mankind's propensity to seek signs and wonders. But, Jesus said in Matt 16 vs 14 that only wicked people seek signs and wonders, and in vs 17, He says that signs an wonders will follow us, not vice versa. We see people going to all these "word of faith" poachers seeking goose bumps. (That's funny, when I went to type preachers, my spell check put poachers, but that's exactly what they are. Instead of feeding the sheep, they're skinning and poaching them). We shouldn't demand something spectacular from God to prove His love or concern for us. He has already given the ultimate demonstration of His love for us at the cross, and He can do nothing more "spectacular" than that. Romans 5:8 says God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Then Satan offered to give him all authority over this world and its governments. Before our great great great grandparents sinned in the garden, God gave them that authority, but they gave it to Satan when they sinned.
It's important to know that it's no sin to be tempted, no matter how horrible it is, as long as we resist it. Jesus was tempted to worship Satan. It doesn't get worse than that.
Since Jesus was alone during this time in the desert, He obviously thought this was important for us to know, since only He could've told the Gospel writers about it. We need to learn from this how we can overcome temptation. But even more importantly, we need to know that where Adam, Moses and all others had failed, Jesus overcame temptation on our behalf and succeeded as the sinless Son of God.
Thank You, Papa God, for sending Jesus to live a sinless life, die a horrible death on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins, then rise from the dead to overcome Satan, so I can have victory over him here on earth and spend eternity with You in heaven.
2012
Mar 22
Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Linda C. from Somewhere said:
Jesus was tempted while in the desert where He was tired, alone, and hungry, and thus most vulnerable. The devil often tempts us when we are vulnerable- when we are under physical or emotional stress like being lonely, tired, weighing big decisions, or facing uncertainty. But he also tempts us through our strengths, where we are most susceptible to pride. I must be on guard at all times against all attacks.
2012
Mar 22
Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Jonathan J. from Washington, NC said:
Just as with our Lord, we will often be lead after a high point to a point of testing so that our faith and our focus will be found right and be strengthened. At those times we must rely on the Spirit to give us strength to overcome.
2012
Mar 22
Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
On Numbers 2:34 by Ken J.
“Moses obeyed God's instructions exactly as he received them. This verse…”