Fight Back with Truth
At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, a strange thing happened: He was led into the wilderness, by the Spirit, where He encountered the devil.
After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry—taunted by the enemy to satisfy His craving for food. Essentially, Satan tried to provoke Jesus to prove that He was God’s Son by turning rocks into bread.
Can you sense the manipulation?
If you’re really the Son of God, do something. Take matters into your own hands. Give in to your desire. Provide for yourself. Is God even good if He holds out on you?
But Jesus refused to be bullied.
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4 NIV
This pattern continued throughout two more temptations—where the devil temped Jesus with protection and power, but Jesus rebuked him with Scripture.
So what are some things we can learn from Jesus’ encounter with the enemy?
So, how is the enemy tempting you this week? How is he enticing you to doubt God’s trustworthiness? Remember, God has enabled you to fight back with truth by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Think Like a Child
Think about the greatest person you’ve ever met. What is it about the person that makes them stand out to you? Maybe it’s their accomplishments, their character, their power or wealth, or the way they handle hard situations.
Now compare that impressive person to a child in your life. According to Jesus, anyone who is truly great in His kingdom will be like that little child. In fact, to even enter into His kingdom, we need to be childlike. Here’s why:
Children rely on others to meet their needs. Little children instinctively know that they are vulnerable and helpless. They aren’t afraid to ask for help when they need it because they know that help from the right person is their source of strength.
Children don’t care about acquiring power. They don’t view others as threats to their authority because they don’t have any authority to threaten. Everything a child has is given to them.
Children know who they belong to. Children know who to run to when ...