Luke 4:1-13 – Satan

It should never surprise us if we are tempted by the devil. But it should also comfort us that Christ understands what it feels like to be tempted. Three times Satan tempts Christ. First he tries to persuade Him to doubt God’s care for Him. For forty days Jesus has been fasting as part of this trial God is putting Him through. Throughout that time God has kept Jesus from starving to death. Now Satan is telling Jesus to stop trusting in God’s care and do something for Himself. How often Satan uses this temptation against God’s people today. When we are caught up in a trial or struggle, he comes to us and tells us that God does not love us, that He will not care for us, that He can’t help us, and that we had best take care of ourself.

The second temptation is one of power. Satan holds before Jesus all the things of the world. They can all be His if He just does one little thing – one compromise, one act of sin. Again this is a common temptation. Satan puts before us the things we really want in the world and tells us that if we only keep our Christianity quiet, do things his way – the way everyone else is doing them – these things can be ours.

Finally, Satan twists Scripture to suit his purposes. He takes a passage of Scripture less clear than others and uses it to justify what he wants Jesus to do. He basically picks which part of God’s Word he wants to follow. We only have to talk to a few people to realise that Scripture-twisting still exists today.

How does Jesus respond? With Scripture. Always, every time, with Scripture. He even responds to Scripture with Scripture – the clearer to the less clear. God’s Word is our tool to overcome the temptations of the devil. It is the only one that can help us survive his war on our soul.

Questions
1. What kind of temptations did Satan use?
2. How should we respond to temptation?

Prayer Points
1. Pray for protection from the attacks of the devil.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.