Today, I want to talk about the most important lessons we can learn from the temptation of Jesus Christ. In this video, let us discover how we can better overcome temptations in our lives and defeat our greatest enemy, Satan!
Did you know that the greatest battle between good and evil happened about 2,000 years ago? This battle is so great that the winner would become the future and permanent ruler of this world. Not only that, but this battle would determine whether salvation would be given or not to the entire humanity!
I’m talking about the time when Satan tempted Yahshua or Jesus Christ. It was the ultimate battle between light and darkness.
The battle between Yahshua and Satan was narrated in Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13. Let us go through the story and learn the most important lessons we can apply in our lives today.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit
For the purpose of this message, I would read more from the writings of Matthew. So, let’s go to Matthew 4.
We read in verse 1:
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Here is the first vital lesson we should learn. We must be led by the Holy Spirit just like our savior, Yahshua. In Luke 4:1-3, we can even read that Yahshua was full of the Holy Spirit. He wasn’t just a quarter full or half-full, but He was completely full!
Yahweh, the God of the entire universe is the Source of the Holy Spirit. So, if we want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must stay close to Him.
Make fasting a habit
In verse 2, we read: And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
One of the best ways we can be filled with the Holy Spirit and get closer to God is through fasting. Sadly, a lot of Christians ignore this powerful spiritual tool. In fact, fasting is among the most important habits of zealous Christians today.
Yahshua recognized that He was about to fight the greatest battle He will ever fight in His human existence. He knew that He can’t do it on His own and that’s why He fasted 40 days and 40 nights to get intensely close to His Father.
Notice that in Luke 4:2, we read that Yahshua was tempted by the Devil not just on the 40th day, but He was tempted for 40 days!
Can you now see the importance of fasting? It is a super powerful spiritual tool that sadly a lot of Christians don’t know about or use.
If you want to learn more about fasting, I highly recommend you grab a free copy of my eBook, “The Seven Powerful Habits of Highly Effective Christians.” In this book, you will discover the powerful habits of the spiritual giants and zealous servants of God. This book will help you know how these habits transformed them and how they can also transform you.
Satan will use pride to tempt you
Now, let’s proceed.
In verse 3, we read:
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Notice how Satan was trying to tempt Yahshua. He was trying to use pride to lead Yahshua to sin. He said, “If you are the Son of God.” Now that’s a very clever way to tempt someone. In the same manner, Satan tries to play with our tendency to be boastful. He wants to take advantage of our “pride of life.”
There’s no doubt that Yahshua is truly the Son of God and He has nothing to prove to Satan. However, this didn’t cause Yahshua to feel boastful, but rather, He focused on the greatness of God.
Keep your spiritual sword on top shape
To which He replied in verse 4:
“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
The greatest battle in the history of mankind was not fought with guns and bombs. Rather, it was fought with spiritual swords. We read in the Bible that God’s word is like a sword. When Satan used God’s word to tempt Yahshua, he was in effect using a spiritual sword. So, Yahshua also drew out His spiritual sword by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3.
As followers of Yahshua and of God, we must always keep our spiritual sword sharp. By daily Bible study, meditation, fasting, and prayer, we don’t just keep our spiritual sword in good condition, but also we learn how to use it effectively.
Memorizing Bible verses is not enough
Now, let’s go to the second temptation recorded for us in Matthew 4:5-6. We read:
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Matthew 4:5-6
Wow, can you just imagine Satan, the tempter, the great adversary, the perfect epitome of everything that is against God can quote the Scripture!
Now, that’s really interesting. This tells us that knowing the Scripture isn’t enough. We can memorize the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but if you don’t apply what you learned, just like the devil, it will all come to nothing!
God promised us in His Word that He will protect us from danger. However, it doesn’t mean that we should intentionally throw ourselves into harm’s way. That’s not what God says in His word. However, Satan here was perverting and abusing the word of God. He was misapplying the promises of the Most High.
Don’t tempt God
Thus, Yahshua or Jesus Christ replied in verse 7:
“It is written again, You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ”
Don’t tempt God. We have enough proof of God’s love and mercy. We can’t prove His divine intervention by bringing harm to ourselves. Yahshua is already secured in God’s hands. No need to prove to Satan that God will help Him by committing suicide.
Satan as the god of this present world
Next, we read how Satan continued to tempt Yahshua in Matthew 4:8-9:
Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
Here’s an interesting fact that you might have not realized by now. Satan is the god of this present world. This is confirmed in II Corinthians 4:4.
Notice how Satan was able to offer the world to Yahshua? Indeed, you can’t give something that you don’t have. This only confirms that Satan is no doubt the ruler of this world and this explains why there is so much suffering, pain, and corruption we see around us.
Be loyal to God
Thankfully, Yahshua didn’t give in to temptation and said in Matthew 4:10:
“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Our allegiance should only be to God. Our loyalty is only for Him. We can’t serve God and Satan at the same time. If we put something between God and us, we are committing the sin of idolatry.
When God asks us to serve Him, it is not for Him but it is for us. Yahweh is God whether we serve Him or not. Therefore, serving Him is for our own sake. So many people today made money, status, career, education, and themselves as their god. They think that those things will make them happy, but no, they won’t fill the deepest yearnings we have as human beings created for God.
Again, let me repeat: Worshiping God is good for us. It directs us to the right path of living this life. It shows us how to live a life of happiness and blessedness.
Looking forward to the second coming
These are just some of the best lessons we can learn from the temptation of Jesus Christ. Thankfully, the greatest battle in the history of man was fought and won by Yahshua. He has defeated Satan, the great deceiver and archenemy of God and mankind.
Because Yahshua won, we have a Savior who lived a sinless life, whose life is enough to pay the sin of the entire human race.
When Yahshua returns here on earth, He will not be a baby in a manger, but a conquering King who will destroy Satan and his rule throughout this world’s kingdom.
We read in Luke 21:25-28:
25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; (this is talking about the end times) 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
(Notice in verse 27 how our coming King will return) 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (For us, believers and followers of the Messiah, this should not worry us. We shouldn’t fear what would happen. In verse 28, we read)
28 Now when these things begin to happen, (What shall we do?) look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
That’s the greatest Good News you will ever hear. All the negative things, the chaos, mess, pain, and suffering of this world will pass away and will be replaced by the glorious and most perfect Kingdom of God!
What a beautiful and blessed hope that we all have!
