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(Luke 4)
1) “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost… was led by the Spirit in to the wilderness”
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. During this time Jesus fasted and drew nigh to God: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” James 4: 7-8
3) “And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone be made bread.” The devil recognized Jesus was hungry- he essentially said, use the power that God gave you and eat. Jesus quoted the scripture: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God.” Jesus would not use His power for selfish, self –satisfying purposes. Jesus knew that his Father would feed him:
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink?...for you heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” Matthew 6: 31, 32
“…I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” Psalms 37: 25
5) “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.” Sometimes the devil will take us places. Just because we find ourselves in a high place or position doesn’t always mean that God put us there. Jesus made himself of no reputation. He avoided the reputation. (Philippians 2)
6) “And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will give it.” The devil promises BIG things. He promised him glory and riches and power. Many, many souls follow the devil after this temptation to riches and earthly glory. But Jesus knew where the TRUE riches are:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” Matthew 6: 19, 20
7) “If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine” Jesus knew where Satan belonged- behind him. (verse 8) Satan was subject to Jesus. Why would Jesus now reverse that? Jesus knew that Satan was a liar and the Father of liars. The world and everything in it is subject to God alone! “Greater is HE (God) that is in you, than he (the devil) that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
9) “And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee…” Again, the devil took him somewhere- to the seat of religious power. The devil was now acknowledging the deity of Jesus, yet he tempted him again. He tried to turn the humbleness of Jesus against him.
“Cast thyself down” God will catch you. He put his angels all around you to protect you. But Jesus answered again by the word of God, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord the God.” We do not need to test God. Jesus knew he didn’t have to prove himself and He had enough confidence in his Father without having to prove his power to himself nor to the devil.
13) “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season”
14) “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about” Jesus returned possessing all that he had refused to take by the hand of God’s enemy- power, fame, glory, and angels ministered bread and drink to him.
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