Here in chapter 4 Satan had but one goal, to bring Jesus to sin against God. Three times Satan tempts Jesus with the desires of the physical and material realm, all within his power to provide. And, three times Jesus answered with, “it is written.” What made Satan give up (that day) on his tempting of Christ was not only the verbal quoting of scripture, but His commitment to living it out. You see, Satan himself could quote scripture but he had no intention of living by it, Jesus however did.
Today Satan’s goal remains the same, to get people to compromise on their beliefs and sin against God. We are all in a constant battle against his deliberate and subtle attacks and can’t win in our own strength. The true power in overcoming temptation lies in: 1) the submission to God’s Word and 2) in the commitment to live by it. May God give us the discipline to do both when temptation comes our way.
The Truth: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)
