Matthew 4:1-11 – Overcoming the devil’s scheme

Jesus just had a wonderful baptismal experience at Jordan. And the Holy Spirit had marvellously alighted upon Him, and the Father had clearly declared that He is His beloved Son and is well pleasing to Him. Nothing can be more fulfilling to hear the Father’s own affirming words. It is for us, and we can be sure it must have been for our precious Lord as well. Every time God tells us something, it is an invitation to lean on Him and trust Him in His affirmation. This was true in Jesus’ life.

Immediately on being affirmed by God, He was led into the wilderness by the Spirit and face the inevitable test. The devil came to test His experience and try to make Him doubt the Father’s words. Jesus could either trust God and walk in obedience or doubt God and succumb to the temptation. Knowing that He had just fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and was hungry, the devil’s first temptation for Him was to turn stone into bread.

Notice that it was something that Jesus needed most physically, at that moment. But the devil’s suggestion more than meets the eye. He was making Christ doubt God Who had just a while ago told Him that He is His Son. The words the devil used was “If you are the Son of God command these stones to become bread.” Jesus was so sure of the Father that He needed no proof to confirm His status as the Son. He just knows He is. Notice how the Lord resisted the temptation by rightly appropriating another portion of Scriptures. So He told the devil that while physical need awaits to be met, trusting God and His Word is more important and needful in life.

Failing to trip Jesus, the devil quickly followed up with the second temptation. He took Jesus into the city and to the pinnacle of the temple. There he challenged Him to sensationally throw Himself down if He was the Son of God. The devil quoted from Psalm 91:11-12. Firmly the Lord used another portion of the Word and appropriately applied it to resist the suggestion of the devil. Implicitly, He told the devil that God’s Word is totally believable. And that God should never be tested, for He had never spoken and will never speak something without bringing it to pass.

Thirdly, the devil took then Jesus to a great height and showed Him the multi-faceted domains of this world and its glory. What he thought could cling the deal was the offer to Jesus to simply fall down and worship him. Fully conscious that God alone deserves worship, the Lord firmly and assuredly told that devil that God is the only One worthy of our worship and service. Immediately, the devil left Him and the angels of God came and ministered to Him.   

Many of our temptations may be different from what the Lord had faced, but the end goal of the devil in every temptation is the same: to doubt God, to sin against Him and hurt His heart. The devil will do anything and everything to distract us and thwart God’s purpose in our lives.  Remember, like our Lord, we have God’s Word and we also have the same right to use it to thwart the devil’s scheme. We must memorize God’s word, store it in our heart and rightly apply it to resist the devil. Let’s stay focused and keep our eyes on Jesus. Trust the Lord and resist the devil to the end. Seek to glorify Christ every moment of life!