His Temptation and Early Ministry

We've been looking at some of the issues regarding the temptation of Christ last time we ended with some of the details beginning leading up to the temptation and tonight we want to begin with the avenues of the temptation. Satan tempted Christ for the entire 40 days he was in the wilderness. Luke makes that clear in Luke's account of the temptation and it was at the evidently at the end of the 40 days that we find the three specific temptations that are listed in Matthew and Luke. Now those those three temptations really form the the culmination of the 40 days of temptation and so you might see this as Satan waiting till the very end when Christ is at his weakest physically after fasting for 40 days he's very hungry the gospels say and so Satan attacks him and you might even see this as the culmination the heavy artillery if you will he throws at him Satan throws at Christ everything he has and I say that with I think some some biblical backing because the avenues of temptation really fall into the three major categories of temptation that the Bible says Satan uses. Look at this verse on the screen for Sean chapter 2 verse 16 where John says for all that is in the world everything that is in this world can be summarized under three categories the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but of the world now what that verse is telling us that this whole world system that is under the domination of Satan really appeals to us along the lines of three avenues three categories of temptation lust of the eyes lust of the flesh pride of life it is those three areas that Christ is tempted in in the three specific temptations that are mentioned in the gospels now I'm going to be in Matthew chapter 4 as we look at the temptations and let's see how Satan tempts him along those three lines and remember those are the three main categories of everything we're tempted by and so there's a sense in which Jesus is tempted in every way in these three temptations that were tempted in Satan is throwing everything at him in these last three temptations Matthew chapter 4 we've looked at verses 1 and 2 let's look at verses 3 and 4 the first temptation the first temptation is along the lines of the lust of the flesh remember all that is in the world is the lust of the eyes lust of the flesh pride of life and the first one that Jesus is faced with is the lust of the flesh and basically Satan is saying be selfish look at verse 3 and Matthew 4 the temptor came to him and said if you are the son of God tell these stones to become bread Jesus answered it is written man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God now notice several things about this temptation to be selfish to to indulge the desires of the flesh on a physical level to satisfy one's apathites really is the idea one thing that is interesting about the attack and we'll look at the attack that Satan gives him first is that he begins the attack on Jesus with this statement if you are the son of God now remember what has just happened before Jesus was driven by the spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan what was the last event we looked at before the temptation the baptism of Christ what was said about Jesus by the father at the baptism this is my beloved son you are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased you notice how Satan starts the temptations if you are the son of God once again casting doubt on the very word of God just like he did in the garden of Eden Satan's temptations here are very similar to the ones that he threw at Eve in the garden of Eden first of all casting doubt on the word of God just like he did in the garden of Eden has God really said you will not die if you eat of this fruit surely you will not die he's taking the same attack here questioning the word of God the voice of God himself is just spoken from heaven you are my beloved son if you are the son of God Satan says I'm not at all convinced of that but if you are the son of God then show it satisfy your appetite you're hungry you fasted for 40 days satisfy your appetite and the point of the attack is to use your spiritual power your divine power your divine power your your miracle producing power can take stones and turn them into bread that's a miracle use your divine power to satisfy your physical hunger in other words it is very slight and Satan is this way the most important thing in your life Jesus is your physical need whatever it takes to meet that you need it even the exercise of divine power in other words submit your divine power to your physical need that's the lust of the flesh that's the desire to satisfy the physical appetites to put those under spiritual power or spiritual awareness or spirituality to put the physical above the spiritual is the temptation here that's the attack the suggestion behind the attack is that the primary need we have the primary realm that we operate in is the physical rather than the spiritual and that the spiritual should be made to serve the physical that's the primary attack here it is heavy artillery the lust of the flesh the desire to satisfy the appetites of the flesh now is there anything wrong with with satisfying hunger? Is there anything wrong with satisfying hunger outside the will of God? yes yes and for Jesus to be tempted to use his divine power when remember the part the whole essence of the incarnation of Christ taking on human flesh is that he voluntarily lays aside the independent use of his divine attributes remember that's how we've described his two natures and how he voluntarily lays aside the independent use of his divine attributes and so Satan is tempting him use your divine power use your God power outside the will of God to satisfy physical need and that's the temptation here notice the repulse notice how Satan or Jesus turns away this temptation in verse four Jesus answered it is written man does not live on bread alone but on every word comes from the mouth of God this is very instructive Jesus in battling Satan in repulsing his temptation quotes the word of God he quotes here from Deuteronomy chapter eight verse three if you go back to Deuteronomy eight you find that it's a passage it describes that God is able to supply food for the Israelites by miraculous power in the wilderness without without any natural resources God can take care of them the question in Deuteronomy eight was would Israel trust God to take care of them the question before Jesus is will Jesus trust God to take care of him apart from natural resources apart from what is there the stones that he would be able to turn into bread on his own apart from that is he is he willing to trust God the father to take care of him even though he's faster for 40 days and 40 nights the important thing is he has quoted from the word of God you see the the only way we can defeat Satan is the same way Jesus did being led by the spirit filled with the spirit and submitting ourselves to the word of God using the word of God against him and Jesus in so doing basically is saying spiritual the spiritual is more important than the physical in in the purpose of God the physical is to be a servant to the spiritual not the other way around and so man does not live by bread alone by every word that comes from the mouth of God okay that's how he he cast aside Satan's temptation defeated that first temptation what a parallel between the prosperity gospel and what's happening in the temptation I think I think there is there is a contrast what might say there there is a parallel in what Satan is tempting Jesus to do with what the prosperity gospel teaches but the physical over the spiritual you know it's most important that your physical needs will be taken care of all the promises of God revolve around taking care of your physical needs providing for you to have everything you need what we see here is that Jesus is in the will of God empowered by the spirit of God in his hungry that's not what the prosperity gospel teaches is it the prosperity gospel really is very similar to what Satan is is tempting Jesus to do that you know God's going to provide all your physical needs and God never promises to do that some of the things that are going to happen in the world that sometimes God withholds physical needs so that we might become more like Christ spiritually spiritual is more important so yeah there is a very very close similarity in what Satan is trying to do with what the prosperity gospel teaches really is okay any other question about this first temptation I want to draw a few applications before we move on to the second one but any other questions about the first temptation lust of the flesh be selfish take care of your own needs first take a couple of applications beware of seeking to fulfill legitimate needs by illegitimate means hunger is a legitimate need but any legitimate physical desire satisfied outside the will of God by an illegitimate means is giving in to Satan's temptation I think another application we can see from this is that we need to be careful about demanding our own rights well I'm hungry I have I have a right to have food oh really do we have a right to have food is that a God given right do we have a right to anything we have to be careful about demanding our rights because Satan can very easily use that as a temptation to cause us to fulfill what we think are our rights our needs in illegitimate ways I think a very powerful application of what we're seeing happen here is that the presence of hardship and trial does not indicate that you're out of the will of God now that is the exact opposite of what the prosperity gospel teaches Jesus is hungry Jesus is suffering physically that does not mean he's out of the will of God he is fully in the will of God and see the health and wealth gospel teaches basically that if you're in the will of God you will have plenty you will you will bound with all kinds of money and physical health and all that and certainly that's not what we see in Jesus here he's hungry but he's in the will of God he's suffering but he's in the will of God certainly I think Satan has deceived the whole human race in this regard today that the physical is the most important thing spiritual is not as important as the physical take care of your physical needs first okay several directions I'd like to go there but I'll hold off on sake of time any other questions about first temptation all right let's look at the second one then versus five through seven the second one has to do with the pride of life remember there's the lust of the flesh then there's the pride of life which is basically saying be spectacular be spectacular do something so you know what I'm saying do something spectacular that everybody will go oh wow look at him okay that is the temptation here in the second one look at versus five and six where we see the temptation here's the attack verse five then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple if you are the son of God he said throw yourself down for it is written he will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone now let's let's first of all understand what's being done here by being taken to the highest point of the temple or what is sometimes called the pinnacle of the temple what's what's that about have a few pictures to show you what the pinnacle of the temple is like this is this is an artist rendering of what the temple would have looked like in Jesus day this is heralds temple this is the actual temple itself right here is the the actual building that is the temple where the holy of holies is in the back and so forth these are various court yards where the Jews the priests would would serve and the Jews would come in this is like the court of the Gentiles where the Gentiles would be out here now this corner southeast corner of the temple is what is typically referred to as the pinnacle of the temple it's the highest point of the temple there are those who would say well know he was talking about a corner up here but most believe that the pinnacle of the temple is right down here this corner of the temple grounds the portico and by the way these these porticoes these porches were where the early church met Solomon's porch is what that was called this corner is 140 feet down to the road so that's like 14 stories high okay let's go to the next picture it shows a little bit more close view of it from this point the pinnacle down to and this is a not the road that would be there today there's a road that goes right along here this is the ground okay let's go to the next picture which actually shows you the pinnacle today this is what it looks like today this is the remains of herids temple some of these are still first century remains that's fascinating to see the temple wall this is the southeast corner now from this to a road that goes along here is about 14 stories high but the kidrined valley drops off even more sharply right in the middle of the temple right at that point notice the next picture and you can see right here it is there's the pinnacle there's that southeast corner here's the road which has been built up but in Jesus' day probably would have fallen all the way down into the kidrined valley this is the kidrined valley you cross this valley and go up this side to the amount of olives but this right here the pinnacle of the temple if you were to jump all the way down into the kidrined valley is 300 feet about 30 stories okay that's quite a leap and what Satan is encouraging Jesus to do jump off of there because the Bible says that the angels will bear you up and you will not be hurt okay so what what Satan is doing in this attack is saying okay you've quoted the Bible you're using the Bible well I'm going to use the Bible and so what Satan does in the temptation here in verse 6 he quotes from the Old Testament and it quotes from from Psalm 91 verses 11 and 12 notice how it is quoted here in the text if you have your Bible open he will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot again against the stone now look on the screen at Psalm 91 11 and 12 want you to compare the two compare what you've gotten your Bible what Satan said with what Psalm 111 and 12 says for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against the stone how does that compare with what Satan quoted you see a difference I'm sorry to guard you okay notice the next words Audrey is in the right part of the verse here notice the next words that Psalm 91 11 says to guard you in all your ways did Satan include that part of the verse he will command his angels concerning you and then he goes right to and they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against the stone I think that is a very significant omission that Satan leaves out in the Old Testament God promised to guard his people and specifically the Messiah here promised to guard him in all his ways now obviously Jesus the Messiah all of his ways are going to be ways that are pleasing to God they're going to be ways that are obedient to God he has demonstrated that already in his 30 years of life his father has said you're my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased none of your ways have displeased me because you have always followed my ways Satan leaves out a very important part of the verse because in all of your ways is for Christ all of God's ways now here's here's why I think that is so significant what Satan is tempting Jesus to do is not a necessary hazard that's encountered on the path of obedience to God you see what God is promising in Psalm 91 is that as you walk in my way as you walk in obedience to me then I will guard you okay now he is not saying you can tempt God with unnecessary situations and expect God to take care of you let me give you a new New Testament illustration that I think kind of helps with this remember when Paul was shipwrecked on an island in Acts 27 he was on his way to Rome and the ship got blown off course and they were shipwrecked on the island of Malta and they were gathering firewood and remember what happened to Paul what happened to Paul when they were gathering firewood yeah pick up snake didn't they and the snake was in the wood in the wood that he's and the snake bidding and remember what happened to Paul what what happened nothing it didn't affect him now Paul was in the normal course of life obeying God just doing what he was supposed to be doing at that particular time helping in whatever was before him to do and God protected him in the normal course of life there are some people who take that story and use it to support snake handling okay there's a big difference in encountering a hazard in the normal course of life in obeying God and living for him and then purposely putting yourself in danger to tempt God to try to test God to try to prove that God will take care of you that is not what some 91 promised and by the way nor does some 91 promise that if you obedient to God you will never suffer any problems and we've already seen Jesus was suffering hunger he was certainly in the will of God but Satan certainly misused that passage by leaving out the important qualifier it's not like you go through life throwing yourself in front of cars and saying God's promise to bear me up no God will take care of you in the normal course of life and obedience to God that's what some 91 is saying he's not saying test God prove God tempt God and show that he will take care of you and so that's why Jesus responds as he does in verse 7 Jesus answered him it is also written quoting again from the scriptures this time do to run me six Jesus answered him it is also written do not put the Lord your God to the test do not tempt the Lord your God see to tempt God is to purposely expose yourself to self sought danger self imposed danger either physically or spiritually or in whatever way to challenge God to take care of you to challenge God to show what he's going to do you know to do what Satan suggested to go up to the pinnacle temple and purposely throw yourself off just so that everybody can see the angels bear you up and you won't be hurt that is not a necessary hazard in the normal course of obedience to God that is a purposeful testing of God tempting God and God never promises to bless that or to take care of that and that's why Jesus responded as he did we are not supposed to create situations where God has to come through and show his power just so that people can you and I'd us and that's what Satan was tempting Jesus to do pride of life be spectacular show who you really are do something that everybody will you and I act to do what Satan suggested would have proved that Jesus really didn't trust in God because the moment we do something to test God to prove God it shows that we're not really trusting it. It's like Gideon you know God comes to Gideon the angel of Lord comes to Gideon and says old Almanagh valor you're going to be the judge to deliver the people and Gideon says who me you know and he's cowering down in a wine press trying to hide what little bit of grain he could come up with from the Midianites and so he doesn't feel like a man of valor and so God says I'm going to use you to overthrow the enemy and what does he do he says okay God if if you're really going to use me then prove it. And so he takes a police and he lays it out at night and he asks God if you really mean this then cover that with do but not the ground around it then the next night he changes it make the ground around it do and the police dry. Why did he test God like that why did he ask God to prove himself because he didn't trust God he didn't trust what God had said and so he puts out a test for God to show himself and that's exactly what Satan is asking Jesus to do. To ask God to prove himself like that basically is an admission of the fact that you really don't trust him to start with you doubt him you don't really trust him now thank God that sometimes he he condescends to our weakness and puts do on our fleeces. I think all of us have had situations like that and sometimes God does condescend to our weakness and does that but if we were really trusting God we wouldn't need those kinds of prove yourself God do something spectacular that's the pride of life. It's a subtle form of spiritual pride to tempt God to test God to try to make him do something he's never promised to do and that's never what he promised in Psalm 91 Satan misused that passage. Okay that's the second temptation pride of life be spectacular Jesus show what you can do any questions comments about that temptation. That's a great question the miracles that Jesus did what was the purpose of those to prove to show who he was. That's what's the difference in a sense that's a great question because there is a difference in in this case Jesus would have done nothing that helped anybody else you would have just been showing himself to be powerful the miracles by and large are miracles of compassion that did help someone but there was another major purpose for the miracles and what was that what was what was the major purpose for Jesus miracles and his to show that he was the son of God to show that he was the Messiah they were really the proof that he was what the Old Testament said the Messiah would be. Case in point when John the Baptist is in prison will get to it later in Matthew 14 when when John the Baptist is in prison and remember John the Baptist grew up in the wilderness he's been it's been always like that in the wilderness and now he shut up in prison and so he probably was somewhat depressed. He was a little out of sorts you know and he begins to question is Jesus really Messiah this is the one who introduced him as the Lamb of God and now he's having some doubts and remember he sends some of his disciples to ask Jesus are you really the one or should we be looking for someone else. Do you remember what Jesus did Jesus didn't answer him at first exactly the Bible says that the Bible is not a word of God. The Bible says that Jesus turned around started healing people and the very types of healings that he performed the lame were made to walk the blinder made to see he lists several types of miracles and then he turns to the disciples and he says go tell John what you've seen. You know why did that actually the miracles that are listed are a quote from Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35 says when the Messiah comes when the servant comes he will make the lame to walk calls the blind see and goes right down through and Jesus did all of those and said that shows who I am that's the purpose of the miracles was not to be splashy and spectacular it was to serve as his credentials to show the nation of Israel. I am the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies I end the Messiah there's no reason why you should reject me here here's my resume and it fits exactly what the Old Testament prophets said it would be. It was not to be showy or spectacular it was to fulfill Old Testament prophecy and also genuinely to show compassion to people Jesus had compassion on people who had needs and so he reached out to help in the heal. So big big difference and it's a great question because a lot of people do get that confused what's the difference in showing who you are and proving that you're Messiah there's big difference big difference it can it can look the same but it doesn't have the same motivation behind it. Any indication that there would have been any witnesses to the temptation no it's in fact probably they did not go to the actual temple it's probably just saying let's do that in he's showing him the temple like he will show him all the kingdoms the world in just a minute go do that and in the actual temptation they were probably not going to do that. The temptation they were probably not in the temple courtyard they were in the wilderness but they were Satan's just showing that to him saying you could do this. So there's no indication anybody would have seen it although if they'd actually gone to the temple course probably would have been a lot of people around. Okay any other questions about the second temptation that's true there hadn't been any audience would have been any spectacular effect at all. And if there had been an audience it would have been all for all the wrong reasons just to impress the audience and so Jesus put his finger on the essence of what Satan was doing you are tempting God you're testing God you're creating an unnatural situation just prove something and that's not what faith is about. He put his finger right on the essence of the temptation you shall not tempt the Lord your God. Okay great quote from Deuronmi 6 verse 16. Okay let's look at the third one the third temptation has to do with the lust of the eyes the lust of the eyes. And in these in these verses verses 8 through 10 Satan is basically saying be successful notice how he tempts him verse 8 again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor all this I will give you he said if you will bow down and worship me. Now notice the attack the attack has to do with the lust of the eyes he takes him up and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor okay that that's material things you see something and you want it that's the desire to have what the eyes see lust of the eyes that's the third major kind of temptation listed in first John to be successful you can have all these kingdoms of the world if you'll just worship me. By the way Luke's account makes it very forceful the way Satan says this in in Luke's account Luke chapter 4 verse 6 and he said to him I will give you all their authority and splendor for it has been given to me and I can give it to anyone I want to so if you worship me it will be it will all be yours. It's pretty forceful language isn't it it's been given to me I can give it to anybody I want to it's mine Satan says now here's the question could Satan have given him all the kingdoms of the world were they his to give. What do you think. Okay first first response first indication of our minds and hearts would be no but let's think a little more are the kingdoms of this world under Satan's power and authority. He's the he's the prince of this world isn't he. There is a sense and really it's a trick question sorry about that because both answers would be right. There's a sense in which Satan does have authority over the kingdoms of this world to give them to whoever he wants but the ultimate authority is God's and Satan's authority only can extend as far as God will allow him but he is called the prince of this world. He has control of this world system. So there's a sense in which he could have done what he's offering to do here and he himself says it in Luke four they've been given to me and I can give them to whoever I want. There's a sense in which he has some authority some power but obviously only as far as God will allow him he's like a dog on a long leash he's got a lot of room to maneuver but he's still on a leash. Now here's the other question would he have done what he promised to do if Jesus would have bowed down and served him. No I think you're right I see a bunch of heads going sideways because Jesus is not only the prince of the world he's also what a liar the father of lies Jesus called him. So he would offer something and then not give it and that's exactly how Satan tempts us today isn't he says look at all this I'll give you all of this you just follow my plan you follow what I want you to do I'll give you all of this and what happens when you do that. Oh maybe there's some pleasure of sin for a season but then all of a sudden Satan doesn't pay he doesn't deliver on what he offers and the most miserable people in the world are people who've given into this temptation lust of the eyes here it is you can have it if you just follow my path you can have it all. Well the point of the attack is basically Satan is offering Jesus all the kingdoms of the world to be the king of them all without having to go through the cross. Now is Jesus going to be king of the world someday is he going to have all the kingdoms. Certainly he is. Philippians chapter 2 and it might be worth looking at this I didn't think put it on the screen but Philippians chapter 2. Talks about Jesus coming down giving up the outward form of his deity the outward glory did not consider that outward expression of his deity something to be grasped verse 7 made himself nothing. Philippians 2 made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant being made in human like this found in appearance as a man humbled himself became obedient to death even death on a cross down down down down down down he's coming all the way down from heaven there's like seven steps you can see. Like seven steps here of going down descending as a book the bill high bulls one time wrote on this passage descending into greatness. I love that title descending into greatness seven steps downward but notice verse nine therefore because of this because of Jesus willingness to humble himself and become a servant and to die on the cross because of this God who assaulted him to the highest place gave him the name that is a blebbering name now the reverse 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the father Jesus is going to get all the kingdoms of the world someday everybody's going to proclaim him Lord and king to the glory of God the father but it only comes through the cross and Satan's temptation here was you can you can speak. Skip the cross you can forget the suffering part of it I'll give you all the kingdoms right now just bow down serve me bow down worship me and notice the repulse again Jesus quoting the word of God this time from Deuteronomy 6 13 Jesus said to him in verse 10 away from me Satan for it is written worship the Lord your God and serve him only again he quotes the word of God and this is an amazing quote obviously worship the Lord your God God is the only one worthy of worship and it is only as we submit ourselves to him that we then have what he has in store for us in the future Jesus knew that Jesus knew that it was only as I am submissive in worship to the father that then the father will give me all the kingdoms someday what God has in store for us is only for us to do the word of God and then we go through the avenue of submission to him and worship of him not through our own plans not through escaping you know whatever God has in store for us but here's the beautiful part of this this passage I think and that is that Jesus connects worship and service Satan doesn't do that Satan just says if you'll bow down worship me and Jesus quotes the Old Testament which says worship the Lord your God and that's the only thing that I can do is to say I am the Lord your God and serve him only and I think that's the greatest application maybe of this whole temptation and that is that true worship of God leads to serving God if we really worship God then that leads to serving him as well the two go together worship is never intended to be something that stands on its own worship always if we really understand who God is and who we are worship always leads to service they go together and so Jesus is saying the Old Testament teaches you worship God and serve him it's a package deal you don't worship God and serve your own interests that's what Satan was attempting to do you don't worship God and serve yourself you worship God and serve him but worship and service go together true with Isaiah right Isaiah sees God high and lifted up on his throne trained fills the temple the angels are crying holy holy holy Isaiah falls down I'm I'm unclean I'm a man of unclean lips I dwell in the midst of the people of unclean lips Isaiah six so he worships God he falls in on his face before God and then God says whom shall I send who will go for me and Isaiah says me I'm I'm volunteer and here I am I'll go you see his worship led to service they always go together John in Revelation chapter one John falls down at the feet of the one who's walking among the candlesticks Jesus who has the seven stars and he's right hand the seven leaders of the seven churches that John's going to write to and and John season in all of his splendor and his glory and falls down as a dead man at Jesus feet he's worshipping him and then Jesus says get up now right to these seven churches serve me worship always leads to service Moses same way Moses up in the mountain and he sees the glory of God at least the the the after glow of the glory of God go by and then God says okay Moses time to go back down and lead the people to the land it so worship always leads to service the two go together and Jesus quotes this beautifully worship the Lord your God and serve him and him alone so the two go together that's a great great thrust of this temptation you don't claim to worship God and serve your own lusts the lust of your eyes serve yourself I claim to worship God but I'm really building my own kingdom my own stuff okay doesn't go together that's not the way the Christian life's supposed to function okay real quick we're going to just touch on the postlude to the temptation then we'll be done with the temptation and be able to get to his early ministry next week the postlude is basically this two things the gospel say the angels came to minister to him and the devil left him for a season Luke 4.13 says so two things kind of as the postlude the angels came and strengthened him you expect maybe they they brought him some food probably so okay he has denied the temptation of Satan to satisfy his own lusts and then God provides for his needs the angels minister to him and then secondly Satan leaves him but Luke says only for a season Satan does not give up he certainly doesn't give up on us he didn't even give up on the son of God who's been tempted for 40 days and Satan throws all of his heavy artillery all of his first John 216 stuff at him everything he has in his arsenal and Jesus spins it all off and you might think Satan would say well there's no hope here I won't bother him again but no Satan only left him for a season he'll be back and he always does come back so we need to we need to be remembering that that no matter how successful you are in resisting Satan he'll be back he's just like Arnold Schwarzenegger I'll be back he's coming back okay he's going to be back to get you so just remember that okay I don't know why I said that but anyway let's just remember that okay let's let's pray we'll we'll go father thank you for the wonderful lessons we can learn from the temptation of Jesus it is such a powerful passage and a powerful story so many lessons for us father I pray that you would help us to learn how we lighten Jesus who resisted Satan in the context of his humanity did not use his divine power just use the word of God in the spirit of God like we can't help us to know that we can resist Satan to and when he tempts us along the lines of the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes proud of life help us to resist him with your word in the power of your spirit we pray in Jesus name amen.