Just before our LORD Jesus Christ started his ministry, he was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. There he fasted for forty days and forty nights. Our LORD Jesus, in this fourth chapter of the book of the apostle Matthew, left us a wonderful lesson on how to resist the temptations of Satan.
Matthew 4 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 4:3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "
Bread and material things might satisfy the body, but not the spirit. Our spirit must be fed by the word of God. That is why we sometimes search and search and do not find satisfaction, contentment, or happiness. This happens because we leave God outside of our daily life.
4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 4:6 "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.' " 4:7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'
Psalms 95:8 Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert.
The people tested God on that day and he kept them in the desert for forty years. To test God is to anger God. Only in Malachi 3:10 does our LORD ask his people to test him.
Malachi 3:10 Bring me the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. This blessings are not only monetary... that is what comes to mind. They are that, but God also blesses us with our daily bread, our peaceful sleep, contentment in the family, fullness of our spirit, things that make us happy and satisfied with life. If we place him first in our lives, he will bless us mightily. Soon you will hear the sound of heavenly music in your heart.
At Massah it was unfaithfulness, unbelief, and hardness of heart. In Malachi, God is saying, "Do as I ask, bring the tithe into the storehouse and test me. I will bless you more than enough."
In this particular temptation testing of Jesus, Satan wanted him to show off, so he could accuse Jesus of pride. Jesus is Wisdom, so it was never going to happen.
4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 4:9 "All this I will give you," he said, if you will bow down and worship me." 4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the LORD your God, and serve him only.' "
Jesus is plainly not wanting Satan around anymore. He is finished with him for the moment. Jesus leaves us a good, plain and simple, lesson on how to deal with the devil. We must not debate or try to outwit Satan because we are not able to do that. Satan is a powerful evil spirit. Jesus with all his power did not engage Satan in any way, though he was very able. Instead, we are to answer, like Jesus did, "It is written:" and whatever verse suits the occassion. Or even as in verse 4:10 "Away from me Satan. For it is written: 'Worship the LORD your God, and serve him only.' " We serve God with our obedience and holiness. We loose that blessing when we give in to Satan. Whatever temptation Satan throws our way, what he is seeking is our submission to him. If we are Christian, so much the better for him. SPEAK verses out loud, so that Satan and you yourself can hear them and be reminded of their power. This gives us all the more reason to read, study and memorize the Bible. Shalom!