Tested faith

December 19, 2006

By Greg Ebie

Temptation — it’s more than just chocolate cake, warm apple pie, mint chocolate chip ice cream, or 101 other favorite desserts when you are on a diet. Temptation is the lure or enticement to sin. The devil uses temptation to try to destroy us. God, on the other hand, wants to help us overcome temptation to be proved faithful to Him. (See 1 Corinthians 10:13.) Satan wants to trip us up and make us fall; God wants to equip us to pass the test.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. During these 40 days Jesus fasted. He took nothing to eat in order to connect with His Father in a special way, yet Satan was constantly there waging war with Jesus.

At the end of these 40 days the devil brought three more custom-made temptations trying to trip up Jesus. The Lord responded to each saying, “It is written.” He relied on God’s Word to beat the devil and overcome each temptation. There’s a lesson for us to follow in Jesus’ example as we determine to defeat Satan. The answer to overcoming temptation is not with will power, but with God’s Word.

Notice what happened next.

“That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity. Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit. News that he was back spread through the countryside” (Luke 4:13,14, The Message).

Here are two more lessons for us to remember. First, we are never done with temptation. Satan retreats when beaten, but only momentarily. The devil will wait for a chance to put another perfect lure of temptation in our path. We need to be constantly on guard against these attacks.

Second, when we overcome temptation we will, like Jesus, move forward with the power of God’s Spirit within us. When we rely upon God to help us overcome temptation we don’t get weaker, we get stronger.

News about Jesus spread like wildfire. I believe people around us are also looking for people who live with the power of God’s Spirit evident in the things they do and say. Word will spread we are authentic and that’s what will open doors for us to make Jesus and the power of His Spirit known in our world.

Be an overcomer! The world is watching.

D. Greg Ebie is senior pastor of Praise Assembly of God in Garrettsville, Ohio, and an author of Daily Bread devotionals.