"Rely on Christ’s Strength"
“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin” - (Hebrews 11:25).
There is no temptation that we have faced or will ever face with which Jesus is not familiar.
None of us can look up to heaven and say, “God, You don’t understand what I’m going through,” because He understands better than anyone.
Satan is a master manipulator. He chooses the timing, the place, and the circumstances in which to soft pitch us with his temptations. In Matthew 4, we see how Satan tempted the Lord Jesus three times—each time in a different area. Today we will look at the temptation for pleasure.
Jesus had been fasting in the wilderness for forty days, and He was hungry. So Satan 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’” (Matthew 4:3-4).
Notice that the devil did not come to him on the first day, the second day, the twentieth day, or even the thirtieth day. He waited until the end of the forty days of fasting; that’s when he lobbed the first temptation.
The first temptation of Christ was something like this: “Should I obey the Father, or should I fulfill my desires? Should I wait for the Father’s timing, or should I take things into my own hands? Should I seek the glory of my Father, or should I gratify myself and my desires? Should I continue to place the Father’s business above my business?”
As Christians, this is the very temptation that we face every day. If we rely on Christ’s strength in us, we will be able to overcome it and live a life that is pleasing to Him.
Prayer: Our Loving Heavenly Father, I pray that you would help me to be on guard against the temptation for pleasure. Help me to recognize it and be able to resist, standing firm on the Word of God. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, In Jesus Loving Name I Pray, Amen."
"Good morning"
"Have a blessed day"
