+DEV+ Compelling Temptation

Date: January 19, 2011 9:13 PM
Topic: +DEV+ Compelling Temptation

Compelling Temptation

"After fasting forty days and forty nights, [Jesus] was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread'" (Matthew 4:2-3).
Scripture Focus: Matthew 4:1-11

Satan tempted Jesus to prove His deity and to enjoy instant gratification by turning stones into bread. After fasting 40 days, Jesus was hungry, so Satan appealed to His very human hunger pangs.

Many temptations lure us with the appeal of immediate gratification. When our senses are enticed or our desires are stirred, it's tempting to act without delay. In the book Get Off Your Knees and Pray, Shelia Walsh discusses our human tendency to avoid waiting. She has learned, "When I feel a compulsion to move quickly, I wait. God is a God of order and peace."

Jesus understands the lure of instant gratification. He was "tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). He resisted every temptation because He knew the truth of Scripture. God's character has been revealed through Jesus. Why wouldn't I confidently trust in God's timing and His provision?

We can resist the lure of temptation by filling up with the nourishing truth of God's Word.

Insight: When tempted to satisfy a desire immediately, turn to God's Word. Through it, you'll receive the strength to wait for His provision.