At the Peak of Pressure

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.  Matthew 4:1-11

Those who submit to temptation’s appeal on the basis that being tempted is the same as yielding to temptation have never faced the truth of Jesus’ temptation. Those who believe that if God were all powerful, He would not allow them to be tempted, have never really faced the truth of Jesus’ temptation. Those who claim there is no real defense against temptation’s onslaught have missed the key to Jesus’ successful fight against His greatest temptation from Satan.

Much is to be learned by a careful analysis and study of the temptation of Christ. His humanity caused Him to be susceptible to the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of any man or woman. Yet He was successful in thwarting Satan’s “best shots” because He never forgot Who He was or why He was here. You, too, can stand successful at the end of period of temptation if you’ll implement the principles which Jesus used in His hour of trial. He stood on the Word of God.