Daily Devotionals

Trouble Maker Week 3: Tuesday

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. Luke 4:1-2

Much of the temptation that we face is a battle of the mind. We think about the temptation we are facing and justify ways to make it okay until we can’t stop thinking about it anymore. I will give you a bit of a silly example. I love a good cup of coffee, and when I get the idea that I need a cup of coffee, it can, unfortunately, become all I can think about until I brew a new cup of coffee. Despite this desire for coffee, I also know that I do not constantly need coffee and that too much caffeine (and creamer that I add to my coffee) is not healthy. Nevertheless, my mind has to battle with my desire for coffee which compels me to say “no” when I have had enough. This temptation for over-indulging in coffee is a small picture of what it looks like when we face temptation: it is a battle with our minds over what we know is right and what we want to do. As a result, one way to face temptation is to focus our minds on things that point us to God and His word.

Luke 4 records a time when Jesus was tempted. In fact, He was in the hot wilderness of Judea, where He fasted for 40 days and nights. During this time, Satan came to Jesus with three specific temptations that are recorded in Luke 4. Each time Jesus answered, beginning with the phrase “The Scriptures say…” Every time Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus fought back with what the Scripture said regarding the temptation Satan was throwing at Him. He literally fought back temptation with Scripture.

Jesus set an example for us in Luke 4. We can follow His example and fight temptation with Scripture. When we know Scripture so well that we have it memorized, we can recognize what Scripture teaches about sin and say “no” when temptation comes. May you and I follow this example of Jesus and follow Scripture and what it says instead of the temptations that are thrown at us.

Moving toward action

Let’s commit to following Jesus’ example and memorize Scripture. Think about a temptation you are struggling with or often struggle with, and memorize a portion of Scripture related to that struggle. If you need help finding a Scripture, searching the index in your Bible or even doing a google search can be helpful! Memorize this Scripture so that when temptation does come your way, you can be prepared to guard your mind and heart against it.

Going Deeper

Luke 4:1-13 (NLT)

"Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

3 Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’”

5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

8 Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,

‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”

9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”

12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”

13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came."