Luke 4:13 “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.”
Two Factors in Temptation
What are the five cities you would least like to raise your kids in? Las Vegas? New York City? Los Angeles? Hollywood? Washington, D.C.? The truth is, I know godly people in “Sin City” that are raising godly homes, and I know of good, Bible-preaching churches and godly pastors in cities that are probably on your list.
Did you know that Satan would come after you with temptation and wickedness even if you lived on a deserted island? He would even have an ally in you. He would use your own desires and needs against you in order to make any place “sin city.” After all, Satan tested the very Son of God in the desert!
Luke chapter four records for us Satan’s temptation of the Lord Jesus. He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) We can learn two factors that are always in play when the devil tempts us. The two factors are the weakness of our flesh and the power of God’s Spirit. At the very beginning of the chapter, the Lord Jesus was “full of the Holy Ghost” and “led by the Spirit,” yet He was hungry after fasting for forty days.
Never forget that your flesh is weak. When life is going well, you have a full stomach, and you are rested, you can feel pretty strong. Take away food or sleep and you are a prime target for Satan. He will use the very desires that God gave you to work against you.
On the other hand, the other factor in temptation is the power of God’s Spirit. The Son of God was led by, filled by, and empowered by the Holy Spirit in Luke chapter four. Does it not stand to reason that if the Lord Jesus needed the Spirit’s power, we need it too?
Jesus Christ was filled with the Spirit and overcame Satan’s temptations in spite of physical weakness. Whatever test or temptation you may face today, remember that your flesh is weak but God’s Spirit is powerful.