Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. After He had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, He was hungry. Then the tempter approached Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” But He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the Devil took Him to the holy city, 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 give His angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.” Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to him, “I will give You all these things if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Then the Devil left Him, and immediately angels came and began to serve Him. Matthew 4:1-11
My words…
Praise
Jesus, I offer this prayer to You in awe of Your unfailing strength in the face of gut-wrenching temptation. This confrontation is written so simply and succinctly that I often overlook the fact that this event is the second greatest battle ever waged on earth. You had just risen from the waters of the Jordan and been declared the Son of God by Your Father. Your ministry lay ahead, and in preparation, Your enemy was summoned. The Spirit led You to the battlefield: a cold, blustery, barren wilderness, home to wild beasts. You prepared Your body for battle, depriving Yourself of food until your fat stores were depleted and You were nothing but skin and bones. It was then that Satan arrived, ready to fight. He taunted You (If You are the Son of God) and spoke Your Father’s holy words from his foul mouth. The hosts of heaven – God’s mighty angels – kept their feet at the edge of the battle, eager to come to the aid of their master but waiting for God’s signal. Satan thrust You with a sword of worldly temptations, yet You repelled him with a shield of heavenly words. The stones remained stones. Your foot never left the pinnacle of the temple. And the wealth of the world remained undesired. You turned Your gaunt face and sunken eyes to Satan and said, “Leave now!” It was then that Satan knew that no matter how long the battle raged, he would leave defeated. And he did. You are the only One to stand against the Devil and claim a perfect victory. Your boundless will prevailed, and for that, I offer You all the glory my heart can hold.
Prayer for me
Lord, I know that Satan places temptations in my path in direct proportion to my faith in You. My faith is stronger now than it was this time last year. So the Devil has ramped up his attacks accordingly. With Your indwelling Spirit emboldening me, I am not afraid of Satan. I am still tempted to sin, but You have taught me how to stand against him with my sword. I pray for Your continued protection against the Devil when he turns his attention on me.
Forgive me
Forgive me for the times I fail to stand up to Satan. He focuses his attacks on me when I am weak, tired and looking for an easy way out. You were weak and tired in the wilderness, yet You provided me with the perfect example of how to defeat Satan. Forgive me when I fail to follow Your example.
Prayer for others
Lord, You know more than anyone the true wiles of Satan. He is the master tempter with a well-stocked arsenal. I met a man last week who is addicted to pornography, a well-used, effective weapon of Satan. This man is miserable, burdened with guilt. He has decided to seek You and learn Your way of defeating Satan. I pray for him and so many others who are bound by addiction. Teach them how to say, “Go away, Satan!”
Thank You
Jesus, I thank You for following the Spirit into the wilderness, knowing what lay ahead for You. You did it for me, for the world, to show us how to defeat the Devil. Thank You for loving us that much.
More praise
I can only imagine how wonderful it must feel to be comforted by angels. Once Your hunger was satisfied and Your body restored, You lived each day fulfilling Your mission given You by Your Father. This mission led You to a different, lonely place three years later where another battle was fought. And oh, what a victory! But that’s another prayer for another day.
