Not long ago, I had a question asked from a ministry student who asked that I be her mentor. Her question was more a frustration and she already knew the answer but she still needed to say it out loud. “Why am I going through these spiritual battles with those I know and love along with some very challenging circumstances in my life after saying yes to the call of God?” While I’m thinking of my response, and remembering this passage right here in Matthew, telling us of the three part test of Jesus, Son of God, before He began His mission to save us from our sins, she answered her own question— “It’s a test, isn’t it?”. Why, yes, it is dear friend.
As a former teacher, we know that well designed tests are great tools of the teaching process. We assess what the student already knows so we can design our curriculum to address what they need to know. God uses tests in our own lives not to see if we will “hold up” under pressure, but to teach us how to respond to what the world will consistently present in front of us. Fortunately, as believers in Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us to all truth, to comfort us when we falter, to convict us of sins that will cause us to spiritually crash later. When we come to a place of decision between right and wrong, God’s Holy Spirit will lead us to what is right and best for us. Tests will also bring out the wisdom of God’s Word that has become a part of us while teaching us what we still need to learn.
Tests are not meant to rank us, (thank you, God!), but to help us to know more and sin less. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, says Paul to all believers. No one escapes the tests that God allows in our lives to teach us. Tests keep us humbled before God. Tests remind us that we are all in need of a Savior. We all need the Lord to guide us to what is right. We are not perfect but perfectly forgiven with help to grow and mature in His ways.
Matthew 4, The Message
The Test
1-3 Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.”
4 Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”
5-6 For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, “Since you are God’s Son, jump.” The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: “He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone.”
7 Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: “Don’t you dare test the Lord your God.”
8-9 For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, “They’re yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.”
10 Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”
11 The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs.
Teaching and Healing
12-17 When Jesus got word that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee. He moved from his hometown, Nazareth, to the lakeside village Capernaum, nestled at the base of the Zebulun and Naphtali hills. This move completed Isaiah’s revelation:
Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
road to the sea, over Jordan,
Galilee, crossroads for the nations.
People sitting out their lives in the dark
saw a huge light;
Sitting in that dark, dark country of death,
they watched the sun come up.
This Isaiah-prophesied revelation came to life in Galilee the moment Jesus started preaching. He picked up where John left off: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
18-20 Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.
21-22 A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.
23-25 From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme—that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with a sickness, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
We are tested. Jesus gives us the examples of how to respond to tests from the one who wants to destroy us or at least distract us from God.
- The Test of Physical Need and Want versus the love of God. “You’re hungry, you can fix it,” says the devil. Satan knows exactly who Jesus is and will consistently battle him with full force, using all his age-old tactics of lies and deceit. I am wondering if the devil used the same lines he used on Adam and Eve? Maybe to Jesus, “Do you really think God would want you to go hungry?” which is akin to how he deceived Eve with, “Do you really think you will die if you eat this fruit? And we all know how it went down with Adam and Eve! (If not and you need a reminder, See Genesis 3). Jesus prevails his first test with “Man does not live by bread alone.” Spoken by One who is the Bread of Life!
Satan knew to attack in Jesus’ weakness but Jesus was made strong by His Father in Heaven whom Jesus relied upon with the power of God’s love in Him.
God’s Holy Spirit taught Paul a similar lesson after Paul prayed for a “thorn” in his life to be removed. Paul relates, “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 We seem to listen more intently to God when we are weakened of our own resources.
- The Doubled Tests of Pride. “Because of who you associate with, you can jump of this building and be caught in mid-air!” Sometimes, when people lift up pastors and staff as super heros of the faith, we begin to think we can scale walls and leap off tall buildings and fly like Super men and women! Satan works overtime to distract us from God by filling our minds with pride that leads us to behaving arrogantly—if we allow it. Jesus did not allow it. “Beat it, Satan!”
Philippians 2 explains how Jesus came to live among humans on earth as Son of Man and Son of God simultaneously.
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11
Our pride and arrogance has no place in Kingdom of God thinking and behaving.
Pride worships self. Jesus clearly and emphatically tells Satan (and reminds us) worship is reserved only for God.
“Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”
We learn from these tests that Satan knows God and His Son well. He also knows scripture so he can use it to manipulate us by twisting the truth to his advantage. When our enemy cannot destroy us, he will consistently work to distract from all that is God.
Therefore, Know God. Know the Enemy. Know who and what we have available to help us. Know the weapons to use against the enemy:
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18
“The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs.”
“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” James 4:7, MSG
Lord,
Cleanse my heart, renew my mind, refresh, and feed my soul while restoring the joy of your salvation powerfully at work in me. I’m yours. Fully and unreservedly yours.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 