YOUR SURE DEFENSE

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being 40 days tempted of the devil.” (Lk. 4:1-2)

Eve lived in the garden of Eden filled with good things to eat while Jesus
had been in a desert 40 days without food. It is shocking that Jesus was full
of the Holy Ghost when He was tempted. Yet, when the temptation to eat
the uneatable came, the one who needed it the most resisted it the best.
Eve disobeyed God’s Word while Jesus used God’s Word to defend himself.

Temptation often comes with the strongest onslaught when one is nearest to the heart of God. It is true the devil aims high; he even managed to convince an apostle who had walked with Jesus for three years to deny ever knowing Him! Even in our day and age mighty men of God such as Martin Luther and John Bunyan experienced fierce conflicts with the devil. These were men who would shake the very kingdom of hell. So, we can infer that a man or woman of God, who is actively operating under the Spirit of God, will surely encounter the tempter. You may ask: Why does God permit temptation to assail us? Because it does for us what the storms do for the oak trees – it establishes our root system and anchors us securely. Similarly, the paintings on porcelain go through the fiery furnace, making them permanent. Charles Spurgeon once commented saying, “I sometimes question whether I have ever learned anything except through the rod.” No matter the severity of your circumstances, a means of overcoming the attacks of Satan is never to lose sight of God’s word.

In seasons of severe testing and trials, while the devil is unleashing all his fury to separate you from your Lord, you may never know that you have a grip on Christ, or that He has a grip on you; until the moment you feel the chains fall away under the Master’s mighty hand. So, even in the front lines of battle, stay tuned to His still small voice and you will find the Word of God is a sure defense against the schemes of Satan.