What Did Jesus Do When He Was Tempted:
Have you ever been tempted to do something sinful? Maybe you’ve wanted to lie or steal. Maybe you’ve wondered if maybe it would be OK just this once if you had an extramarital affair. Maybe you’re even wondering if God really exists, or if he’d really care either way… Fortunately for us, Jesus was tempted too! And he resisted those temptations with grace and wisdom. In this post, we’ll talk about how Jesus was tempted during his time on Earth and how we can learn from him so that we might resist the devil’s schemes (and those of our own making) today.
What Did Jesus Do When He Was Tempted
1. Jesus’ temptation wasn’t just a normal temptation.
You’ve probably heard the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the desert.
Now, there are a couple of things to note about this story: 1) it wasn’t just a normal temptation, it was an attack on Jesus’ identity as God’s son, 2) he resisted all three temptations, and 3) his response to each temptation revealed who he was.
Here are some quick highlights from each temptation:
- Temptation 1 – The devil said “If you are God’s Son then turn these stones into bread,” but Jesus replied with what felt like an obvious answer: “You must not do this.”
- Temptation 2 – The devil took him up onto a very high mountain where they could see all the kingdoms of the world. He told him that if he would bow down and worship him (the devil), then everything would be given to him (Jesus). But again, Jesus responded with something that seemed obvious: “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God.'”
- Temptation 3 – This one probably sounds familiar; Satan had taken them up into an isolated place so he could tell Jesus to jump off and prove that God would protect him from injury or death – either way proving that he really was God’s son. When asked about jumping off, however, Jesus replied simply with one word: “No!”
2. Jesus used the Bible to combat Satan’s temptations.
Jesus used the Bible to combat Satan’s temptations. In the Bible, Jesus quoted from two passages; Psalm 91 and Deuteronomy 8:3-6. These passages are part of God’s Word that gives us his protection from temptation and evil in this world. Jesus knew that he could win any battle with the devil if he sought God’s help through these passages.
Jesus used these Scriptures to defeat Satan when He was baptized in water by John the Baptist: “Then Jesus returned with them to Galilee, and He remained there with them and was baptized in their vicinity” (Matthew 3:13). When Jesus was baptized in water by John, it showed that He agreed with everything that John said about Him being God’s Son–He said so Himself when He came up out of the water!
3. Jesus didn’t give in to the devil’s offers.
Jesus resisted the temptation because he trusted God.
We can see that Jesus resisted the temptation because he had a higher purpose.
Jesus resisted the temptation because he knew that God was with him.
He also resisted the devil by knowing the truth, which is that God will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
The Bible tells us that Jesus was tested like all humans are tested (James 1:13-17), but Jesus remained steadfast in his faith as opposed to giving in to temptation as so many of us often do (Hebrews 4:15).
4. The devil left Jesus alone after he was tempted.
I believe that it’s important to remember that the devil left Jesus alone after he was tempted. If we know who Jesus is, then we also know what God is like. And if God is good, then we also know that He doesn’t want anything from us other than our trust in Him and our obedience to Him as His followers.
Let me put it this way: The devil might lie to you about how much he cares about you and about how he wants to help you! But don’t be fooled! It’s all an act so that he can get his claws into your life and pull you away from God’s love for your own selfish gain (and pain).
5. You can learn how to resist Satan’s temptations by looking at how Jesus resisted temptation when he was on Earth.
You can learn how to resist Satan’s temptations by looking at how Jesus resisted temptation when he was on Earth.
When Jesus was tempted, he did not give in to the devil. Instead, he used the Bible to fight off Satan’s temptations. Jesus said that it was written in the Scriptures (see Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). Another thing that shows you how much power your Bible has is when the devil tried to keep Jesus from reading it after he left him alone for a while (see Revelation 12:17).
Closing
When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He responded by quoting scripture. He did not give into Satan’s temptations but instead relied on the power of God’s Word and the strength of His faith to overcome. He also used His divine power to cast out Satan. Jesus’ example is a reminder to all of us that we can resist the devil by trusting in God’s promises and relying on the power of His Word.
If you’re struggling with temptation, it’s important to remember that Jesus was tempted as well. He didn’t give in to the devil’s offers and he resisted all of his temptations. The Bible is a great resource for learning how we can do this ourselves. When we learn from Jesus’ example, we’ll be able to resist Satan’s temptations when they come our way!