Tag: Luke 4:1-4
“It is written”
Scripture reading for March 7: Luke 4
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, He was hungry. The devil said to him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.'” Luke 4:1-4
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism by John in the Jordan, the Holy Spirit descended on Him and God confirmed His Sonship and pleasure. The Holy Spirit then led Jesus into the wilderness for a forty day period of testing. These forty days mirrored the forty years of Israel’s testing in that same wilderness and the forty days of taunting by Goliath. During these forty days of isolation in the Judean wilderness, Jesus ate no food. He voluntarily fasted and purposely drew near to His Father and meditated on His Word. The power and comfort of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual manna of God’s Word provided all that was needed for Jesus to maintain strength and health.
It is recorded that after the forty days, Jesus was hungry. At this point, the devil called out to Him with a taunt: “If You are the Son of God . . .”. The devil was tempting Jesus to use His position and supernatural power to meet His need in contradiction to God’s Word: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” (“but by every Word that comes from God’s mouth.” Deuteronomy 8:3) Jesus chose to live by God’s Word and refuse the devil’s suggestion. Unlike the Israelites, Jesus did not succumb to Satan’s temptation. Unlike the Israelites who cowered for forty days because of Goliath’s taunts, Jesus stood on God’s Truth. Jesus’ world view put God first and not His own needs or desires. His fasting and focus brought God’s Word out of His mouth.
Have you or are you currently going through a time of testing? Are you currently filled with the Holy Spirit or just depending on your own strength? What priority does God’s Word have in your handling of this testing? How does this passage give you tools to help you overcome all temptations and fear?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for testing our faith and trust in You and Your Word. Thank You for the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Father’s Gift, to empower each person to draw near to God and meditate on His Word. Bring overcoming power to each one going through testing that they may declare: “It is written!” Amen!
Thankful for the Bread of Life!
Scripture reading for October 26th: Luke 1-4
Key Scriptures: Luke 4:1-4 “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry. The devil said to Him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.'”
Jesus had been baptized by John and the Holy Spirit filled Him and led Him into the desert for forty days of testing. Jesus fasted during this time and at its end, became hungry. The devil came to Him suggesting that He could turn stones into bread. Jesus, filled with the Spirit, reminded the devil that obedience to God’s Word was more important to life than food! God’s Word was Spirit and life eternal!
Thankful for living bread: “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:2-4)