During this season of Lent, I have been thinking about what temptation really means. It is often seen as that time when we voluntarily give up something to identify with Jesus’ 40 days of being tempted in the wilderness. We remember how Jesus gave up food, a roof over his head, a bed to sleep on and human fellowship. He faced the barren, hostile terrain completely alone, daily confronting Satan in all his strategies to manipulate, destroy and demand. Jesus showed us the way of victory in the battle against Satan who constantly seeks to make us worship him rather than worshipping and trusting in God
I find it very powerful that it was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into that place of barrenness and battle. It is easy to do things because they are expected, but what happened with Jesus shows the importance of following the Spirit’s lead. Not just doing something because it’s ‘that time of the year’ but doing it because I know the Spirit is leading me that way.
If I was to give up something for Lent, it would probably be chocolate as I am rather a chocoholic, or the reading of novels, so as to only feed myself with spiritual truths. But while these may well be good things to put aside, I don’t feel they serve the heart of what Lent is about or truly deal with the ongoing battle with temptation.
In Matthew 4:1-11 we read the full story of the temptations Jesus faced from the devil. I find the third one very thought provoking.
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me." (Matthew 4:9)
How could the devil think Jesus would be tempted to worship him? And also us? I don’t think that any of us would knowingly choose to worship Satan as we love to worship Jesus and grow in our faith. But the devil is very crafty. He had already tempted Jesus to doubt his own identity as the Son of God and to put God’s protection to the test. Now he was tempting Jesus to pre-empt his calling by doing what Satan wanted, rather than by following his own journey of love and sacrifice.
I find Satan’s temptations run much deeper than eating too much chocolate or reading too many books. He tempts me daily to feel a failure rather than to trust in Jesus’ amazing grace. He tempts me to pay heed to his whispers of doubt and fear rather than to joyfully trust my heavenly father. He tempts me to push to make my own way rather than to pray and relax into God’s loving guidance . . .
Rather than giving up something I love, I feel God is calling me to equip my heart and mind with the upbuilding power of His Word just like Jesus Himself did. After that third temptation Jesus rose up in holy anger against the devil: “Away from me Satan, for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ "
Do I rise up in holy anger or do I sink under the devil’s lies feeling a failure? It’s important to recognise the true battle – we’re not fighting our old selves when temptations hit us. We are fighting the one who will do EVERYTHING to stop us believing we are loved and forgiven by God and that God is good and utterly faithful. May our passion rise just as Jesus’ did, that we too can declare in this Lent season: “Away from me Satan, for it is written. . .!”
Prayer Thank you Jesus for going ahead in our fight against the devil in all his lies and temptations. I cling to you and choose to use the tools you gave and showed us how to use. Fill me with new passion to worship you alone and listen for your word of truth and love. May I become more and more rooted in the power of your Word. Amen.
