01/27/2025
As Christians are we still tempted to place our earthly needs before our spiritual relationship with God? Do we spend precious time worrying and thinking about worldly things when it would be better spent on the Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father? Do we arm ourselves against temptation with prayer and the Word of God? As I was reading Oswald Chambers this morning he wrote about our temptation in these words...
"We are never free from the recurring tides if encroachment. If it does not come on the line of clothes and food, it will come on the line of money or lack of money; of friends or lack of friends; or in the line of difficult circumstances." - Oswald Chambers
We are constantly being drawn away from our spiritual focus and back into the earthly. Our ability to stay fixed on our faith in God is under relentless attack by the needs and desires of our bodies and minds as we make our way through this terrestrial life. Jesus guides us, He leads us towards the moment when we will be eternally united with God, but our human frailty lends us to temptation, and Satan is right there to woo us and draw us back into those temporal things.
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”
Matthew 6:25 KJV
Just when we begin to think we are doing well at maintaining our close relationship with the Lord and that our hand is firmly in the palm of Jesus as we walk with Him, Satan raises the intensity of the world's call. If he was bold enough to tempt Jesus, then he will most certainly work to tempt us as well.
“Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.”
Luke 4:2 KJV
Be prepared when Satan comes against you. It can be subtle, or bold in its nature, but be assured that it will come. Our faith and trust in God is our only defense against such assault. Chambers wrote of this when he quoted scripture and warned us...
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. How much evil has begun to threaten you today? What kind of mean little imps have been looking in and saying - Now what are you going to do next month - this summer? "Be anxious of nothing," Jesus says. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the "much more" of your Heavenly Father. - Oswald Chambers
We are strengthened by studying the Word of God, praying, binding together with other believers for encouragement, and looking always for the presence of God and His will in our lives. By doing these things we are strengthening ourselves as Job was strengthened and hardened to resist temptation as he did. Jesus and Job both quoted scripture to defend themselves against temptation, and so should we.
“And [Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job 1:21 KJV
“And the tempter came and said to him [Jesus], “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””
Matthew 4:3-4 ESV
Jesus repulsed Satan’s attacks time and again with scripture, and although Job lost everything except his focus on God and his faith. He maintained his trust in the Father despite all that was thrown at him, Because of this scripture says this about him...
“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”
Job 1:22 KJV
And at the end of his suffering, God brought him out of temptation and rewarded him greatly, listen...
"So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters.”
Job 42:12-13 KJV
Will God reward us for our efforts too? Will we be able to resist the temptations that come our way as Job did, and quote scripture as our defense like Jesus? Can we be strong in our faith and serve as an example to those around us… or perhaps in spite of them?
A few years ago my pastor called me from a conference he was attending in a distant city. The young son of a man and his wife that I love dearly had been diagnosed with cancer, and my pastor asked if I would call him and provide support. I had received that same diagnosis and travelled that road not once, but twice myself, and then again with my own son. So, I said yes.
When we are not succumbing to temptation, Satan raises the stakes. When concentration on our relationship with the Lord remains firm in the face of lesser temptation then larger distractions are thrown into our path. My friend and his family were facing a greater challenge, and I wanted to bind together with them and strengthen them. When the voices of many say "curse God and die" then the lone voice of encouragement from a brother or sister in Christ can make all the difference.
Let’s think on these things today and ask ourselves some hard question like where is our focus today? Is it on the Lord and our walk with him, or the money and clothing of the world? Are we prepared to handle the cancers of life and hold firm to our faith? Are we preparing ourselves in the Word and prayer to ward off temptation, and to help others to do the same?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the story of Job and of how Jesus was tempted by Satan as well. Thank you for teaching us how to resist and overcome our own temptation by the examples of these men. I want to walk with Jesus through the temptations of this world; I want to receive His encouragement and the help of my brothers and sisters in Christ as I face Satan's distractions. Heavenly Father, give me strength through your word and intercede in my life as I pray for your help; catch me as I stumble and always know that I worship you. Keep those who travel this way with me safe in your arms and extend your hand to them if they too are tempted to look away from your face. Let us be like a staff to one another and a rod against evil. Lord God, you are the love and focus of our lives; bless us as we serve and worship you. Hear us as we pray your Word and strengthen us in it.
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Proverbs 3:6 ESV
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12 ESV
Amen!
Rich Forbes