The temptations of the devil always revolve around two things. First, the deceiver wants you to question what God has said (e.g. “Did God really say…”, “If you are the Son of God…”). Second, the devil wants you to simply take what you want for yourself, indulge your flesh (e.g. “You will be like God…”, “command these stones to become bread.”). When we know these facts about temptation, we can better arm ourselves against it. But there is never a moment when we can let down our guard. Unlike our Lord, we are not in the middle of the wilderness having gone without food or water for forty days. We certainly endure afflictions but that is precisely why Christ endured His temptations under the worst possible conditions. He has cast down Satan and resisted his lies under stress that we can’t really begin to imagine. He resisted where we have failed so that He could offer His innocence to us and teach us how to overcome even the most insidious of the devil’s attacks – with the Word of God. Know what God has said inside and out. Make it your daily bread which you would never imagine going without. Study it and commit it to memory so that the devil can’t cloak his lies and lead you astray. I look forward to seeing you this coming Lord’s Day that we may gather together to receive the true Bread, our Lord Jesus Christ who fills us with His righteousness.
Pastor Ulmer