Fight Back with Truth

At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, a strange thing happened: He was led into the wilderness, by the Spirit, where He encountered the devil.

After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry—taunted by the enemy to satisfy His craving for food. Essentially, Satan tried to provoke Jesus to prove that He was God’s Son by turning rocks into bread.

Can you sense the manipulation?

If you’re really the Son of God, do something. Take matters into your own hands. Give in to your desire. Provide for yourself. Is God even good if He holds out on you?

But Jesus refused to be bullied.

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This pattern continued throughout two more temptations—where the devil temped Jesus with protection and power, but Jesus rebuked him with Scripture. 

So what are some things we can learn from Jesus’ encounter with the enemy?

– Jesus knew that life is more than having a full stomach. Though He surely longed to satisfy his physical craving, He knew that true sustenance comes from God.
– Jesus knew that engaging in debate with the enemy isn’t wise. Instead, He relied on the power of Scripture, quoting from Deuteronomy as His weapon of defense.
– Jesus knew He had nothing to prove. Unlike Adam and Eve in Genesis, who doubted God’s goodness and gave into temptation, Jesus was able to resist the enemy.
– Jesus knew He was being tempted by the devil and acted in accordance. We must learn to recognize when we’re under attack, and remember to fight back with God’s Word.

So, how is the enemy tempting you this week? How is he enticing you to doubt God’s trustworthiness? Remember, God has enabled you to fight back with truth by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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What Really Matters

God designed our hearts and our brains—our emotions and our intellect—to work together.

For example, when we love someone, we’re compelled to know them on a deeper level. And as we uncover their passions and their heartaches and what makes them tick, we are often compelled into an even deeper kind of love. 

When the apostle Paul was writing to the believers in Philippi (a city in Greece) he gave them this charge: 

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

No one wants to waste their time, their energy, or their one precious life. But when we understand what’s important—knowing and loving God, knowing and loving people—we can choose to spend our lives on what matters most.

So what did Paul want for the Philippians?

Paul longed for their love to be evident while their knowledge continued to grow; for a life of love to be cultivated while understanding continued to flourish.

The Bible teaches that knowledge of God is true understanding (Proverbs 9:10) and that the most important commandment is to love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-40). And we gain insights about God’s character by studying His Word, learning from His creation, and living with love.

As we love God with our hearts and minds, lean into knowledge and faith, and embrace truth and grace, we can experience a more complete picture of God’s beautiful plan.

We can shine light into an increasingly dark world. We can add vision, clarity, and meaning to whatever circles we frequent. We can be known for loving our Creator and loving the people around us. We can live God-honoring lives until the day we meet our Savior face to face.

God is Our Comfort

Have you ever looked around you and wondered, “why is there so much evil, wickedness, and pain in the world?” 

In Psalm 94, King David is extremely upset about the state of humanity. People are blaming God for the world’s rampant wickedness as though God did not see it and did not care (verses 1-7). So David reminds his audience that the Lord is Creator, and He knows, sees, and hears all that goes on (verses 8-11). 

Because of God, David could say, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Verse 19)

King David’s “cares of the heart” were because of the wickedness and evil he saw—and our world is not much different. But David’s consolation in all the evil he witnessed was his Creator and Savior. 

That’s why He could close his psalm by writing, “But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness, the LORD our God will wipe them out.” (Verses 22-23)

This isn’t the most pleasant psalm to read. It’s full of pain and anger, sorrow and injustice. But, it’s a prayer of hope and perspective which we can learn from.

There is wickedness, injustice, and war all around us. But in the midst of pain and brokenness, we can follow King David’s example and look to God for comfort and peace. God took care of our shame and sin through the death of Jesus Christ, and He will one day take care of all wickedness and evil. 

Until then, like David, we can say, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”

By trusting in God and knowing that He will one day wipe away all wickedness, we can bring Him our hopes, dreams, fears, and concerns and receive His comfort.

So right now, think about the cares you have that need to be given to God. How can knowing God cheer your soul?

God Speaks Today

Have you ever asked God to speak to you? It can be tempting to think that we could have more faith if God would simply speak to us. If God would just speak, then we would know that He is real and exists.

While at one time God spoke through prophets, He has spoken to us through the Bible which is His Word. Scripture is God’s means of communicating with His people. Every time we open up God’s Word, we are listening to the words of God Himself.

That’s why Scripture says the Word of God is alive and active. It is the primary way that God speaks to His people to guide our thoughts and direct our ways. God’s Word actively refreshes us and provides us with wisdom for living.

The author of Hebrews also tells us that Scripture is like a sword that can cut and divide our innermost places. God’s Word reveals our true heart. It exposes our emotions and thoughts, and then guides us toward what is right.

God’s Word is full of refreshment for our weariness. He speaks encouragement to those who follow Him and listen to His voice. Scripture is also full of God’s truth that guides us into right-living. It shapes our hearts and minds toward loving God and loving those around us.

One of the best things you can do for your life is to engage in Scripture daily. If we rarely read God’s Word, then we will rarely hear His voice speaking to us. The more that we develop regular habits of engaging with God, the easier it will be to hear and follow His guidance.

Today, take some time to consider how you can create a daily habit of engaging in God’s Word. God wants to speak to us, but we must come to Him ready to listen.