How Satan Tempts Us

Thu, 20 Jun 2019

‘He will show you how to escape from your temptations.’ 1 Corinthians 10:13 CEV

Satan tried to get Jesus to succumb to three different kinds of temptation, and he’ll try the same with you:

(1) Satisfaction without God. Knowing Christ was hungry, Satan told Him to turn stones into bread. But Jesus said no because He knew God’s plan was to feed and strengthen Him supernaturally; He refused to settle for less—and you must too.

(2) Success without God. Satan then took Jesus to the top of the temple and told Him to jump off, saying God would send angels to protect Him. But God’s plan for Jesus was the cross, the resurrection, and the multitudes who would come to believe in Him. Satan tried to get Jesus to settle for less, and he’ll try the same with you. Don’t take the bait!

(3) Significance without God. Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world if only He’d bow down and worship him. What an offer! Significance without God! But the fact is, the kingdoms of this world weren’t Satan’s to offer! So he lied to Jesus—and he will lie to you too. The way to lasting satisfaction is the way of the cross, which means sacrificing yourself. Jesus rebuked Satan with a reminder from Scripture that God alone is worthy to be glorified.

Understand this: Satan will take every legitimate desire you have and try to get you to fulfil it in an illegitimate way. But you can overcome him. How? By staying close to God and living in His Word, ‘He will show you how to escape from your temptations.’