Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.

But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

Luke 4:1-2, 4

When Jesus was fasting for forty days in the wilderness, He faced the same temptations that you and I face today. Every believer faces temptations, and God’s grace alone empowers righteous living. 

So how can we fight these temptations? The devil came to Jesus in the wilderness three times tempting Him to sin against God. And each time Jesus replied “…It is written…” Jesus fought back with the Word of God! As you build your life on the rock of God’s Word, it becomes your tool, shield, and foundation against the devil’s schemes. Your job is to get God’s Word into your heart so when temptation does come, you are ready to fight!

It can be easy to think “I’m going to be so spiritual that I will never be tempted again.” But in Luke 4:13 we read, Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Even though Jesus had defeated the devil, he was going to come back again and again. Temptation is not just a battle – it is a war. 

We have victory over temptation and the devil only by God’s grace. Titus 1:11-12 says, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age… As long as you are living in a physical body here on earth, you will face temptation. But as you resist the devil again and again, it will become easier and easier to live as God instructs. So, when you are faced with temptation, come prepared to fight with the Word of God as your weapon!