1/5/21

"Then was Jesus led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." (Matthew 4:1)
My immediate reaction to this passage is astonishment! "If the devil has the gall to approach JESUS, and to put temptation before Him, then how naive we are when we think that we are beyond attack."
Remember, "devil" means "accuser" or "slanderer". He accuses us of sin, and drags our names through the mud! You must understand that the devil is not your friend, nor will he ever be! He is to never be trusted!
He came to Eve as a serpent. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made." (Genesis 3:1) The devil chose the serpent as his vehicle for deception and ruin.
The serpent was a perfect choice. They are beautifully painted, and very graceful in their movements. And very stealthy! Most of the time, we are shocked by their presence. They are very close to us by the time that we notice them! And they will bite you!
The devil approached Jesus, and tried to make Him sin! Wow! Each of us better be on our guard, this day!
How did Jesus defend Himself against the wiles of the accuser, or slanderer? He quoted scripture to ward off each of the devil's attacks!
This is a very good reason for the believer to spend time in their Bibles. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm 119:11) That is an easy one to remember, because it begins with "11", and ends with "11". And "9" is in the middle! "911" is the call for help!
When the devil comes, he slips up on you unawares, and he will tempt you to do what's wrong! Whip out your scripture verses, and he will leave! Hallelujah!
From my heart to your heart.