The Temptation of Jesus

"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." ~ Hebrews 4:15

I'll admit that the one set back about being vegan is that your blood sugar is quick to become low. Therefore I always make sure to pack snacks wherever I go, or else I can become moody, crabby, or maybe feel faint (that is if I were not to eat for an entire day). The reason I bring that up is because I just read about Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness, and that is what I thought about the whole time! How weak Jesus must have been in all states of his mortal body, yet was able to say "no" to the temptations. I just talked to a co-worker about temptations, and how even when Jesus was tempted, he was able to say "no." How hard it is to say "no" a lot times when we are faced in the shadows of sin. I think I say "yes" a lot more than I do "no", and yes, it is my human nature, but no it does not have to be. I'm just as guilty as the next person, but I thank the Lord that he was able to prove I can just say "no."

The temptation is found in John 4:1-11. The whole time I was reading I was thinking about how Jesus' mental, physical, and emotional state must have been like for have fasted 40 days. I don't know how strong I would have been because even after a few hours I can become moody and have a stubborn attitude anything or anyone. Have me fast for 40 days, I'd probably be dangerous to be around. When people fasted in biblical times, I wondered how they went on fasting for so long, but I think it's both God's blessing and the attitude the person has to be doing it. Look back to Moses in Deuteronomy 9:9, and it says he went without drink and food for the same amount of time. That's a long time. I hear about how man can not go without food or water for so amount of days, but it's never been as long as 40 days and nights! Anyway, this is my point to Jesus' temptation. He was able to say "no", and is therefore showing us as believers we can say "no" too.

As my co-worker put it, "If you are a married man and woman is taking off her clothes in front of him, he has the power to say 'no.'" The guy may not feel like it, but he does have that power. That power is found in the Holy Spirit we are given as believers. So the battles I am facing right now, if I have the spirit within me, then I should be able to say "no" to all of them. If you are facing a temptation today, you have the power to say "no" by the holy spirit. It's liberating, I think, to know that God is watching out for us, and that even when we are weak, we are strong. And that strength is only found when we completely surrender to the one who is strong.

So today, let's look for ways we can honor God in saying "no" to whatever temptations may enter in our lives today. I know I have plenty that come around in just a matter of a few hours, so I know you will have some too. Pray to God for help and strength. Ask for help because we cannot do it alone. If we are going to be obedient to the one who saved us, then we are to have to rely on him the whole way.