Temptation is a Call to Battle

Charis Corner: Stories of Grace in a Broken World

By Kari Mahara

JOHN 4:1-11

Everyone goes through temptation. Everyone.

What’s the very first thing that happened after Jesus’s baptism? He went out into the desert to be tempted. By Satan, the devil.

A wise man (named Tom Dyer) once said: TEMPTATION IS A CALL TO BATTLE. It’s not a sin. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s something even Jesus dealt with, and he lived his life without sin.

So what did Jesus do in preparation for battle? He fasted and prayed.

For those of you not familiar with fasting, I am going to share a quick story with you about my attempt at fasting: In college, something in my spirit—that voice in my head I know to be the Lord’s—called me to fast. So every meal, really any time I was hungry, I prayed. It was extremely difficult for me, as I can be a very angry person when I’m hungry, but I grew so much closer to the Lord and interceded on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ much more than I would have on a normal day. But the most interesting thing that happened was when God led me to end my fast. At the time, I worked at McDonalds and took my free meal back to the staff lounge. I prayed for God’s will and began to eat. Within one minute, I was joined by a young Catholic coworker, who questioned the joy he saw in my life. He shared his life of living wildly on the weekend and repenting on Sundays, only to repeat the whole process over again. I didn’t lead him back to the Lord, but I did invite him to think on some spiritual things and encouraged him to look to God to find the “more” in his life he was pursuing.

Back to Jesus’s temptation—

After fasting and praying, Jesus was hungry. What does Satan tempt Jesus with first? A physical need or desire. Satan says, “Since you’re the son of God, make these stones bread.”

Jesus doesn’t need to think on Satan’s words—please note, thinking or dwelling on Satan’s words is ALWAYS a bad thing, as they’re usually a nugget of truth twisted into a lie. Jesus pulls out Scripture to support him, to stand on, to resist the temptation. He says: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Next up, Satan takes Jesus up to the highest point of the temple and dares Jesus to prove himself by throwing himself down. Then, Satan quotes Scripture AGAINST Jesus. The devil says, “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

THIS IS WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS!

But you don’t need to worry about Jesus. He says, “It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

And then it’s Satan’s last temptation from the desert—his Hail Mary pass, so to speak. He takes Jesus to the highest mountain and shows him all the kingdoms and their splendor. “All I will give you if you bow down and worship me.” Power, riches, freedom, fame…any earthly pleasure Jesus may seek.

But Jesus says: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Now, here is my favorite part of the story. SATAN LEAVES. He leaves, and angels come to Jesus and care for him.

Which brings me back to my original point:

TEMPTATION IS A CALL TO BATTLE

Are you ready? Do you have your defensive plan in place? Are you prepared to battle Satan?

If you are married to a believer, your spouse is your ezer, a Hebrew word when used to describe the “helper” God made for Adam. It depicts a military comrade in the act of “rescuing or saving” their partner in peril. Instead of attacking the other’s back, we should be guarding it.

If you are involved at LifeWater, you should be a part of a Life Group. There you should have a team of military comrades always at the ready to join you in battle: through prayer and action.

Remember, you are not alone. Don’t think you have to do this on your own. We were made to join together to fight Satan. One light is easily extinguished or hidden, but when a group of lights come together, they can light a room, a building, even the world.

In the very next chapter of Matthew, Jesus begins his ministry and says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15.

Jesus’s message (Matthew 4:17) is the same today as it was then: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” It lives in YOU.