Jesus' Response to Temptation: Bread Ain't Enough

What's the longest period of time you've gone without eating? One hour? Two hours? A few days maybe?

Well believe it or not, in the book of Matthew, we read that Jesus fasted for forty days!

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, and after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." Matthew 4:1-2

Go and ask a medical professional how long a person can live without food, you'll find that it is right about at forty days, maybe even thirty depending on the person. Here Jesus is, no food in his stomach for thirty days, no doubt weak and hungry but thriving off of the Spirit of God. And here comes a new character onto the set.

Satan.

He see's Jesus and he must be thinking, "ah! He is weak, he is hungry. Now is the time he shall fall and no longer be adequate as the son of God!" But alas Satan, let me turn your eyes to the truth and reality of the gospel.

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

Friends, do you realize that in the midst of hardship, in the mire and the difficulty, in the seasons where death is ripe and life is dim, where love is mute and hate is loud, do you realize that these are the times we Christians shine best? That these are the times we are at our strongest?

Many people will say "ah, but I am only strong when I shall have much money and much worldly satisfaction." Than you do not belong to Christ. Those who belong to Christ are satisfied with Christ. Those who belong to Christ become strong in the pit of darkness, in the den of wolves.

We dare you Satan to push us into the tomb, into sickness and despair, for their, our triumph awaits.

What is it that Satan decides to tempt Jesus with? Listen on.

"And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.'"

How many times has Satan come to you in your time of weakness and offered an escape? But we do not wish to escape from our weakness Satan! For it binds us to Christ! But many have taken him up on his offer. Many have attempted to abandon their weakness to a place of momentary satisfaction.

You aren't getting sex from your spouse so you have an affair or turn to pornography. You feel overwhelmed with work so you turn to a few pain pills here and there. You aren't satisfied so you constantly thirst for more and work yourself into the grave.

Look at Jesus' response.

"But he answered, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes form the mouth of God.'"

Substitute your own struggle. Man shall not live by work alone. Man shall not live by money alone. Man shall not live by sex alone. Man shall not live by food alone. Man shall not live by video games alone.

So what do we live by? Every single syllable of the breath of God. Every ounce of beauty that pours forth from our creators mouth.

Next time Satan shows up to tempt you and your weak, your in bad shape, and your disappointed in yourself.

Think "I do not live by what you are offering Satan. I live by the breath of God. A beautiful and satisfying breath."