Matthew 4:4………Ready

Matthew 4:4………Ready

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: (Expresses the same force as “that settles it.”)  ‘Man does not live on bread (Daily necessities; food, clothes, shelter, labor, wages, etc.) alone but on every word (command, provision, means) that comes from the mouth of God.’” (The Bible, God’s authority, commands, ) (Deut. 8:2-3)

Continued From Book

“Jesus uses the power & truth of God’s Word to fight temptation. The same weapon we have as well.” ⇒ If Jesus, the Incarnate Word uses the written Word to fight the devil’s temptations. How much more important is it for us to read and memorize the Word of God when Satan tries to lie to us and tempt us . Do you know you can use the power of God’s Word to undercut Satan’s lies. (For every lie the devil feeds us, there’s a truth of God that can free us!) The Word of God is our measuring rod. The Word of God is our plumb line. The Word of God is our moral compass. The Word of God is our filtration system. The Word of God is our Standard for testing what is true and what is false. Do you know the Word of God has something to say for every issue, challenge, and temptation you may face! There’s only one way to fight the devil and that’s to quote the Bible at him! “Get thee behind me, Satan, it is written!” and then quote the Word of God at him: When you are tempted to cheat say to the devil it is written “Thou shalt not commit adultery! When your tempted to take something that’s not yours, say to the devil it is written “Thou shalt not steal!” When you’re tempted to tell a lie, say to the devil it is written: Thou shalt not bear false witness”. When you’re tempted to envy somebody else, say to Satan, it is written: Thou shalt not covet.” The Word of God is given us-to actively resist the devil; and the Bible tells us if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. ”Will you take a few moments a day to memorize and meditate on scripture, especially those verses that deal with a particular sin you struggle with. (Scripture is the best deterrent to sin.) (Rom. 12:2)

“Calls for keeping God’s Word in the equation of our daily choices and decision making.” ⇒ Will you make God’s Word a vital part your life, a vital part of your decision making, a vital part of your lifestyle. Does God’s word have the final say in your life? To what extent do the Scriptures determine your decisions? Do you see God’s Word mere suggestion—or the final authority for what you believe and the foundation for your life decisions. Do you run ahead with your own plans of what feels good in the moment or do you ask “God what would you want me to do”? Or “God how would you want me to act in this situation”? If you take a high view of scripture then it will be at the center of your life. If you take a low view of scripture then it will be non-existent in your life. We often end up neglecting our walk with God for hundreds of less important reasons; I have to eat, I have to go to work, I have to look after the kids, etc. As a result we exert so much energy in obtaining or maintaining the necessities of life to the detriment of our walk with God. The world is competing more and more for our attention. Beware! Your life is slowly being drawn away by the things of this world, and there is only one way to slow it down – read the Bible every today!

“Teaches how spiritual needs are more important than physical needs. “ ⇒ Life is more than just making a living, paying the bills, having a roof over our heads and food on the table. Thinking life is hunky-dory, what else do we need. While we make our spiritual life and obedience to God the very bottom of our list of things to do. We’re not like wild animals who merely live to exist. God designed humanity as complex beings that need more than simple survival. We need purpose, meaning, and a loving community of relationships with God and others. 

“Even today, we need to stay anchored in God’s Word if we’re to fight Satan and temptations.” ⇔ If we’re to overcome sinful strugglers, vices, addictions, and negative thought patterns. We have to do it with the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. As an example if your struggling with whether your Saved or not, remember Romans 10:9-“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be Saved.” If your tempted to do something immoral, remember 1-Peter. 1:16 “Be holy, because I am holy.” If you’re struggling with anxiety remember Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” If you’re struggling with lust, remember Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” If you’re struggling with addiction, remember Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” If you’re struggling with depression, remember Philippians 4:8  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” If you’re struggling with selfishness, remember Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves”. If you’re struggling with unforgiveness, remember  Ephesians 4:32: 32 “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.“ If you’re struggling with pornography, remember 1-Peter 1:16- “Be holy, because I am holy.”  If we’re suffering with some sickness or affliction, remember 2-Corinthians 4:17-“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all“. If you’re struggling with a certain sin, remember 1-John 1:9-“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness”. Fighting temptation is like preventative maintenance. As you consistently read the Word, pray and commit it to memory, you will become stronger in the Lord and less susceptible to temptation. This does not mean that you have to have every single passage memorized, not that it would hurt! But you should know it well enough that verses come to your mind with ease. Know it well enough that you could grab a Bible and find a passage with little effort. Have you ever used scripture to defeat temptations like Jesus did? If so, what scriptures did you use? Or what scripture do you need to memorize in order to overcome a particular temptation in your life? (cf. Rom. 12:1-2, 2-Corn. 10:5, Phlip. 4:8-9, Ps. 119:105)

“This is not saying that by simply reciting bible verses will act as a silver bullet, sending Satan running for the hills.” ⇒ That if you quote some scriptures at just the right time, and poof, the temptation will go away. If temptation can be chalked up to a shootout with Satan about knowing and firing God’s Word, we will not win. I doubt any of us will come to a point where we know more quantities of Scripture than Satan. Simply reciting a verse you happen to know like; “Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.”-(1-John 4:4) isn’t going to automatically send Satan running away in fear. That’s why just saying NO is overly simplistic. There’s a pattern in each of Satan’s temptations. Before Satan tempts Jesus to do something sinful, he first casts doubt upon who Jesus is. In the first two temptations (v. 3, 6), Satan begins by first questioning Jesus’ identity, “If you are the Son of God...” And in the third temptation (v. 9)—while it doesn’t include the exact “If you are the Son of God” phraseology—Satan’s message is essentially the same, ‘If you are the Son of God, shouldn’t all the kingdoms of the world belong to you anyways? In these temptations, we can see very clearly how the enemy tempts us. Every temptation starts the same way: Satan puts question marks where God has put periods. And everything Jesus quotes ultimately goes back to the security He possesses in who He is in God. Jesus didn’t defeat temptation necessarily because His Scripture memory was better than Satan’s (even though it was). It was ultimately because He rested in His God given identity. Before Jesus preached a sermon, performed a miracle, or cast out a demon, the Father gave Jesus an identity-defining moment; “This is my Son whom I love, and well pleased” and He rested in it. This means our strongest weapon in temptation is not merely memorizing Scripture—as important as that is—but it is also living in our identity in who we are in Christ Jesus.-(2-Corn. 5:17)  I am a child of God, I am loved by God, I am accepted by God, I am forgiven by God. If our victory over temptation is dependant on memorizing Scripture, then we might feel hopeless… or at least behind the 8 ball. Memorizing Scripture would seem like a mountain to climb before you could ever fight temptation Therefore It’s not about the many mountains we’ve climbed up in memorizing Scripture. It comes from the many miles that God has climbed down from heaven in the person and work of Jesus and giving us a new identity in Him—Therefore we resist temptation, not just by reciting scriptures, but because we are a child of God, redeemed and loved by Him. And that identity is secure. This is one thing that we believers possess that Satan doesn’t have. Satan has the Bible, just like us. But what Satan doesn’t have is the message of the Bible—the love and forgiveness of God declared over us in the Gospel. We work from that identity with joy and gladness, knowing the Father’s love and forgiveness is secure. Yes, we have a sinful nature, but God has made us a new creation in Christ Jesus, separating our sins as far as the east is from the west.-(Ps. 103:11-12) So when you’re about to be tempted quote not just scripture, but also remind yourself: “I am dearly loved by God.” “Because I am in Christ there is nothing I have done that could make Him love me less, and nothing I could do that would make Him love me more.

Additional Notes & Applications

Teaches how were not to argue, negotiate, or debate with the devil. Jesus doesn’t say “No Satan here’s why your wrong, or here’s why it wont work”. Jesus cuts it off at the knees, so to say, by allowing God’s Word to have the final say by proclaiming “It is written” and puts an end to it. There was a huge difference between Eve’s response to Satan and Jesus’ response to Satan. Eve dialogued with Satan through rationalizations and excuses, and she allowed him to weave his tangled web of lies and justifications.-(Gen. 3:1-5) Jesus, on the other hand, quoted Deuteronomy and He immediately shuts Satan down with the truth of God’s Word. Often times when were presented with a temptation we will roll it around in our mind. We will create a pros & cons list. We will pile up scriptures that argue for it and other scriptures that argue against it. Back and forth it go’s, when we should be saying, “If God’s Word says its a sin than it’s a sin and that’s final”! We don’t need to continue to investigate it any further, end of story. As a general rule when temptation comes we need to cut it off at the knees. If you determined that its wrong, than it’s wrong no matter how many arguments you throw at it. As an example maybe your thinking about dating an unbeliever. You know the bible says “Don’t be yoked with unbelievers”.-(2-Corn. 6:14) Yet your still thinking in your mind God will Save them one day. Or I’m a strong Christian, it wont take away from my walk with the Lord. If your still going through all these rationalizations, it means your probably trying to justify something you know is wrong. [Also note when you debate with the devil your are in some way agreeing with him.]

Calls for being people of principles and character. When it comes to temptation, character counts. How many times do we have a temptation come our way and we say to ourselves maybe if the terms were right, or if the payoff was better, or if I weren’t going to get caught, then I might think about it. It’s like the woman who was asked; “Would you sacrifice your chastity for a million dollars? And she said to herself, hmm let me think about it. And before she could answer the man asked her would you sacrifice your chastity for a dollar? And she said what kind of women do think I am! And he said we already established that, were just haggling price at this point. The point being she’s not a principle woman is she. As Christian we’re to strive to be a person of principles by living our life according to God’s Word, especially the Ten Commandments. Take the prophet Daniel as an example, despite the difficult circumstances he remained true to God. He showed himself to be a man of principle as he refused to eat the meat offered to idols and insisted on vegetables instead. He did not want to be tainted by associating with anything that might compromise his faith and offend God. (Dan. 1:8-16)

Teaches how nothing warrants sinning against God no matter how urgent or pressing the need.  Even though food is good, and not forbidden, Jesus will not sin by doing anything contrary to God’s will. Nothing justifies sinning. No necessity warrants sinning, no good intentions warrants it, no goal, no matter how noble or good warrants it. No times of hardships and desperation warrants it. No liberty, right, or entitlement warrants it. When necessity and obedience to God come together, we must obey God rather than our “Perceived” necessities. As an example you may say “I have to work on Sundays in order to feed my family and therefore I can’t go to church”. Or “I have to take this job for the money, or “I have to marry this person if I’m going to be happy”. When in reality “No”! you don’t have too, and if you do your putting your earthly necessities above your spiritual necessities.

Teaches how one of the characteristics that will mark the life of a believer is contentment. We can find contentment in whatever situation we’re in, whether in plenty, or in want. We know that we are in the hands of our gracious and loving God; we know that His will is best for us; we know that He is working out everything for our good—ultimately that we may spend all eternity with Him and all the saints in heaven.

Teaches the importance of knowing God’s Word and not just pulling the bible off the shelf when emergencies comes up. Notice, Jesus didn’t say; “Hold on a minute Satan, while I look up this verse”. He had God’s Word hidden in His heart so He wouldn’t sin against God, and so should we! This is why it is so vitally important to know the Word of God. That is why it is so important to be studying the Word daily, to attend a church where the Word is faithfully taught from the pulpit, and to attend Bible studies and learn good Bible study methods. [Note: We won’t always have a Bible with us when we’re tempted. But if we saturate our minds with the Word, God will bring to mind appropriate Scriptures to ward off the enemy’s attack.] (cf. Ps. 119:11, Rom. 12:2, Eph. 6:13-17, Col. 3:16, 1-Pet. 3:15)

Teaches how we’re never strong enough to fight Satan and Temptation by our own strength and wisdom. Jesus didn’t quote the latest psychology, or use philosophical arguments, or what He saw in a movie to defeat the devil’s temptations. Jesus didn’t rely on Sheer Will Power and initiative alone. Nor did Jesus reason His way around Satan’s ploy or think how it would affect those around Him. He simply states the truth of God’s word and leaves it at that. If Jesus, the very Son of God depended on the Word of God, how dare we think we can overcome temptation by our own strength and intellectual abilities. Jesus was out in the desert alone with no one to turn to but God’s Word and He was victorious.

Displays how in the midst of Jesus defeating Satan’s temptations He doesn’t use any resources that we don’t have available to us. Jesus had an arsenal of weapons He could have drawn from. Jesus could have dipped into His divine attributes. He could have zapped Satan away, or snapped His fingers and have thousands of angels come to His rescue. (Matt. 26:53) Yet He chooses to limit Himself to the Word of God, the same tools we have at our disposal as well! Which reminds us, that like Jesus, we too can defeat the powers of sin and evil with nothing more than God’s Word and our faith. (cf. Rom. 8:34, Heb. 7:25, 1-John 2:1-2, 1-Tim. 2:5)

Teaches how we’re to live by “Every word” of God! Not just the words that are easy to accept. Not the words that are easy to follow and obey. ”We can’t just pick and choose what parts of the bible we like and don’t like, we have to read all of it. As so often happens we have the tendency to just read the great promises of God in the bible. As an example we love reading passages like Jerimiah; “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”-(Jer. 29:11) Isaiah; “By the stripes of your Son Jesus Christ we are healed.”-(Is. 53:5b)  Or Romans; “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”-(Rom. 8:37) But when it comes to sexual standards like purity and waiting for sex till marriage. Or when it comes to other areas of our lives, like honoring God with our tithes we ignore those scriptures even though the bible is clear on those things. Therefore we need to obey God’s Word in every area of our lives, in our relationships, in our sexual lives, in our finances. In our behavior at work, school, home, etc. Sadly, some people think they can still be a Christian while accepting some parts of the Bible while rejecting other parts of it and as result they wonder why their always struggling in some area of their lives. Some believe the New Testament while rejecting the Old Testament. Some people observe two or three commandments while dismissing the others. Some will question the historical accuracy of the bible or say its outdated.

Calls for staying true to God no matter how pressing or desperate the need may be. All to often were tempted to find our own solutions rather than waiting for God to provide. We may needlessly borrow money, steal, cheat, be less than honest, play the lottery.

Calls for humble obedience in staying true to God even when it hurts. When going through some hardship or difficulty do you try to numb the pain with food, alcohol, and drugs, or do you put it in God’s hands and allow Him to meet the need?

By resisting this temptation Jesus models for us how its better to suffer than to sin. Just as Jesus refused to compromise Himself, that the price of bread was too high, that He would rather starve to death then turn stones into bread. How much more are we to refuse, that we would rather die and go without than to sin against God.

Calls for recognizing there’s a empty hole in our lives that nothing can fill or satisfy apart from God. Material things are fleeting, alcohol and drugs are gratifying for a short period of time. Money will leave you empty, family will let you down, friends will desert you, your job will prove unfaithful. Only God can love you and bring true fulfillment and satisfaction to the deepest longings of the soul. [Note: God our Creator, made every person with a need within our souls that ONLY HE can fill. His purpose is to bring life and bless us. When we try to fill that void with other things, it only leads to more hunger. It may bring temporary relief, like eating a bit of junk food that doesn’t satisfy. Yet, our need is REAL FOOD, spiritual food that nourishes and sustains us, and gives us strength and life. ) (John 6:35)

-bread alone–Bread here represents the basic necessities of life—food, clothing, shelter, work, etc. Bread can be ones livelihood, source of income, means of support, etc. The expression has been taken to mean in order for people to live a happy and fulfilling life they need more than just the basic amenities of life. That our spiritual needs are more important than our physical needs. We need to take care of our spirit as much as our body by reading and mediating daily on God’s Word.

-every word from the mouth of God-In context, Jesus’ obedience in obeying God’s will in going into the wilderness to fast for forty days and forty nights as directed by the Holy Spirt. But in a wider context Jesus’ work in our Salvation in obeying God’s will in suffering and dying for sinners. As for us, it is to believe on Christ for Salvation. Followed by a life that is obeying God’s word & will as found in scripture. [Note: Obeying God’s every word and command He has given us is not something we can do on our own. We need, therefor, to depend on Christ and the Holy Spirit.]

Note: Though this teaching on bread is directed primarily towards material things of life, such as food, shelter, clothes, etc. It can also extend to our wants and desires as well. Just as we are not to live by bread alone. We’re not to live by our emotions or desires alone either. That we’re following what the bible says is the right thing to do and not what our feelings and emotions may say. [Note: Feelings, emotions, and desires of the heart will always lead us astray without the light of God’s word to light our path. (Jer. 17:9, Ps. 119:105)

Note: Jesus doesn’t say, “Man shall not live by bread period”! but “By bread alone!”. Jesus is not saying that the desires you have aren’t real, He’s not saying the desires you have aren’t good. Jesus is not negating or ignoring our God given desires for love, food, marriage, intimacy, health, security, etc. But were allowing God to meet those things in His own way and in His own time. Nor is Jesus saying we should let our children starve, or not work for a living. He does not deny our need for food and drink. But what Jesus is saying is that we need to take care of the soul as well.

Note: The quoted passage from Deuteronomy was in context of reminding the people of God’s providence while wandering in the desert. How God fed the Israelite’s by raining down Manna from heaven in order to humble them and remind them of their dependence on God while they entered the Promised Land. God wanted them to learn that their deepest satisfaction was not to be found in a full belly every day, but in obeying Him; loving Him, and depending on Him.-(Deut. 8:1-18) In the same way sometimes God allows hardships for our own good so that we may be emptied of our sense of self-sufficiency to depending more on God. (cf. Matt. 5:3, 11:28-30)

WHY FEED ON THE  WORD OF GOD…….

• God’s Word reveals Jesus as the way of Salvation

• God’s Word has Spiritual truths to grow and build faith

• God’s Word is the primary source for objective truth

• God’s Word gives stability, assurance, and fulfillment

• God’s Word is Spirit-filled, and profitable for teaching and rebuking

• God’s Word is able to make you content by giving you a rich heritage

• God’s Word stimulates and inspires faith

• God’s Word is the source of all wisdom and truth

• God’s word brings victorious living

• God’s Word keeps us from sin and making the wrong choices

• God’s Word renews our thinking and mind

• God’s Word leads us in the way of righteousness & holy living

• God’s Word helps us fight Satan’s lies

• God’s Word keeps us from danger and destruction

• God’s Word brings comfort & hope

• God’s Word is profitable for doctrine, reproof, and instruction

• God’s Word makes you more and more like Christ

• God’s Word reveals the Lord’s will, purpose, and plan for your life

  HOW TO FEED ON THE WORD OF GOD…….

• Read God’s Word daily, set aside quite time

• Study God’s Word (include bible studies, commentaries, and dictionaries)

• Meditate on God’s Word (dig deeper, what is God teaching, commanding, or warning)

• Memorize the Word of God (Use the Word of God to fight sin, to counsel, comfort, and encourage others)

• Pray by asking for the Holy Spirit’s help, insight, and understanding

•  Store God’s Word in your heart so you can make the right choices and decisions

• Talk about God’s Word with others (Sharing helps to remember it, holds us accountable)

• Go to places where God’s Word is Faithfully taught

• Obey God’s Word (Follow and put God’s Word into practice)

      HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND RENOUNCE SATAN’S LIES

• Is this thought or behavior false to scripture ?

• Is this thought or behavior false to the glory of Christ ?

• Is this thought or behavior false to Christ-honoring love for others?

• Is this thought or behavior false to purity and holiness ?

• Is this thought or behavior serving self instead of what God desires?

(All material is copyrighted and may be used for preaching, teaching, and instructing. And not for publication in any form without the written permission of the author.)