Overt Operation: Know Your True Enemy Part II
“You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.” Deu. 5:33 (ESV).
Greetings Everyone!
Last month, we learned about the characteristics of our true enemy, Satan. We also learned that he wants the children of God to live a chaotic, sinful lifestyle and for the unsaved to never accept Christ as his or her Lord or Savior. This month, we will learn how to defeat him and prepare for his next assignment against us. Yes, he is coming back and will try to tempt you with all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh, eyes, and pride (1 John 2:16). So, how can we defeat him? According to the Bible, the best way of defeating Satan is submitting to God, James 4:7 (ESV) says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Submitting to God is willingly placing oneself under God’s control, giving your life wholeheartedly to Him through obedience, and Christ did just that.
According to Matt. 4:1-11, Christ was tempted by Satan and defeated Him. Christ defeated Satan in three ways: the Word of God, obedience, and worship. Christ’s life is parallel to ours in so many ways that we have not noticed. Matt. 4:1 (ESV) says, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” From reading this scripture, we are reminded that Christ was just baptized and was filled with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16-17). Being obedient, Christ allowed the Spirit to lead Him into the wilderness. God also tested others in the wilderness: Abraham (Gen. 22:11-14), Jacob (Gen. 32:24-25), Moses (Ex. 34:28), David (1 Sam. 23), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), and Paul (2 Cor. 11:26). Just like Christ and the others, we have a wilderness to go into with the Holy Spirit. God is always waiting to see if we are willing to go or continue to make excuses.
Christ had just finished fasting for 40 days and 40 nights (4:2), and He was hungry. I believe that He was tired as well, mentally and emotionally. When you are tired, that is when Satan is ready to attack. He waits for you to feel defeated and exhausted from all the problems and difficulties that he is allowed to give you. The scene of the temptation is supposed to have been on the mountain of Quarantania. Satan told Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” (4:3, ESV). Now, look at what Satan tries to command Christ to do because he knew that Jesus was physically hungry, that is the command he gives you. He knows that you are trying to live for God, but he also knows you have needs, so he will have you put your needs before God’s and others. This is Jesus’ response, “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4, ESV); Deut. 8:3). The Word of God is powerful. Satan realized that He couldn’t command Christ to do a miracle outside of God’s will and that he had failed, So he tried again.
That is how Satan works. He will only tempt you when your own desire entices you, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15, ESV). The Word of God defeated Satan with the first lure, and Christ is encouraging us to tell Satan, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me” (Matt. 16:23, ESV). Trust the Word of God and stay vigilant to the ongoing attacks from the enemy.
Next month, we will continue to learn to defeat Satan with obedience and worship.
Mountain of Quarantania
