Sometimes when we resist an obvious temptation, the residual seed of danger can still be lodged in our mind and heart...
"When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." Luke 4 :13
Over the past year, my quiet times have often focused on the topic of "Worship". Recently, this study brought me to Christ's temptations in the desert as he began his public ministry. Reflect on Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13.
The lessons are many. But here are some thoughts that were new to me - and challenging to my preparedness to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Key Insight: Even though the brazen, blatant, ruthless attacks of Satan are obvious at first glance, the subtle, insidious intentions can linger and erode away your relationship with God.
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." I Peter 5:8
3 Areas Satan tempted Christ in these passages...
1) Self-Doubt... "If you are the Son of God"
Often we focus on the fasting and Christ's hunger here. People will teach "Satan was attacking his humanity, and trying to get him to make bread!"
The real temptation was directed at Christ's identity and his worth. "If you are the Son of God, prove it. Are you really?"
Many of us, myself included would do well, to grasp the idea that we have absolutely nothing to prove to anyone as we entrust ourselves to God. Oh but how often have we been trapped by people pleasing, church serving and anesthetizing busy-ness to show everyone, in and out of the fellowship, that we are "good disciples."
2) Defend God's Faithfulness... "He will command his angels concerning you"
Here again, not only does Satan attack Christ's identity as the Son of God, he challenges Jesus' trust of God's faithfulness. It wasn't a request for Jesus to do some sort of sensationalistic miracle; it was a subtle temptation to "conclusively prove" one facet of God's eternal character. It was a temptation for Christ to prove that God was truly with him.
"Is God really faithful? The scriptures say it. Prove it. I don't believe you are his man - and neither will others. Jump Jesus. Jump if it's true!"
OK. Have you ever made a foolish decision and stepped off the ledge "by faith" to prove the point that "God is with you"? It could be a rash attempt to show a person or a whole group of people that you and your God are right. "So watch this! I'll show you God is with me!"
The temptation must have been strong for Jesus. If anyone ever had the opportunity to prove that God was with him in that way, it was Christ. Yet, he knew God's will enough to not destroy the whole, overall plan. He looked at scripture humbly in light of all scripture, void of wrong motives and any theo-maniacal selfishness. He was a true servant leader as Paul described;
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped..." Philippians 2:5-6
3) Christ's Personal Worship... "If you bow down and worship me"
Wow. This is brazen. This is what struck me in my study of worship. If Jesus could be tempted to get off track with his worship, what about little old, unspiritual me and you?
It wasn't all the kingdoms of the world Christ thought about. It was, "Should I really worship God?" That was the temptation. God already had given Christ everything and Satan knew it. The brazen attack was not the temptation. Jesus was tempted to be disloyal to God and worship ANYTHING else instead of God! And of course, that would be worshiping Satan.
Isn't that what we should think about? What is at the center of our worship? Our church, our doctrine, our abilities, our charitable deeds, our families? Is it truly God and God alone?
Worship, the fear of God, is the beginning of wisdom. It is our overall reason to be alive. It is why we were created. Worship is the many expressions of our ultimate love and loyalty to God. In 
heaven, worship will be our continual eternal past-time.
Is the real temptation materialism? Or is the tempation to take our heart off of adoring, praising, extolling, exalting, magnifying, fearing and worshiping our Holy, Holy, Holy Creator? Reflect on John 12:41 and Isaiah 6:1-10
As Peter commanded us, in light of Satan being a prowling lion...
"Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." I Peter 5:9
In Him,
Jerry Maday
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