It’s 2 am. You’re having a staring contest with your monitor. You have a sinking feeling you’re going to be the one to blink first. You’ve been here before. How could God understand how I feel right now? How could anyone resist the possibilities of what is in front of me? Does anyone understand what I’m going through? Before you know it you double click on your internet browser.
A lot of times as Christians, we tend to emphasize the death and resurrection of Jesus. By doing this, we are neglecting the whole thing that made it possible for Him to die for our sins in the first place! I’m talking about the life Jesus led. Think about some of the actions Jesus chose to partake in during his life; prayer, fasting, service, being in solitude. Sometimes we tend to think of Jesus in terms of not being human at all. The reality is, Jesus did these things and more to prepare for the life he was going to lead. Jesus went through the same struggles that each one of us went through!
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. – Hebrews 5:8.
We recognize several powerful messages through that verse. First, it wasn’t a piece of cake for Jesus to carry out the life he led. He suffered for it! We also see that obedience to God’s commandments came through the act of suffering. Jesus was God in human form. In this case I am emphasizing the word “human”. With being human comes the human body. The sinless Son of God resisted every single temptation we can think of while living in the body He was given on earth. Hebrews 4:15 says that He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tempted in “every way”.
Jesus was tempted by Satan himself in the desert. He was vulnerable just like we find ourselves being vulnerable. Whether it be anger, depression, rejection, or loneliness; we are attacked when we are most vulnerable. How did Jesus respond to the tempter tempting Him?
Jesus had just fasted for 40 days and nights and was extremely hungry. You have been porn free for 4 days. Satan told him to make the stones into bread to eat. You are tempted to open up the website you have in your head for a moment of satisfaction. Jesus answered, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” How will you answer?
From there, the Lord was taken to the highest point in the “holy city” on top of a temple. You think this one time it won’t hurt. Satan tells Jesus to throw himself off the temple and let the angels of the Lord catch him and save him from harm. You reason that you are always forgiven and you will fight it harder next time around anyway. Jesus answers, “It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” How will you answer?
Jesus was taken to a very high mountain and was showed all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. You are told that porn brings you happiness. Satan says he will give all of those kingdoms to Jesus if he bows down and worships him. The world tells you that it’s ok to consume all the porn you possibly can. Jesus answers, “Away from me Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ The result? The devil left him and angels came to attend to Him! How will you answer?
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7 The enemy will always be on the attack to find your weak spots. When you are being faced with the temptation, don’t come into the situation unprepared! Strive to live as Jesus lived. Then when the time comes, you will know how to answer.
God Bless