“Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.” – Matthew 4:10 (MSG)
Temptation has a way of making us question God’s goodness. It started in the Garden and continues today. It paints a picture that runs contrary to His character. It tells us that He does not know what’s best for us. Temptation is about compromise.
Matthew 4:1-11 gives the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. If anything, the devil’s tactics are consistent. He taunts Jesus to prove his Lordship and tempts us to compromise on seemingly small promises by asking, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1). The tempter takes advantage of our pain points and capitalizes on our desire for accolades, admiration, and attribution.
How strong is the temptation to miss out on a family meal in the name of excellence at work? Did God really say? How important is it to redirect personal recognition in order to celebrate the entire team? Did God really say?
When the enemy asks, “Did God really say…?” take a page out of Jesus’ playbook and fire back with Scripture.
