The Pattern of Spiritual Attack: A Word from the Gospel of Luke

Welcome to a new post from yours truly. I am currently studying Luke, which is my first gospel to read from start to finish. I am absolutely loving it. The heart of Jesus is revealed on every page, as well as the humor and wisdom of Jesus. If you haven't read any of the gospels yet, I highly recommend beginning with Luke.

Since Luke is a bit of a longer book, I am actually going to write micro-posts as I read to give you my top takeaways in real time. Today's micro-post is from Luke 4:1-13

"Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry." Luke 4:1-2

In this passage, we see Jesus led to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit shortly after being baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus was in the wilderness, fasting, for forty days. And it was when He was alone and hungry that Satan tempted Him.

Before we continue, let's define temptation. Biblically, temptation is a testing or enticement that appeals to our desires and invites us to act outside of God's will. Being tempted to sin is not the same as sinning. It's only sin if you give in. Therefore, Jesus being tempted does not contradict His status as the only man to ever live a perfect, sinless life. The temptation Jesus faced speaks to His humanity as well as ours and reveals Satan's tactics.

Satan Tempted Jesus in Two Specific Ways

1. He sought to make Him question / prove His identity as the Son of God.

2. He turned the attention to Jesus' lack / desire.

"And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." Luke 4:3

In this example, Satan picks at both Jesus' identity and His desire for food. Jesus responds, "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." Luke 4:4

It is important to note, yet again, that Jesus was led to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit--by God. We can assume, knowing that fasting is an act of worship and a time of intense communion with God, that Jesus was led to the wilderness to fast for just that--intense communion with God before beginning His earthly ministry.

In breaking His fast, He would've broken His communion with God. He would've disobeyed. He would've sinned. And then He would no longer be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity. What seems like a simple temptation here is not simple at all. And the devil knew it.

Jesus' message to us to live by every word of God reminds us to live by His word--the ones spoken through the Bible and the ones spoken to us through His Spirit.

"Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give you, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." Luke 4:5-7

This example is an escalation of temptation. The devil promises earthly treasure to Jesus, who is in a lowly state, by asserting authority he does not even have. To accept Satan's gift is to proclaim his authority to give. The only authority Satan has in this world is the authority we give him. This is supported throughout the Bible which teaches that the Spirit in us is greater than the spirit in this world and we as children of God are the true authority here on earth.

The earth was gifted to man to steward for God. While yes, by giving in to sin / Satan, man relinquished the stewardship of the earth to Satan, those who have returned to God have also returned to their God-given power and authority over sin and Satan. We have returned to our position as the steward of the earth. Satan cannot give us what is already ours.

Jesus does not acknowledge the false authority Satan tries to proclaim nor does He care about earthly treasure, for He knows the only treasure that matters is in the kingdom of God. Jesus responds, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve." Luke 4:8

Jesus asserts His authority over Satan, even in His weakest state. We have the power to do the same by first knowing the word of God--which is the truth--and second, being in-dwelled by the Holy Spirit. If you have professed that Jesus is Lord and He is your Savior, His Spirit is already inside you. Acknowledging His Spirit and the power that is rightfully yours as a child of God is key to victory in your battles against Satan.

"Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You..." Luke 4:9-10

Notice the shift here. Jesus has been defeating Satan's temptations by quoting scripture, by knowing the truth. Satan now seeks to use the word of God to trick Jesus not only into proving Himself as the Son of God, but into killing Himself since He is also the Son of Man.

Satan has a playbook. He attacks when we're isolated and hungry. He uses our hunger--regardless of if we hunger for food or something intangible--to get us to fill ourselves with false nourishment. He seeks to make us question our identity as children of God, because if we question our identity, then we also question whose authority we're under. If we question our identity and the authority of God, we question the validity of the word of God, which is our greatest weapon in spiritual battles. And when none of Satan's tactics work, He studies our playbook and He uses our weapon of truth against us.

Jesus responds to Satan by saying, "It has been said, "You shall not tempt the Lord." Luke 4:12 Jesus did not know only a few key scriptures. He knew the whole word of God, which allowed Him to defeat Satan when he tried to use God's word against Him. Satan is a master at bending the truth or twisting it just enough that it sounds right. Knowing the whole word of God and the heart of God is key to distinguishing truth from lie.

One thing that is consistent throughout this exchange between Jesus and Satan is Jesus never gives in to pride, the very thing that led to Lucifer's fall. Jesus never proves Himself as the Son of God. He rests in His identity and who His Father is. And He does not ask God to prove Himself to Him or Satan by throwing Himself off a building and forcing God to intervene. We can learn a lot from this.

1. Do not let Satan strip you of your identity as a child of God.

2. Do not question your identity or your Father in Heaven.

3. Do not let Satan convince you he is the authority and has power to give good things.

4. The only authority Satan has is the authority we give him by giving into him.

5. Do not be enticed by earthly treasure.

6. Know the word of God and the heart of God to distinguish truth from lie.

7. Access the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you to step into your power and authority over sin and Satan.

8. Do not quell your hunger with false nourishment. Only God can offer the nourishment you need. And He does.

"Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and ministered to Him." Matthew 4:11

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When You're Hungry...A Message to My Singles on Valentine's Day

This post was supposed to publish yesterday, but I got busy, which means it's now Valentine's Day. I would be remiss not to address how this holiday can make us hungry--hungry for connection, for romance, for intimacy, for partnership, for love. For some, it's just another day on the calendar. For others, it's a day to get together with friends. For many singles, especially those longing for covenant marriage, it's a day to avoid the grocery stores and nice restaurants. It's a day to remain isolated.

Isolated and hungry are our two most vulnerable states. So, if you feel hungry today for something you don't yet have, let me offer a few suggestions for healthy nourishment.

• Spend time with Jesus by reading God's word.

• Pray ~ maybe even write your prayer down like a love letter

• Write a love letter--to yourself, your future husband, or even to God.

• Call a friend, even if they're married. Just because you're single doesn't mean you don't have relationships or connections you can rely on when you're low.

• Workout, go for a run, or get a massage--something that satisfies your desire for physical touch.

• Read a book or watch a movie. It doesn't even have to be romantic, unless you want it to be. I plan to watch either Redeeming Love or People You Meet On Vacation.

• Buy yourself flowers and chocolates.

• Get takeout from somewhere you've been wanting to try and curl up at home. Or hey, get dressed up and eat there. There's nothing wrong with eating alone. It's actually very empowering.

However you choose to spend today, know that you are loved and chosen. You are seen and worthy. And you are not alone, no matter how lonely you may feel.