Matthew 4:1-3: “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered him, ‘It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Fasting was used in the Old Testament as a means of focusing intently on prayer. Jesus, as the Son of God, took time to focus on prayer and to deny his fleshly appetites. After the 40 days, the Scriptures tell us that Jesus was famished. His flesh was weak. It was in that weakness, that the tempter came to him. Think about the temptation here – “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Satan was questioning Jesus’ identity, asking him to prove himself while he was also appealing to Jesus’ fleshly need for food.
Jesus, though experiencing the same kind of temptation that we face, stood his ground with Satan through the Holy Spirit. He answered Satan by quoting Scripture, and Jesus was triumphant over the enemy.
We, too, can overcome the many temptations of Satan through the power of the Holy Spirit. The temptations will come, especially when you are trying to carve out intentional time to grow in your faith. This Lenten season, you may be fasting from something. There is great value in that fasting! Just like Jesus, we can use the fasting to be more intentional in prayer and to overcome the desires of the flesh.
When the temptations come, be prepared to respond with Scripture. Have a Lenten verse memorized and ready to speak out as needed.
Jesus came out of these 40 days and began his public ministry. What do you think the Lord wants to do in you and then through you after these 40 days?