Fighting the Good Fight

Matthew 4:1

Jesus Is Tempted in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:” ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.]”7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test. 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

As I read this scripture I realize something. Satan knows the Bible. He was an angel of the Lord once. He twisted and turned the Bible to tempt and test Jesus at a point of weakness. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and was extremely tired and hungry. This is exactly what Satan does to us. He takes us when we are weak and twists Gods word to create fear and doubt.

Jesus fought back with the true form of God word. Jesus took scripture in its proper context and used in the right way to counter and defeat Satan.

The only way that we will truly be able to fight against the enemy is to, not just read, but study the Word of God. To be able to fight in context and with the TRUTH. We need to truly know the Bible.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

The Armor of God

 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The only way we can put on the full armor of God is to be in his Word daily. Studying and burning it in our hearts. Walking out what it says.

We cannot be a people of reaction. When trials come  we then start to look up scripture and speak it over our lives to make them go away. We need to be a people armed, ready, and waiting for what the enemy will throw our way. Knowing scripture before the trials come.

It’s not a matter of “if” the enemy will come against us it’s a matter of “when”.
Will you be able to fight back with certainty of scripture in your moment of weakness just as Jesus did?