THE SET UP
Back in the 70s, there was a comedian who made a tagline of the phrase, “The Devil made me do it!” It was his “out” when he said something inappropriate or got caught doing something wrong. All of us are tempted to do the wrong thing sometimes, whether by the devil, another person, or our own desires. We can point fingers and put the blame on someone else, but in the end, we make our own choices. The Bible tells us that Jesus Himself was tempted in all ways, just like us. In the wilderness, He faced three tempting tests that appealed to His comfort and His identity. Jesus passed those tests and set an example for us on how to resist temptation in our own lives.
PASSAGE TO READ
Luke 4:1-13 (Page 616 in our house bibles)
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Which of Jesus’ temptations do you think would be the most difficult to resist?
When you face temptation, how do you typically resist it? What keeps you from giving in?
Have you ever used the Scriptures to help you resist temptation? (IDEA: Look up some Scriptures that speak to the things you are commonly tempted by)
PRAYER IDEA
God knows our thoughts and actions. He knows what we struggle with and what tempts us. Ask Him for wisdom and strength as you deal with temptation today. Ask Him also to speak to you through the Scriptures so you can build a defense against temptation.