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Thought for the Week
Scriptures to Read
I John
2:15-23
Genesis
2:8-9, 15-17
Genesis
3:1-7
Genesis
3:8-13
Genesis
3:16-19
St. Matthew
4:1-11
St. Luke
4:1-13
Last time I spoke of Satan's attack on Adam and Eve. He was actually attacking God by using God's created human beings. They fell under Satan's attack. It saddened the heart of God. We dare not forget Satan is a deceiver and a murderer. He will stop at nothing to hurt God. Jesus' disciple, John, writes to warn about some of Satan's tricks (see I John 2:16). Satan works in our world and attacks us because we have a bent toward sin. We have inherited this bent from our first father (Adam) and it is a part of our DNA.
Three focuses: "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life" have been used by Satan in his attacks on us. I only look briefly at them. First, the word "lust" would mean a natural need and desire gone out of control and become an overwhelmingly, driving force in an individual's life. The word "pride" is an arrogance of person. So when Satan tempts us he utilizes these three human desires that in our first mother (Eve) became sin for her.
Genesis 3 tells us she knew God had forbidden them from eating fruit from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil'." Verse 6 tells us she focused her attention on this tree. She saw it was good for food, pleasing to her eyes, and in her pride, she greatly desired it. Satan, the deceiver, already implied God lied and eating from the tree would not bring death but rather would give her wisdom equal to God's and even make her like God.
Satan has many other schemes, lies, and tricks in his arsenal. He used these same three temptations on Jesus. After His baptism, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness. During this time, Satan tempted Him (see St. Matthew 4:1-11 and St. Luke 4:1-13).
We see three temptations are familiar to us. Satan tempted Jesus to satisfy His natural hunger by turning stones to bread because He had not eaten for the 40 days. Satan tempted to desire the beauty of the world's kingdoms and claim them as His own. Satan tempted Jesus to dare leaping some 80 feet from a pinnacle of the Temple in order to have people be in awe of Him. At each temptation Jesus relied on Scripture to overcome the temptation. He knew it was more important to trust God for daily food, to follow God's leadership and timing for His life and ministry, and to worship only God and none other.
Next week, I plan to look at these same three temptations and their results. But I say, Satan and his fallen-demon-host are on the attack. They have you and me in their sights. They may use these three temptations or others. It is important that we know Scripture so we can resist Satan. (read/study it daily.) We need to spend much time in prayer and communion with God, so we will know only God is absolute truth and can be fully trusted to care for, to guide, and to protect us. God loves you.
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