40 DAYS OF prayer Day 9

THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST 

LUKE 4:1-13 

Have you ever eaten just one potato chip? It’s incredibly hard. For most of us, after the first chip goes the second, and before you know it, the whole bag is finished! Temptations—whether big or small-are challenging to overcome, especially when they look appealing and when we feel alone in the challenge. 

Jesus understands our dilemma. In Luke 4:1–13, we read about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness during forty days of fasting. 

After days of fasting, you know the craving was real for Jesus! Yet, Jesus was able to over come the temptations of the devil because He had two powerful weapons with Him. First, in verse 1, we find that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was not alone because He had the power of the Holy Spirit within Him. Second, Jesus knew Scripture, which enabled Him to combat the devil at every turn. 

If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, which means we have the same power living in us to help us overcome temptation. Memorizing Scripture and spending time reading the Word of God helps us to fight back any temptation we may face. Even when we give into temptation, when we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). 

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Think about areas of your life where you face temptations. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you might be facing temptation now.

2. If you have given into temptation, take a moment to confess your sins to God.

3. Ask the Lord to help you trust that He loves you and is faithful to forgive. 

» by Alison Ibanez