Knowledge and Strength
“And when he [Jesus] had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:2-4)
The Lord is in the desert on a 40-day fast, hungry and weak. Satan tempts Him to turn stones into bread. He could have told Satan to leave and Satan would have had to obey since Jesus is God and Satan is an angel. Instead, the Lord quoted Scripture. Here are two reasons why.
First, we see the power of God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,” Scripture is also known as “…the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17) The Holy Spirit uses His sword of Scripture to do powerful things in people’s hearts and lives. He convinces lost people of their need for Christ. He also deals in believers’ hearts to give them–among other things–guidance, comfort, and encouragement.
Jesus uses this story to teach us that when temptation comes, as it often does in many ways, counter it with Scripture. Say you come across an indecent image you shouldn’t look at: on TV, in a magazine, or in real life. Psalm 101:3 says, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:” When you’re tempted like that, think of Psalm 101:3. Quote it to yourself and obey it. When you let Scripture guide you, you’re saying in effect, “Lord, this is what you said to do, and I’ll obey.”
Psalm 119:11 also says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” The second lesson from this story is to make a habit of memorizing Scripture so you’ll have it right away. You probably know what weak areas for temptation are in your life. When you find Scriptures about those areas, memorize them. God’s Word will strengthen you in those areas.
God’s Word also gives comfort and encouragement. Psalm 23, for example–“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”–isn’t so much about sin, but it’s a wonderful testimony of God’s help and hope for eternity. It’s also only six verses, not hard to memorize. When you memorize Scripture and think on it throughout your day, God uses it to comfort and encourage you.
Proverbs 24:5 says, “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.” That’s true in a general sense. The better you know your job, the better you’ll be at it. It’s also true with God’s Word. The better you know God’s Word, the stronger you will be as a Christian.
Most importantly, the Bible tells us how to have our sins are forgiven and eternal life by receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. Please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?” to learn more.
Brian Miller 12/3/2021
Cleveland Baptist Church 4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 216/671-2822