Day 14

Day Fourteen
Matthew 4:1-4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him he said "if you are the Son of God command these stones to become bread." But He answered and said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Points for each of us to consider in this passage; first and foremost it is obvious that the devil is alive and well. I have heard it often said that the greatest deception of the devil was convincing people he never existed, after all if he doesn't exist then there is no evil. If there is no evil then there is no wrong, and if no wrong no judgment, and if no judgment then there is no need for a savior. However he does exist! The second point being that God does allow us to be tempted, (but he does not tempt), why you ask, so we can be made strong. If we have strengths and fail to exercise them like muscles they become atrophied, weak, and hindrances rather than strengths. Lets face it we all need some spiritual exercise now and then. We should also note that the devil came at the weakest point of Jesus flesh; satan is patient and wary he knows when we are at our weakest or when our flesh is ready to take over and then he moves in. And the final and of course greatest point being how Jesus handled this temptation; He gave us important information on how to battle satan when our flesh is weak, lets look at His response again, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Jesus did not argue with satan He simply stated the facts; the first being there is more that sustains a man than flesh, it is the spirit that will live on long after the flesh has returned to dust. And secondly that man will live by the word or in this case the Rhema. Best defined as "That which is said or spoken, an utterance." Rhema is the very utterance of God given to us to sustain our Spirits, and the very tool that God has given us to fight our enemy. Jesus is telling us that we must listen for the utterances of God in order to sustain ourselves and to fight our enemy. As we each commit to this daily journey of prayer and devotions I am convinced beyond all measure that we will be forced to listen to the utterances and not disappointed when we act and feed upon them. Are you ready to change your life, take control of your circumstances, and allow God to feed your spirit as you learn to deny your flesh? Did you know that when you read the scripture in this devotional that you are feeding your Spirit? Please eat more than this, this meal may or may not sustain you, but the Word always will. For more great reading today try John 1, it will lift you up.
Daily Prayer: Father help me to remain strong and committed to reading your Word, to waiting upon you in the quiet place that I might hear Your voice and feed my Spirit with You and your Word. Amen.
"With Him all things are possible, without Him failure is immanent"
Gene Burroughs Servant