The devil is relentless and determined to get his way, to get what he wants. He tries again and again, and each time he comes back stronger than before. This was Jesus’ experience in the wilderness, the devil tempted Jesus three times in what seems like a short period of time.
The first temptation is about self-sufficiency. The devil
said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” In the second temptation, the devil wants Jesus to not let the Father provide for him; the devil tries to remove Jesus from solidarity with others. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands’.”
I believe the third time and temptation, the devil was trying to stop Jesus
from allowing the Father to give Jesus his worth. The devil offered Jesus worldly power and glory in exchange for worship.
Jesus is able to see all these temptations for the deceptions they are and rejects them. Like Jesus, we can reject these temptations. We are made in the likeness of God. We carry in our makeup the Lord’s divinity to notice when we are being deceived by the devil, to understand the impact that might have on our
lives, and then to be able to act and reject the temptations.
The act of rejecting the devil’s temptation becomes our active worship and service to God.
How have you rejected the devil’s temptations in the past?
What tools were helpful to you?
