“I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11
Many of you may already know that I am an avid golfer. I love to play and have enjoyed playing with some excellent golfers over the years. Do you know what I have learned every time I play with a great golfer? It is how easy they swing. It is almost effortless. Jesus defeated temptation the same way…with ease. It wasn’t a struggle or a strain. He defeated temptation with the only weapon we really need – the Word of God.
Every time Satan tempted Jesus (Matthew 4), He responded with the phrase, “It is written…” followed by the Word of God that applied to the specific temptation. Jesus knew something that all of us need to learn: Temptation is powerless against truth, because temptation is always based on a lie. Here is the lie: Temptation will always tell you that not only does sin feel good in the moment, but also that you can get away with it in the long run. While the first part of this is often true, the second part is never true. Your sin will always find you out (Numbers 32:23).
Every time you are tempted one of two things will happen. You will either submit to what your eyes see and your heart feels, or you will follow the truth of God’s Word that you know in your mind, regardless of how you feel about it. Here is the key: If your guns aren’t loaded with the truth-bullets of God’s Word, you have no hope to consistently defeat temptation. Will power will only take you so far. God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit, is our only offensive weapon against the attacks of Satan.
If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would not face the Devil and temptation without the Word of God filling His heart and mind, why would you try it any other way? For every temptation the Devil brings into your life, there is a Word from God that counteracts it. Jesus didn’t argue with Satan. He didn’t negotiate or debate with him. He simply used God’s Word to stand firm and resist temptation.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a gun with the bullets of God’s truth. Put the sword of God’s truth by your side everywhere you go by hiding it in your heart and mind, because truth will defeat temptation every time.
God, thank you for Your Word, which is the only weapon I need to overcome temptation. Help me to read it, learn it, and know it so that I am always ready when temptation comes. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Topics: Temptation
