Temptation Part 1: The Appeal of Temptation

Temptation is part of what it means to be human.
It's everywhere, everyday, always attempting to lure our heart away from God and hijack our destiny. Though we are all tempted, we can be profoundly encouraged by the fact that even Jesus was tempted. Jesus, however, overcame and because He overcame we can too (Hebrews 2:17-18).

Therefore, overcoming temptation is part of what it means to be christian.
Our victory over temptation is possible because of the finished work of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus' blood sets us free from the penalty and the power of sin (Romans 6:5-7). This doesn't mean we are no longer tempted; it means we have power to overcome.

Looking at how Jesus handled temptation can help us better understand how it works to deceive us, and what our response should be. I believe tucked inside Jesus' answers to the devil's temptation are key truths that reveal the appeal, essence, and result of temptation.
Let's start with the appeal of temptation.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:1-4

The appeal of temptation is that it promises to meet our needs. It would not be tempting to us if it did not appeal to a perceived need. The danger of temptation is that it is outside of God's provision. In fact, all sin is our attempt to have a need met outside of the provision of our loving Father. The need for food is the most basic human need, and it was no doubt well within Jesus' ability to turn stones into piping hot loaves of bread. It was not, however, within the provision of the Father.

But beyond that, Jesus reveals the true nature of our need--it is not primarily physical, but spiritual. Although our needs includes physical things like food, clothing, and shelter, our deepest and most important needs are unmistakably spiritual. Accordingly, the biggest mistake we so often make is trying to meet a spiritual need with a physical substitute. The result is something like trying to turn rocks into loaves of bread. We must understand that because the nature of our need is, at its core, spiritual and NOT physical, it requires spiritual provision. We can never satisfy a spiritual need with a physical substitute.

This is why Jesus said that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word from God's mouth. The true source of provision for every need you and I have is God's Word. He created all things through the power of His Word, and in His Word is our very life. One of the things I've discovered as I walk with Jesus is that the temptations I struggle with are never surface missteps that I simply need to keep in line. They always point to a deeper issue. Behind every temptation and sin is a broken place in my heart that needs to be healed and made whole by Jesus.

The need is spiritual; the answer is spiritual.
If you're struggling with temptation right now in an area of your life ask yourself,
What need am I trying to fill?
What's the deeper issue happening in my soul?
What does God's Word say about having this need met?

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you figure it out. He will.
And remember, you can't live on bread alone.