“EVERY WORD!”

Matthew 4:1-4                                (ESV)

“1 Then JESUS WAS LED UP BY THE SPIRIT into the wilderness TO BE TEMPTED by the devil.

2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, HE was hungry.

3 And the tempter came and said to HIM, "If you are the SON OF GOD, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

4 But HE answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by “EVERY WORD” that comes from the mouth of GOD.'" 

Being raised “in church”, I remember hearing this account of JESUS being tempted by the devil since I was a lad.  This morning, while reading these verses, I SEE something that I have never noticed before.  JESUS WAS LED UP BY THE SPIRIT (of GOD ) into the wilderness (away from HIS support system or away from earthly distractions?) TO BE TEMPTED by the enemy.  Evidently GOD had just spent 40 days and nights communing with JESUS and knew that HE was prepared to be challenged by the enemy, for HE was filled with “EVERY WORD” that comes from the mouth of GOD!  JESUS wasn’t “set-up” for failure by ALMIGHTY GOD, HE was prepared for a mission by HIM.  We need to realize that our enemy has already been defeated, all we need to do is allow GOD to display HIS might through our lives.  

The “temptor” was fighting a fight with the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES, and HE was no match for “EVERY WORD” being used to discredit the lies used by the deceiver.  You may argue that JESUS and GOD are ONE, (John 10:30 “I and the FATHER are ONE.") so HE had better standing than us before GOD.  But GOD also lives inside of us (Romans 8:11 “If the SPIRIT of HIM who raised JESUS from the dead dwells in you, HE WHO RAISED CHRIST JESUS from the dead will also give life to YOUR MORTAL BODIES through HIS SPIRIT WHO dwells in you.”).  We should always remember WHO lives within us, and the price HE had to pay to allow HIM to accomplish this, and live in the Victory that only HE can bring to draw honor and glory to HIS Name!  

With the phrase “EVERY WORD” fresh on my mind, I remember John 8:44 where JESUS says “You (speaking to the Jewish leadership) are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in THE TRUTH, because there is no TRUTH in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and THE FATHER OF LIES”.   These were church leaders, people who were deceived by the enemy into believing the lies used by him, according to what JESUS was saying.  Don’t accept anything from anyone unless it is confirmed through diligent study of GOD’S WORD.  JESUS was here to exhibit THE TRUTH for this world and most people couldn’t SEE HIM, even when HE was right before their eyes!

JESUS was very well versed with IT IS WRITTEN!  As a matter of fact, John 1:1 says “In the beginning was THE WORD, and THE WORD was with GOD, and THE WORD was GOD”.  We have THE WORD, readily available in most instances, but I don’t prepare myself for battle nearly as well as JESUS did, usually because I choose the things I want to do rather than the things that will Glorify HIM.

No, JESUS didn’t just stumble upon the enemy as HE was wondering through the wilderness, HE WAS LED UP BY THE SPIRIT TO BE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL!  And it wasn’t like GOD wins a few and loses a few over the devil, GOD never loses!  We can SEE circumstances working poorly IN OUR EYES, but Genesis 50:20 says “As for you, YOU MEANT EVIL AGAINST ME, but GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”  Just because we convinced evil is being done against us, GOD IS USING IT FOR HIS GOOD!  We can experience low spots (Genesis 37:18-24), but ultimately GOD WILL PREVAIL with “EVERY WORD” that comes from the mouth of GOD!!!