Following Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3, Jesus goes into the wilderness.

The purpose? “To be tempted by the devil.” (Matthew 4:1)

The assurance? He was “led up by the Spirit.” (Matthew 4:1)

Anytime we’re led by the Holy Spirit, we can be assured we’re where we’re supposed to be. We need the Holy Spirit. And we need the know God’s Word.

Jesus was prepared. He yielded to the Holy Spirit to be where he was supposed to be. He fasted for forty days and nights…then the devil joined him. He was in a vulnerable place, but knowing and speaking God’s Word grounded him.

The devil told Jesus to command stones to become bread, and Jesus replied, ““It is written in the Scriptures, ‘A person lives not on bread alone, but by everything God says.’” (Matthew 4:4)

 

The devil took it up a notch and told Jesus to jump from the corner of the temple wall, then quoted Scripture to justify his demands. Jesus countered,  “It also says in the Scriptures, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’” (Matthew 4:7)

 

The devil shifts once again, taking Jesus to a high mountain and looking over all the kingdoms of the world, promising Jesus all of them if only he will bow down to him. Jesus’ firm response? “Go away from me, Satan! It is written in the Scriptures, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

And the devil left.

We must know God’s Word, so we, like Jesus, can proclaim “It is written.” There is power in God’s Word. We can rationalize and excuse, but if we’re not on firm ground, our reasons are powerless. Only when we’ve laid the firm foundation of God’s truth beneath our feet and within our hearts and minds can we face even the greatest of temptations and untruths with the power of God’s truth. Knowing God’s Word isn’t just about memorizing it in our minds, knowing the words; it’s yielding to the power of God’s Word, inviting God to soak into the heart, which nourishes us in our entirety.

In order to declare “It is written” tomorrow, you must become familiar with what is written today.