Remember Jesus, who was made like us in every way

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect Hebrews 2:17a 

Jesus, as I've said before, was like us. He knows what it is to be human. In our deepest pains and greatest temptations, Jesus can be with us, because He knows exactly what we face. He faced it too. Since I've already talked about mortality, I'd like to focus on Christ's temptations.

I know that Jesus did live in 21st century Americ. There weren't smartphones and fast food and credit cards and constant internet and all the other modern conveniences that conveniently pull us away from God and His design. But the roots of all those things are the same - they trace exactly what the Ten Commandments warn against. Idolatry. Blasphemy. Deceit. Pride. You get it. And Jesus conquered them.

How did He do it? How did He stand toe to toe with everything Satan had in His arsenal and win?

He had the Word of God.

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone'". Luke 4:3-4 

Jesus hungered just as we do. And instead of serving Himself, He chose obedience and service to His Father.

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." And Jesus answered, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve'". Luke 4:5-8

Jesus willingly submitted Himself to His Father's will. He spoke with that authority, but laid aside His headship in a life of radical service.

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' and 'on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone'". And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test'". Luke 4:9-12 

Note that this is the second time the devil attacks Jesus' position as the Son of God. And yet, He is so firm in His identity that it means nothing to Him. Further, Jesus could ask God for anything, and He would have it. But He chose to be content with whatever His Father gave.

And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. 
Luke 4:13 

Although this concludes the recorded temptations of Jesus, it gives us reason to believe that this was not the last time He was tempted. It would not be outlandish to assume He faced temptations throughout His whole life, just as we do. Satan pursues our hearts, too.

As C.S. Lewis writes in the Screwtape Letters -

An ever-increasing craving for an ever-diminishing pleasure is the formula...get the man's soul and give him nothing in return" 

But in all this, we have the same weapon against temptation that Jesus did: the very word of God.

I will be writing more about this in my Day 30 post on Jesus' help in our temptation. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, what have you used to combat temptation? What's been successful and what hasn't?