“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
(Matthew 4:1–11, KJV.)
The Battle Before the Fall
In a recent Bible study, someone asked, “How do we overcome sin?” Before answering, I asked back, “Where does sin begin?” A thoughtful reply came: “It starts in the mind.” That is true, but even before the mind, sin begins with temptation.
Temptation is the gateway to sin. How we respond determines whether we fall or stand. In Matthew 4, we see Jesus face temptation in the wilderness. Jesus resisted the devil not once, but three times—with the Word of God. In doing so, He left us a pattern to follow.
The Three Temptations of Christ
Satan’s temptations were strategic and timed during Jesus’ moment of physical weakness. He had fasted forty days and nights, was hungry, alone, and weary—yet remained strong in Spirit, overcoming by the Word of God.
- The Temptation of Appetite: “Command that these stones be made bread.” Jesus answered, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (v. 4).
- The Temptation of Pride and Self-Preservation: “Cast thyself down…for He shall give His angels charge concerning thee.” Jesus replied, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (v. 7).
- The Temptation of Compromise and Ambition: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Jesus declared, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (v. 10).
Jesus was not surrounded by His disciples. He was alone, led by the Spirit into the wilderness. But even in solitude and weakness, He demonstrated unmatched spiritual strength by resisting temptation through the written Word.
The Enemy Waits for Weakness
Notice the enemy’s timing—he appeared after Jesus was physically weak and vulnerable. Satan didn’t tempt Jesus when He was surrounded by crowds, performing miracles, or filled with strength. He waited until Jesus was isolated, hungry, and alone.
He still works the same way today. He waits for discouragement, confusion, or spiritual dryness—those moments when our prayers are delayed, our emotions are stirred, or our faith feels small.
That’s why Scripture warns us:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8, KJV).
In seasons of waiting—waiting for healing, provision, or breakthrough—guard your heart. The enemy preys on emotional exhaustion and spiritual distraction. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us:
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Women of Prayer Are Women of Power
As Apostolic women, we are not helpless—we are powerful! Through prayer, we become intercessors for our homes, our families, our pastors, and our churches. Let’s be vigilant. Let’s be prayer warriors.
Though Jesus was physically depleted, He was spiritually full. He didn’t lean into emotions, He stood on the Word. Martin Luther once said,
“When I find myself assailed by temptation, I forthwith lay hold of some text of the Bible, which Jesus extends to me.”
Temptation Is a Battle of Flesh and Spirit
Temptation doesn’t always come in obvious forms. It often hides in small daily choices.
- Do I pray or do I scroll?
- Do I open my Bible, or watch “just one more” episode?
- Do I gather with the saints, or attend that event?
Daily choices either strengthen our Spirit or feed our flesh.
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” (Galatians 5:17, KJV).
Biblical Warnings
Temptation promises temporary gratification but delivers long-term consequences:
- Adam and Eve lost Eden, their innocence, and intimacy with God because of disobedience (Genesis 3).
- Lot’s wife lost her life by looking back (Genesis 19).
- Judas Iscariot lost eternity because of greed (Matthew 26).
Temptation is deceptive. It convinces you that the fruit is harmless, the glance is harmless, or the money is worth it. But every sin carries a price tag.
A Story: Temptation and the Past
A story is told of the devil appearing to three pastors. He asked, “If I gave you the power to change one thing from the past, what would it be?”
The first pastor said, “I’d stop you from tempting Adam and Eve.”
The second said, “I’d plead with you not to rebel against God.”
But the third knelt and prayed: “Lord, deliver me from the temptation of what might have been and what was not.”
At that, the devil screamed and fled.
Later, when the others asked him why he had responded that way, He said: “First, we should never entertain a conversation with the enemy. Second, no one has the power to change the past. Third, Satan’s goal was to trap us in the past so we can’t live in God’s present will.”
Temptation often uses regrets to imprison us, but God offers restoration.
What If You Fall?
Even David, the man after God’s own heart, gave in to temptation. Yet when confronted, he repented and God restored him.
Temptation is not the end of your story. Repentance is powerful. God still restores. Micah 7:8 declares:
“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise.”
The Word Is Our Weapon
Every time Satan tempted Jesus, He answered with: “It is written.”
We overcome by the power of the Word. When temptation comes, speak Scripture. You’re not fighting alone—God is on the battlefield with you. James 4:7 promises:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Stay Equipped and Watchful
Temptation is daily. The flesh is weak. But through prayer, fasting, and the Scripture, we are equipped for victory.
Jesus warned,
“Pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Luke 22:40, KJV).
So, pray in the car. Pray in the kitchen. Pray in the early morning. Hide His Word in your heart. Speak life over your family. Guard your spirit.
We are not victims of temptation—we are overcomers.
When you feel the pull of the world, remind yourself of your purpose. When you feel weak, remind yourself of His strength. When the devil tries to tempt you, speak the Word, resist the lie, and worship the Lord.
Because we are women of the Name. We are Apostolic. We are overcomers.
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41, KJV).
Today’s devotional was written by Wylleen May Dimatulac.
2 Comments
Thank you so much for this timely reminder.
I really enjoyed your insights.
God bless you.
This really ministered to me, even though I am a ‘mature’ woman, there’s always something in the Scripture to learn. Thank you for your insight. My repeated temptation is looking in the past and saying “what if…our life would have been totally different.” But, it isn’t. Now God has put us in a new ministry, in His plan, and we are excited. I can’t say that it hasn’t been a struggle, but I need to grasp the present and follow His leading.