It is Written

The Word of God is Alive

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires,” (Hebrews 4:12, New Living Translation, 1996/2015).

Jesus in the Wilderness

Recently, I reflected on the account of Jesus’s wilderness experience. In the book of Matthew, the text states that the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, where the devil tempted him. For forty days, Jesus was alone with Satan in the unaccommodating terrain, where he was subject to fatigue, hunger, exhaustion, frustration, and deep anguish. During that time, Jesus’s humanity made him vulnerable and subject to sin. However, although his flesh was weak, he found the wherewithal to resist the devil. But how?

Jesus Resists the Devil

In James 4:7, the Bible states, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (New International Bible, 1978/2011). In Jesus’s wilderness experience, the devil tempted him three times. In fact, each time, Jesus replied, “It is written…”  By citing the legally binding Word of God, Jesus was able to combat the devil’s entrapment. Jesus knew that simply telling the devil to leave him alone would not have worked. He had to arm himself with the Word of God and invoke Ephesians 6:10–17, which commands us to put on the full armor of God. In other words, we have to know the Word and use it to fortify ourselves from the devil’s schemes and attacks.

The Devil Knows Scripture

One of the main reasons to know and understand Scripture is because the enemy of man is also a Biblical scholar. In the Wilderness, the devil used his Scriptural knowledge to manipulate and pervert its content. Fortunately, Jesus also knew the Word, as He is the Word. Therefore, when Satan confronted Jesus with partially or incorrect doctrine, Jesus was able to thwart the devil’s deception with truth. To each deceitful pretext, Jesus replied:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him (Matthew 4:1-11, New International Bible, 1978/2011).

Food for Thought

The question for tonight is: During our times of trial, are we knowledgeable enough to recount or recite God’s words? Do we know what God has written? If not, perhaps we should increase our scriptural arsenal by spending time getting to know God through biblical studies, devotionals, and sound teachings. For without God, we cannot resist the devil with our own might. In order to do so, we have to call on Jesus, and we have to invoke the Word of God!

Below are a few verses to meditate on when facing certain challenges. I encourage you to find a few others. We should understand that only the written word of God’s truth has the power to move mountains. Discover what it written.

Healing

“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise” (Jeremiah 17: 14, New International Bible, 1978/2011)

Strife

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD,  Isaiah 54:17, King James Bible, 1769/2017).

Success

The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom, (Deuteronomy 28:13, New International Bible, 1978/2011).

Peace

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace (Psalm 29:11, New International Bible, 1978/2011).

Grief

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, (Matthew 5:4, New International Bible, 1978/2011).

Restoration

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory Isaiah 61:3, New Living Translation, 1996/2015).

Joy

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning, (Psalm 30:5, New Living Translation, 1996/2015).

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