The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Luke 4:3-12
When Jesus was in the wilderness, being tested by Satan, he endured 40 days of clinging tight to his faith. This is what we are called to as mothers and daughters of Christ. We must rely on the scriptures that are written upon our hearts to fortify our minds in believing the Truth of God’s Word over the lies of the enemy.
Before the trials and temptations took place in the wilderness, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. He was equipped with the Holy Spirit directly prior to being tempted for 40 days. God equips us for the trials and temptations we face each day as moms. When we are tempted to believe the lies of the devil, we must rehearse God’s Word in our minds, breathe God’s Truth into our lives, and combat the lies with scripture.
The enemy came at Jesus from different angles. Satan is tricky like that. He will pursue any and all means to get us to stumble, sin, and in a way worship him when we fall prey to his plans. We must dwell in God’s Word each day, and memorize portions of our Bibles so that we have a sword to use when the enemy comes our way.
Some of the lies we believe as moms are about ourselves, others are about our circumstances. Some of the lies pertain to our self esteem. I am not good enough; I will never measure up. Other lies are directed at our spiritual walk with God, and are aimed at our faith. I am not godly enough. Most all of the lies are meant to distract us from fulfilling the fullness of God’s plans. Things like worry, doubt, and insecurity can be major roadblocks in our way of furthering the Kingdom of Heaven. The good news is that each and every flaming arrow Satan sends soaring our way can be snuffed out mid air by means of the powerful and defensive Word of God.
Use the following scripture to combat the enemy, and speak God’s Truths over your life. Write these scriptures on your heart and use them as your strength and shield:
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In regards to lies about our self esteem, the Lord says we are beautifully made. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
I will never measure up. God says, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
I am nothing special. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
I am not godly enough. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Worry- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Doubt- “‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11-13
Insecurity- “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2
Because Jesus is the perfect example of how we are to live our lives, we must do as Christ did in the wilderness when under spiritual attack. We must strive to plot against the schemes of the enemy through prior preparation of immersing our hearts and minds in God’s Word. We need the Bible as our sword and faith in God’s promises as our shield. Pray that the Lord would surround you on all sides of your life, and bring the Truth of His promises to light when darkness creeps in.
Dear Jesus,
Help me to rely on you when I am tested and tried. I lean into you and your Word to uplift me and be my guiding light. Thank you for the truth of your Word. Thank you that you are a faithful God and that your promises withstand the test of time. Your Word is alive and applicable to my life today. Thank you for the timeless message and example we have of the Lord Jesus Christ to show us the way. Thank you for providing us an escape route through your Word when under spiritual attack. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
Steps of Faith:
Read 1 Corinthians 10:13:
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Remember that God always provides a way out when we undergo trials and temptations in life. Often, the way out is through God’s Word. Pray and seek the Lord through his Word when faced with something that seems like more than you can handle.