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Super Power

I have been challenged by something a friend sent to me this week. In her daily devotion based on Matthew 4:  1 -11.  It is so simple yet never have I seen it in the light in which the author wrote about Jesus' temptation and how he dealt with Satan.  He didn't use his divine God powers (which he was capable, he is God.)  I'll get back to that...

We are challenged to be like Jesus.  How can we be like our God, savior, redeemer, our king? He obviously prayed, one thing we can do.  He said love your neighbor as your self, this is a little hard to do with some people. That is a blog in itself.  I think you get the idea. This next simple truth (ashamed I never really understood it in this light) was a huge ah ha moment for me. I have heard for years hide God's word in your heart, and study to show yourself approved. I never really understood the practical reason in the light of being like Jesus.  This is where the author the the devotion enters...

The Bible tells us that immediately after His baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. Right off the bat, we notice two things that would be working against Jesus: the devil and the wilderness. Christ would be sorely tested as He would be tempted not only by Satan himself, but also by his inhospitable environment.

There, out in the barren landscape of the Judean wilderness, Jesus had no one else to lean or rely on. No friends to bounce things off of, nobody to keep Him accountable in the face of temptation, and no one to schedule a counseling appointment with. But He did have one thing at His disposal, something that proved to be the difference: ...God's Word, which had been hidden in His heart.

You probably know what happened. Satan hit Jesus with three separate temptations, and in each case, the Son of God used His knowledge of the Scriptures to overcome the Tempter (Matthew 4:1-11). 

Ponder that for a moment. Jesus didn't tap into His divine powers in order to eliminate this temptation. He overcame it by tapping into the spiritual strength which that comes from standing on God's Word. Why? In order to show us how we, too, can overcome temptation.

When the enemy sets his sights on us, when he fires that temptation that has been perfectly tailored for us, we have the ability to do what Jesus did. We have the ability to deal with that demonic decoy by confessing the Word of God. The next time you're inclined toward something you know you shouldn't do, start reciting the Scriptures, tap into their power, and watch what happens. 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11 NLT)

So with all that I have been challenged to memorize verses like when I was a kid in Awana.  Not just study my bible or read it but memorize verses.  That was Jesus' super power.  We all can have that super power too.  It is just that simple!  SHAZAM!  That is for you WIW girls.  

Comments

neikensnest said…
I had just read a devotion on that scripture of Jesus' temptation and what hit me was how Satan tempted him with FOOD! Now, I am going to use memory verses to lose weight! (Shazam! tune in next month to see how many pounds I lose.)
April 24, 2009 at 12:25 PM
Stacie said…
Thank you for sharing that!
May 1, 2009 at 6:59 PM
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