Exposing the Strategies of Satan (and How to Fight) Part 3
A Bible Study on Luke 4:1-13
If you’ve not read the first part and second part of this three-part series on the strategies of Satan, I urge you to read it. Read part 1 here. Read part 2 here.
Recap
In the first part of this three-part series, we explored the background of Luke 4:1-13 and looked at the first temptation of Jesus. We saw that, as Jesus was fasting, He was weak. The devil took this opportunity to tempt Jesus by luring Him to eat bread, thus breaking Jesus’ fast. However, Jesus was able to resist the devil.
In the second part of the series, we observed that the devil took Jesus to a high place and then offered Him all the kingdoms of this world. However, Jesus did not take this offer. Instead, just like the previous temptation, He resisted the devil with the Scriptures. Quoting the adversary with the verses of the Bible helped Jesus immensely to face the devil.
With that being said, let’s examine the third temptation of Jesus.
Third Temptation (Luke 4:9-13)
In this third temptation, the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem. He made Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple. Then, the devil again attacked the identity of Jesus. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here…”
Did you notice the pattern in these three temptations by the devil? All of them have an ‘if’ in them (Lk 4:3, 7, 9). This shows that the tempter only knows how to sow the seeds of doubt in Jesus’ heart. And the devil is still in this business of doubt-planting. However, not all doubts are from him (more on that some other day).
Besides, as I had mentioned in the previous edition, Jesus need not prove His identity to the tempter for the Father already knew it (Lk 3:22).
What the devil said next might be quite surprising. HE QUOTED SCRIPTURES! Many have proposed that the devil knows Scripture better than all of us do. The fact that He quoted it, proves this notion. He quoted Psalm 91:11-12. Let’s look at the neighboring verses of Psalm 91:
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
The devil came to Jesus to tempt Him with the notion that if a person trusts in the Lord, nothing bad will happen to them. And I do believe many of us to some extent have this notion. We think that because we are the children of God, He will not let anything bad happen to us. But let’s correct ourselves.
Jesus’ Response
Jesus used the correct interpretation of the Scripture against the wrong interpretation of the Scriptures by the devil. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:16, which prohibits us from testing God.
Hence, it is not the Scriptures’ use alone that will help us fight the temptations of the devil; Appropriate interpretation of the Scriptures is more important.
Key Takeaways
Know the Scriptures.
Interpret the Scriptures appropriately.
Don’t underestimate the devil, for he probably knows more about the Scriptures than all of us do.
Memorize the Scriptures so that you can resist the devil.
Conclusion:
"Satan questioned the Father’s love when he tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. He questioned His hope when he offered Jesus the world’s kingdoms this side of the Cross (see Hebrews 12:1-3). Satan questioned the Father’s faithfulness when he asked Jesus to jump from the temple and prove that the Father would keep His promise (Psalms 91:11-12). Thus, the enemy attacked the three basic virtues of the Christian life-faith, hope, and love." [Warren Wiersbe, source]
May the good Lord help us to use the Scriptures appropriately, especially when facing the defeated foe.
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