This past Monday at Crave, we examined Matthew 4:1-11. Before Jesus began his public ministry, He went into the wilderness to fast, pray, and be tempted by the Devil. Satan presented Jesus with 3 temptations and frequently tried twisting Scripture to manipulate and entice Jesus. Jesus was unmoved because He knew Scripture and refuted Satan’s lies with truth. I would encourage you to read this passage if you missed this past week.
Knowing that Jesus faced and resisted temptation in every way reveals that we worship a God that is much closer than we realize. He not only cares, but He can identify with our struggle. Hebrews 4 tells us:
“14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
I know that many people get frustrated when trying to follow God because old habits seem impossible to break. I would dare say that our human will is not enough for us to change. We need to be transformed by the power of God’s Spirit which is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). If you’re struggling with a sin that seems impossible for you to overcome, I would encourage you to do the following:
- Confess your weakness.
- Believe that Jesus is sympathetic and the Cross is sufficient to break the power of sin.
- Find another Christian to encourage and pray for you.
Please know that your small group leaders and I are here to serve you. Let us know how we can encourage and help you follow Jesus.
