During His temptations, Jesus demonstrated that legitimate needs should only be met through legitimate means. For Him, the end does not justify the means. The powerful ministry of the Lord Jesus was preceded by a 40-day fast, after which He became hungry. His need for food was a legitimate one, but Satan wanted Him to use an illegitimate means to satisfy it. He urged Jesus to turn stones into bread. Had Jesus followed that prompting, He would have done something without the Father’s approval. In our meditation yesterday, we traced His meekness to His continuous dependence on the Father. We learn from this episode that life in the Spirit is not about what we can do, but what God wants us to do. It is not about satisfying our urgent needs, but about doing the will of our heavenly Father.
“Temptations are lethal in our areas of need.”
It is interesting to note that not all temptations are morally deplorable. Most believers have overcome that considerably. A more subtle type of temptation is the inclination to do or get things without recourse to God’s voice or His laid-down principles. Temptations are lethal in our areas of need. Remember that it was after Jesus had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights that the tempter wanted Him to turn stones to bread. When you are desperate, temptation may be lurking around the corner. As children of the Kingdom, we must learn patience and absolute dependence on God to have our needs met in a way that will not dishonor Him.