22nd February 2026
Triumph over temptation
…Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:1 (NIVUK)
Oscar Wilde once quipped, ‘I can resist anything but temptation.’ Thankfully this was not true of Jesus who was ‘…tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.’ (Hebrews 4:15). Perhaps the clearest demonstration of this is when the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to face the temptations of turning stones into bread; throwing himself off the high point of the Temple so that God’s angels would catch him, and worshiping Satan (Matthew 4:2-10). But wait a minute, how is this being tempted as we are? I have never been tempted to turn stones into bread, or to jump off a tall building, or to engage in Satan worship – or have I?
What we see happening here to Jesus is common to all human beings. I have faced the temptation of self-gratification: fulfilling my wants and desires, even good ones like the need for food, apart from God’s will. I have been tempted to manipulate God’s promises, to take them out of context, testing God as if he is my servant there to do my bidding. And I have been tempted to embrace things that Satan’s world has to offer, rather than faithfully walk the Christian path. These are temptations that are continually before us, and that we must battle with daily.
How did Jesus resist these temptations? A clue is given at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:13-17). Here two key things are indicated: the Spirit of God, and a word of affirmation. Following the lead of the Holy Spirit and submitting to his guidance and power was instrumental in Jesus’s resistance. Coupled with this was the realisation that self-gratification, getting God to do what he wanted, and having all that this world has to offer is not what truly satisfies: it is knowing that he had God’s love and approval that provided him with lasting satisfaction.
These two weapons are also keys for us in our battles with temptation. Wilde was right when he wrote he couldn’t resist temptation; in our own strength we are doomed to fail. To triumph over our temptations, we need the resistance of Jesus in us, through the Spirit. This means we are to be walking in step with the Spirit as he grows his fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:13-26). And as we do so we need to know that our Abba loves and approves of us so much that he rejoices, sings and dances over us (Zephaniah 3:17).
As the Spirit and God’s love work in tandem in us, the influence of Satan will depart (Matthew 4:11).
Prayer
Loving Father, when temptation comes, remind us that true life is found not in satisfying our desires apart from you, but in trusting your word and resting in your love. May your Spirit bear fruit in us, strengthen us for the daily battle, and lead us in the way of faithfulness. And as we stand firm in you, drive the enemy from us, and draw us closer to your heart. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
1 Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Act 1.
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Study by: Barry Robinson About the author: |
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Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA
Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm
Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church