The devil influenced Eve's behavior to sin against God. That is what the devil is all about; being against God. He is anti-theos or anti-God. Therefore, his actions, words, ideals, and purpose is in direct opposition and rebellion to God. That is his nature. So, going back to the garden and seeing what Eve does, followed by Adam, shows too, they have followed in the footsteps of Satan. Their direct rebellious act imputed into their personhood the same nature that flowed from Satan: a sinful one. Now we all have a nature that is in direct opposition to God. The devil inside all of us makes us like that. Romans 5:12,18-19 says, "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned...Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous."
This brings me back to Matthew 4:1-11. Here in this passage Satan is seen attempting to tempt Jesus. Jesus is the perfect Son of God. Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One, the one that will die for the sins of the world. What did Romans say again, "For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." Here is what I want you to understand before we look at how Jesus defeated the temptations of Satan: because we are born again, saved, delivered from the punishment of sin, we have been given a new nature. This nature is the same nature that Jesus has, a perfect, godly, righteous nature. This nature is for God. This nature lives for God. This nature pleases God. Now because we have repented of our sin and placed our faith and trust in who Jesus is and what He did for us, we too have that same nature.
We no longer have to remark, "the devil made me do it" because we have Jesus living inside of us. We have His nature. You might be struggling with a sin. Maybe it is a personal one, a public one, or a private one. It may be pornography, lust, anger, bitterness, selfishness, unkindness, rudeness, stingy/robbing God, hypocrisy, cheating, pride, ingratitude, neglect of the bible, neglect of prayer, neglect of evangelism, etc... Whatever the sin, us believers have the power to overcome because of our new nature we have possessed in Christ. Look at how Christ defeats the powerful, the cunning, the slick temptations of the devil.
First, He was lead by the Spirit. And verse 1 tells us that the Spirit is the one that led Him to be tempted. The reference here to the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, which is the third part of the Trinity. You can say that the Holy Spirit is the one that activates in us the new nature we have through Jesus Christ. He is the one that teaches us and guides us to use and live in the new nature we have acquired. If we are going to stop sin, we will have to live by the Spirit. Galatians 5:17, "So, I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of sinful flesh."
Second, we will have to spiritually prepare ourselves to face temptations. Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. This is what scholars refer to as a 'supernatural fast'. Jesus did not eat anything for 40 days and 40 nights. Fasting is laying aside something, in this case food, for the direct purpose of seeking God on a deeper level and experience. Fasting can be utilized when a decision has to be made, or someone wants to overcome a habitual sin, or one wants to know God more intimately, or when one wants to pray more fervently for a person or ministry. Fasting is a tool to sharpen us spiritually where we become closer to God.
Third, we need the 'sword of the Spirit', which is the Word of God. In every tempting arrow that Satan shot at Jesus, Jesus knocks it down with the Word of God. This is our offensive weapon. Psalm 119 says, "I hide your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Jesus knew Scripture for every temptation. How much Scripture do you know? A lot? A little? Some? How are you coming along in knowing more? When is the last time you read? The goal in reading Scripture should not be quantity, but quality. God wants you to get something out of it, so that you can apply it to your life. Just as Jesus is seen doing.
Last, make sure you take a faithful stand to worship God, and Him alone. Jesus' last rebuttal tells Satan, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.'" As Jesus did, so do we, need to take the strong stand for worshipping only God. At the end of the day that is all that matters; the worship of God. Having that standard and goal of living, will allow us to face anything and most importantly temptations.
No longer do we have to say, 'the devil made me do it.' But we can say, 'Jesus helped me overcome the devil.'
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