Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'
Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Jesus knew two things when we came in full contact with temptation at its ultimate peak. Jesus had to know that there was 1) more at stake than what meets the eye and 2) when it comes to temptation...your ability to withstand it has everything to do with your confidence in God.

Because let's be honest...Satan right in front of you putting on a full-on assault of temptation is unparalleled intensity. I can't think of any temptation stronger than that. We're talking about...the serpent, the deceiver, the father of lies, the god of this age...I could go on. He didn't get those names for being a swell fellow. And being tempted by the father of lies is wrestling with utter darkness. I hear students say all the time, "It was Satan that may me do (it)" It being...(sleeping with my girlfriend) (lying to my parents) (smoking dope) (buying more crap that doesn't matter while forgetting about the poor around me).

No...you've bought a lie.

Satan didn't make you do anything. You did it. You willfully chose yourself over God. Satan wants you to think that he did it...that's the only glory he can get. But if you can do his job for him- that excites him even more. (And if we are going to be honest...most people will never be tempted by Satan himself...that's the thing about Satan...he can't be two places at once...he likes to send his demon mob squad to spread lies- so your little comment about Satan making you do it is pretty flawed).

James 4 says, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." In James 1 we get a glimpse into a similar sentiment: "For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."

Don't blame the Evil One for the evil in you. But Jesus didn't have that evil in Him. And Satan knew this so he had to show up in person...had to put on the biggest offensive of his existence. So as you venture through the text here as Jesus interacts with the father of lies...you see an audacious, confident perspective. Jesus realizes there is more at stake here than what meets the eye. Their interaction really has nothing to do with food or power or rule (all the things Satan tempted Jesus with)...it was all about worship. It was about who Jesus was confident in to fulfill Him, feed Him, lead Him. And Jesus was convinced that nothing was more desirable, nothing was better than His Father. Period.

So when you are faced with temptation...when it is glaring straight into your eyes...you may even be touching it already...discovering if you want to continue on with the pursuit of it...look toward Jesus. Look toward His father. Do you really believe that thing you are about to throw yourself into is better than your Creator?

And could there really be something more at stake here than just what meets the eye?