April 7th, 2022

The Cost of Temptation

Matthew 4:8 NIV

"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.'"

      Not only do I love this scripture because it marked Christ's defeat over the devil during his forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, but because I can relate it to an old country song I used to listen to when I was girl. If you've ever heard the song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," sung by Charlie Daniels, then you might see what I'm talking about. Daniels sings about the devil prowling about looking for a soul to steal. Desperate, he sets his aim on a young and very talented fiddler named Johnny. He made a deal with the boy, that if the boy could out-fiddle the devil, then he would receive a fiddle of gold. However, if the boy lost, then the devil would get his soul. Similarly, if we allow ourselves to give into temptation, we are handing our souls right over to the devil. 

      The devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread (V. 3), and though Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he would not give in. He tempted Jesus to test God by throwing himself off the highest point of the temple (V.6) to see if God would really save him, and he still stood firm. In one final attempt to get Jesus to turn and worship him, the devil offered Jesus the world and all of its splendor. Jesus stood his ground confidently. Every single day we face on this earth, the devil is waging war on our souls, prowling around looking for souls to take. Like Jesus, and like Johnny, we are called to fight against the grip of temptation in our lives. If we make the choice to give into his temptation, instead of standing firm in our faith, we risk losing our soul. However, James 1:12 tells us this: "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." Just as Johnny was rewarded with the golden fiddle for defeating the enemy, we too will be rewarded through Christ for our unwavering faith in the Lord. 

There is victory and power in the name of Christ! Are you prepared for war against the enemy?