Man Does Not Live by Bread Alone

As you may or may not know, many churches, including ours, are currently about halfway through our corporate 21-day fast. It’s a time of cleansing and renewal as we seek God at the beginning of a new year, and there truly is no time like it. I want to share something about fasting that will encourage you this week, whether you’re fasting or not! Arguably the most well-known Scripture about fasting is the story of Jesus’ 40-day fast in the desert, found in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Right before Jesus began His fast, He was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and Luke 3:22 says that,

“the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

This is the most powerful (recorded) encounter Jesus had with the Father up until that point. Directly after this, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted for 40 days (Luke 4:1-2). At this point, the devil came to Jesus and tempted him. The Greek word for tempt there can also mean test. So, at Jesus’ weakest point physically, the enemy came to test him and try to get Jesus to abort His mission. First, the enemy says, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Now, Jesus was hungry, but He answered, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:3). Then, the devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, saying, “If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours” (Luke 4:7). Jesus responded, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve’” (Luke 4:8). In both of those temptations, Jesus responded with Scripture, saying “it is written.” For the final temptation, the devil actually used a Scripture from Psalm 91, manipulatively and out of context, to try to defeat Jesus. Luke 4:9-11 says, “he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

to guard you,’ and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus responded, “It is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test”’ and said, “Be gone, Satan.” This is powerful, for a lot of reasons, but I want to look at one aspect of this story, specifically. Look again at what the devil said as he challenged Jesus. In verses 3 and 9, he said, “if you are the Son of God…” If? If He’s the Son of God? Right before Jesus went into the wilderness, the heavens opened over him, a dove descended, and God audibly affirmed His identity. However, it was on this point that the enemy tried to get Jesus to sin.

The interesting thing about this is that it was not the first time the devil used this tactic. We actually see this thousands of years before in a Garden, unstained by sin. Adam and Eve lived in perfect communion with God. He had formed them out of dust and breathed His own breath into them. They could walk and talk with Him in the garden. However, the enemy came to Eve in the form of a serpent and said, “Did God actually say?” (Genesis 3:4). He caused Eve to doubt what God had spoken and convinced her that she wasn’t actually who God said she was. He said, “God knows that when you eat of [the fruit], your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The reality was that Adam and Eve were already like God. Prior to sinning, they were without fault, made in the image of God, and full of His presence. However, the enemy caused them to doubt who God said they were. They believed the lie of the enemy concerning their identity and disobeyed God’s command. This created a breach between God and man, until the second Adam came and prevailed over the enemy at the exact point that Adam and Eve failed. Jesus suffered the same temptation they did and did not waver. He lived a perfect, sinless life and died for us, because He’s the only one who could. By God’s grace, we get to share in His victory, in His obedience, and in His righteousness! Romans 5:19 says, “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.”

It is through the victory of Jesus that we have victory. Hebrews 4:14 says,

“Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

There will be times that we will be tempted, as Jesus was. The enemy will try to get us to doubt who we are, just like he tried to get Jesus to doubt who He is. It is because of Jesus, though, that we can hold fast our confession and with confidence draw near to the throne of grace. This is the intimacy that Jesus died for. Jesus was tested as we are in every respect and did not sin. He understands all of the weaknesses we could face and overcame them for us. Jesus Christ lived and died to restore every division that Sin causes. We are who God says we are!

The enemy came to test Jesus at His weakest point, physically. However, after 40 days of fasting, seeking His Father’s face in the wilderness, Jesus had to be at His strongest point, spiritually. He came out of the wilderness “in the power of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:14). This is why we fast. We set aside what we need to survive, to seek that which we need to live, for man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut. 8:3). His word is tested and true. Absolutely unfailing. When we stand on that Word, on Jesus Christ, we will share in the victory that He won for us. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:15). We are who God says we are!

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