Introduce kids to the Savior of sinners. This is a series of audio podcasts for kids who want to meet with Jesus by using Meeting with Jesus: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids (RHB). Listen to previous episodes here.
Do you ever hear a little voice telling you to do something really bad? Sometimes that little voice becomes a big voice. Sometimes it goes on and on. Sometimes it sounds really evil. Sometimes it’s really hard to fight it. Temptation is a horrible experience isn’t it?
Jesus had that experience too. In Luke 4, he heard the devil’s voice telling him to do bad things. But he never gave in to these temptations.
Temptation comes to the most holy (1-2)
We sometimes think, “If I was a Christian, I wouldn’t be tempted like this. If I was a child of God, I wouldn’t be attacked like this.”
Well, remember, Jesus was the perfectly holy Son of God and yet he was tempted by the devil. The devil assaulted him with multiple temptations.
Temptation is a test of faith (3, 5-7)
The devil tempted Jesus to doubt God’s provision for him (3) and to doubt God’s plan for him (5-7). The devil was basically saying, “Do you really believe in God’s provision? Do you really believe in God’s plan?” It was a test of faith.
All temptation is a test of faith. Will we believe and trust God or the devil? Will we believe and follow God’s Word or the Devil’s Words. Temptation reveals who we really believe.
Temptation is beaten by truth (4, 8)
How did Jesus beat the devil’s temptations? He quoted the Bible. He used God’s Word to silence the devil’s words.
That’s a perfect model for us too. Use God’s Word to silence the devil. When that little voice starts, talk back to it with a verse from the Bible. Truth tapes the devil’s mouth shut.
Use the temptations of Jesus to understand and beat your temptations.
Listen to this episode on Living the Bible podcast. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Spotify.