Spiritual Warfare

Temptation is everywhere. Looking for you, to devour you and destroy your life. The devil is NOT your friend, not at all. When temptation comes, you need to be spiritually ready.

Tempter (Satan) is in italics. Jesus's response is in bold.

Matthew 4:1-11 - Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD. Then the devil taketh him up in the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING THEE: AND IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR THEE UP, LEST AT ANY TIME THOU DASH THY FOOT AGAINST A STONE. Jesus said unto him,  It is written again, THOU SHALT NOT TEMPT THE LORD THY GOD. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, THOU SHALT WORSHIP THE LORD THY GOD, AND HIM ONLY SHALT THOU SERVE. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Perfect example. Scripture can easily help you avoid the tempter if you know it. The conversation between the devil and Jesus is a great example of how to use scripture to keep temptation away from you.

Deuteronomy 8:3 - And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (1st temptation)
Deuteronomy 6:16 - Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. (2nd temptation)
Deuteronomy 6:13 - Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name (3rd temptation)

All scriptural references that the devil was trying to get Jesus to break. There are many more than that found throughout your bible. A good knowledge of scripture is very handy when temptation is calling due to the fact that you can tell yourself (and the tempter) the verse(s) in which the bible says that you are to avoid that situation. It can save a lot of heartache & hard times in your spiritual life. And, by the way, we can't physically fight the devil ourselves :

Jude 9 - Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Temptation is at every corner. It is waiting to destroy you at a moments notice, take away your joy, destroy your friendships, destroy your ministry, even physically & mentally destroy you. Get in your bible. Study it, and keep yourself from temptation & sin.

Psalm 119:11 - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

All honor and glory to the Lord
Amen