Matthew 4:1-11 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 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. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 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. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 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; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 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. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

* We must be ready and established in our response to temptation
* Temptations come at the times we are most vulnerable
* Our individual temptations are common to man.
* Temptation are not unbearable. God always gives us a way out!

The Lord was tempted…
1. to fulfill his physical need—ON HIS OWN—outside of dependence upon the Father. Satan was tempting Jesus to prove Himself to the one who was seeking to disprove Him. Jesus made himself completely dependent upon the Father!
2. to take a foolish risk to force God’s hand. Jesus trusted God, He knew better than to tempt The Father with risky, presumptuous behavior. To presume that we can do what we want, and then expect crop failure, is insanity.
3. to shortcut God’s plan to bring Himself into Kingship, by rearranging the Father’s priorities. Jesus was content to wait, and do things GOD’s way!