It is Written

“But he answered, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” – Matthew 4:4 Yesterday, I shared that the Bible encourages us to ask, reason, plead, and appeal—much like an attorney presenting a case: “Here’s what the law says; here’s what is written; God, I am standing on Your Word!” Imagine hiring an attorney who, upon entering the courtroom to defend your case, simply looks at the jury and judge and pleads, “Please! Please! Please let my client go! Please!” Does that sound like a good defense? Of course not. You’d immediately think, “I hired the wrong attorney.” A competent lawyer doesn’t beg or plead; instead, he stands on what is written. Consider a story: A man received a speeding ticket, but the officer recorded the wrong date. The man hired an attorney, who pointed out,

“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” – Matthew 4:4 Happy New Year! Yesterday I shared: Faith is not determined by your feelings; it is demonstrated by what you say and do according to what the Bible teaches. As Scripture declares, “It is written.” The way to fight and win is by standing on the written Word of God. There are many promises in Scripture to rely on. For example, 3 John 1 says, “It is my wish that you prosper and be in good health just as your soul prospers.” Philippians 4:19 promises, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” You can confidently say, “And all these things will be added to me.” What does “all these things” mean? It means

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13 We’ve been learning a lot about Satan’s attack on our lives and how he seeks to tempt our minds with three opening moves. Today, I want to show you how he attacked Jesus in the same manner. When you grow weary of living in a society that constantly fights to make you discontent, remember that Jesus faced the very same temptations. After the devil led Him into the wilderness, he first sought to persuade Him to turn a stone into bread (that was especially alluring since He had been fasting for 40 days). This was Satan’s appeal to the lust of