Receiving the Victory

In His earthly life, Jesus was relentlessly pursued by the devil from His birth to the grave, and there were certain times in His life when He went through intense temptation. It was not by chance that this happened; it was part of the plan for our salvation.

Most people know about Jesus’ trial, mocking, and death on the cross. Many also know about the terrible struggle of Gethsemane, when the whole destiny of a lost world trembled in the balance until Jesus’ pale and trembling lips uttered the words, “Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” Luke 22:42. He made the choice at that time that, even if He ended up separated forever from His Father, He would do it to save us.

Christ was Tempted as We Are

In order for us to understand this topic, it is first necessary to realize that Jesus was born with the same kind of flesh as you and I have. He was born in a human body that was subject to the weaknesses and temptations coming from generations of sin. “Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Heb. 2:17, emphasis added.

“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.” Heb. 4:15.

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Rom. 8:3, emphasis added.

Very few Christians today believe this; instead, they prefer to accept the idea that He was born with some kind of “holy flesh,” not subject to temptations as we are. This is not true according to the Bible.

In fact, we are told that believing that Jesus did not come in human flesh—subject to human weakness and infirmities—is a sign of antichrist. “Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1 John 4:3. “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 2 John 7.

Jesus was not pretending when He lived on Earth. His was a terrific struggle, harder than any of us will ever be called to face. He had the same “flesh” as we do. He could have sinned, but He did not. True, He was also divine; however, He never used His divinity on His own behalf. See John 5:30; Phil. 2:5–8.

So, why didn’t He fall? He lived a sinless life by faith in the power of His Father. We can overcome sin by faith through a connection with Jesus, our great High Priest. He did not use any power that is not available to us through faith in Him.

Tempted in the Wilderness

Read Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Jesus’ first great battle for us was actually the temptation in the wilderness. It had been planned that He would be tempted on the very points that Adam and Eve fell, appetite and lust (desire), worldly power and fame, and presumption.

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness right after being baptized and anointed with the Holy Ghost for His ministry. For 40 days He fasted, until His humanity was weakened almost to the point of death.

Then Satan tempted Jesus to use His divinity to provide for His own needs and to show off His power. Jesus refused and answered Satan with God’s Word: “It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Luke 4:4. Jesus was in the wilderness under the direction of His Father. He would trust and obey, even to death.

Satan came back with other temptations, all connected with the way in which Adam and Eve fell in Eden. They were strong, well fed, and had perfect minds, with no excuse to sin. Yet they fell.

Now Jesus was passing over the same ground, but He was starving, weak, and had a body and mind weakened by the effects of many generations of sin and degradation. But He was showing us how to overcome. He clung by faith to His Father’s power, and He used the words of Scripture to defeat the devil.

Twice more, Satan came to trick Jesus. Once, he even cleverly twisted Scripture, hoping to trick Jesus into presumption. Then he offered Jesus all the world’s kingdoms if He would yield just once! How often we think, Just once doesn’t matter!

Jesus refused and each time relied on the power of the Word to defeat Satan. Satan could not overcome the One who kept His faith on God and clung to the words of the Bible. Jesus fell fainting to the ground after this mighty battle, but He had won the victory. He had passed successfully over the ground where Adam and Eve had fallen.

Christ’s Victory is for Us

For whom was this victory? For you and me! Yes, when we are tempted—and we will never be tempted as severely as Jesus was—we can choose to do right and call on God in the name of Jesus to give us the victory.

This is the secret of overcoming any bad habit or sinful practice—the victory of Jesus! We fool ourselves, thinking we can overcome in our own strength, and thus have something to be proud of. We try really hard, and seem to succeed for a while, but Satan is not worried! He knows that it is just a matter of time before we will fall again and become discouraged. Then, he can get his hooks into us even worse.

I know; I have experienced it many, many times! But when we admit our weakness and call to Jesus for His victory, for His power, and we too rely on the Word of God and trust God to keep us from falling, then Satan trembles and soon flees from us. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh [near] to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:7–8.

These battles are not fought just once. Temptations come in many forms, just like they came to Jesus; but He won the victory, and He freely gives it to all who will have it. It never wears out; it can never fail! If we choose, and cling by faith asking for that mighty victory, we will have it! The weakest soul who depends upon Jesus and the Word is more than a match for Satan and all his hosts of darkness.

Hold on to Jesus

Why then do so few find this victory? Part of it is that many don’t choose to have it, or don’t believe, so they don’t ask for it. Some don’t want to totally let go of sin, but they keep a door open so that when an excuse comes, they can run back to it.

We can pray to the Lord to make us “willing to be made willing” to choose victory. His Holy Spirit will work with us. What if we don’t really believe? We can cry out, “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief!” Mark 9:24.

When we feel we cannot hold on, we can cry out as Peter did when sinking in the water, “Lord, save me.” Matt. 14:30.

Every blessing we need is ours for the asking. Not one person needs to continue in sin or fall into harmful habits over and over. There is victory, and it is yours for the asking.

Never let Satan tell you that because you have fallen over and over, the Lord is fed up with you, and you need not ask again for His help because He won’t hear you. That is a lie! Our Savior hears the weakest sincere cry, and His hand is stretched out to save every truly penitent person. As long as human probation lasts and there is hope, His hand is stretched out to save “to the uttermost.” Heb. 7:25.

When you are tempted, look away from yourself and the temptation. Look to your Savior! See Him driving the devil away with the Word of God, the simple Scriptures. Then ask for that victory, and cling by faith to your Savior. You can never fall when you do this—never!