Reflection and Awe Lent Series - Jesus’ 40-Day Fast in the Wilderness: Satan Tempts the Physical Nature

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 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 4:1-4 ESV)

Lent is a time of reflection and alignment. It serves as a reminder of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness as a preparation for ministry. The number 40 holds a significance beyond just the measure of time. Often, it is used to represent a time of testing, trial, penance, and purification. It also is used to signal new life, growth, repentance, and transformation. Just think of the times in the Bible where you’ve seen this number, and you’ll see this beautifully illustrated.

In Matthew 4, we see Jesus head to the desert to prepare for what lies ahead. It’s the beginning of 40 days of testing and trial for Jesus, where He is tempted by the devil in several ways. Over the next few days, we are going to explore the three tactics Satan used to tempt the Lord and see how this relates to us today.

The enemy’s first ploy is seen in verse 3. Jesus had been praying and fasting, and, just like us, He was hungry. The enemy thought this to be the perfect moment to launch his offensive. A tired, hungry, and vulnerable Jesus would surely not be able to resist, right?

In this first temptation, the devil appeals to the physical body. He seeks to get Jesus to give in to his natural desires and make Himself some food. Jesus’ body must have been crying out for sustenance. And yet, Jesus responds with His spirit, not his physical body. In other words, His natural humanity aligns with His spiritual reality. He counters the enemy with the truth that it is God who sustains us, fuels us, and maintains us, not what we see, feed ourselves with, or experience in this physical body.

So, what can we learn here?

As we read over these verses, we are reminded that we cannot truly live by just satisfying our human needs. In fact, our humanity, in its flawed nature, constantly lies to us and seeks to derail us; that’s our old, sinful nature (our flesh) trying to break through. In order to combat these needs, wants and desires, we must think first about our fuel. So, what are you fueled by? 

To truly live in the fullness of all that God has called us to, we must fuel ourselves not with earthly things, but with the Word of God. It is His word that will sustain us, fire us, and nourish our innermost parts, far beyond any food, drink, or fleshly desire.

Today, let’s take a moment to consider our fuel. Are we reliant on the physical things here to give us our nourishment, even our identity, or are we looking to every word that comes from the mouth of God?

Lord, help me today to fuel myself well. Help me to live from Your Word, not my flesh. May what You say about me be my bread, and let the temptations of this world, that are like empty calories for my soul, fail in comparison to the nourishment I find in You. 

Amen.

You can access all of the Reflection and Awe: Lent's Purpose series here.