I love YouTube. I’ve learned a ton watching videos. I’ve learned how to fix and replace our garbage disposal. I’ve learned how to fix our dishwasher. I’ve learned how to fix things on our car. I’ve learned how to replace a lawnmower blade. Basically, I used YouTube to learn how to “adult.” Years ago, I used YouTube to teach myself about the ins and outs of photography, Lightroom, and audio/video recording. YouTube is a great tool to figure things out!

YouTube is also great if you’re looking for a “hack.” You can search anything and find a hack. Like, “How to grow your Instagram to 300,000 followers in 30 days.” Or, “How to learn how to play guitar in two weeks.” Ok, I made that one up. But if you’re looking for a life hack or a quick fix for something, I’m sure someone made a video that is now getting over a million views.

We’ve all looked for a life hack at one time or another… Or at least wished for a life hack to get to be where we wanna be bigger, stronger, better… you know faster. But this isn’t usually the case. There isn’t a life hack for you know… real life. It’s true for us. And it was true for Jesus as well. Check this out:

The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. – Mark 1:12-13

Pause. Pause. Pause. Did you see the length of time Jesus was in the wilderness tempted by Satan!? Forty days. Four. Zero. 40. This wasn’t a pit stop. There was no life hack to get through this time. Jesus spent forty days by Himself, among wild animals, with Satan himself tempting Jesus.

I’m no wilderness guy. I’ve never been tent-camping. And the only time I want to see wild animals is at the zoo. And honestly, I don’t really like visiting a zoo either. Forty days! Um, no thank you. I would have been like, “Yo God, can’t we just skip this part and get to the good stuff. You know, like healing people. Raising people from the dead. Maybe You and I could maybe roll up to a party and turn some water into wine!” But Jesus didn’t say any of that. He simply walked into the wilderness where Satan tried his hardest to get Jesus to fall. The Gospel of Mark doesn’t give us all the deets of the temptation of Jesus. But two other Gospels do. Check out the Gospel of Luke:

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’” Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came. – Luke 4:1-13

You see, Jesus was specifically tempted in three separate areas of his life:

• Physical needs
• Power and authority
• Pride and testing God

Do these areas feel familiar? Satan specifically tempted Jesus in these three areas. Satan tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger after fasting for 40 days (Luke 4:3). This temptation focuses on meeting His physical needs in a way that is self-serving. Secondly, Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offers Him authority over them if He just worships the Satan (Luke 4:5-7). This temptation focuses on the desire for power and control. And third, Satan takes Jesus to the very top of the temple and tempts Him to throw Himself down, challenging Him to test God’s protection by quoting Scripture (Psalm 91) (Luke 4:9-11). This temptation revolves around testing God’s faithfulness.

Did you see what happened in verses 10-11? Satan himself quotes Scripture. The dude is tricky. Satan knows Scripture. But he used it out of context to try to get Jesus to not only doubt God’s faithfulness, but to take His life into His own hands. And Satan tries to do the same thing to each one of us. Sure, it doesn’t necessarily look like this. But Satan most certainly tempts us in the area of our physical needs. Maybe you’re married and you feel like your husband or wife isn’t meeting your physical needs. But that guy or girl you work with will. Satan wants us to give in to our selfish needs. Or maybe it’s in the area of power and control. We see this playing out all over the place in the world… maybe even right in our own home. This most presents itself in the area of a negative attitude, constant complaining. Why? Because we aren’t the ones in control. Or maybe we’ve seen it in the area of pride or testing God. I’m taking my life into my own hands. Things suck now. God’s obviously not real. So I’m doing things my way because I know best for me!

Here’s the thing… Jesus was tempted in all the same areas that you and I are tempted, and He didn’t give in to Satan’s temptations. Why? Three reasons… Check them out and then we’re done:

First, Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t overcome temptation based upon His own effort; He had the Spirit to rely upon. Check out Luke 1:1 – Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.

This is the first and most important thing to walk away with from this blog post! If you are not full of the Holy Spirit, you cannot begin to resist the temptations Satan brings your way. Facts. No question or doubt about it. Our lives are being constantly lived within an unseen spiritual battle.

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. – Galatians 5:17

Listen. Listen. Listen. The only way to be full of the Holy Spirit and to want what the Spirit wants… The only way to begin to have a chance to overcome the temptations of Satan is to give our life to Jesus.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. – Galatians 5:24

Secondly, Jesus wasn’t full of excuses. Check out Luke 1:2b – Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

This is something I can relate to… being hungry. There have been times where I’ve been so hungry that I become “hangry.” In fact, my daughter has called me out multiple times saying, “Man, someone’s hangry.” And you know what, it’s always true. When I get overly hungry there are times where I give in to my sinful emotive flesh and let my “hanger” take control and I make excuses it’s because I’m hungry. You see, even after we’ve given our life to Christ, Satan will still try to tempt us. And there will be a time where we will have to choose… Will we choose to not give in, or will we make some excuse as to why we should give in to the temptation in front of us? Because here’s the thing, there will always be a ready excuse that we think justifies us for giving in to the temptation.

So, to recap… One, Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. That’s the first step in being able to overcome temptation. Two, Jesus didn’t make excuses. Excuses will always be available to try and justify why we gave in.

And third, Jesus was filled with Scripture. Over and over again we see in each instance of Jesus’ response to Satan’s temptation, “The Scriptures say…” We see it in Luke 1:4, 8, and 12. Jesus lived and breathed the Word of God. He studied and knew the Scriptures. When He was tempted, He quoted Scripture back to Satan in response. It was His weapon to overcome Satan’s temptation. If this was Jesus’ weapon to overcome Satan, how much more should it be our weapon in response to the attacks of Satan!

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. – Hebrews 4:12

The Bible, the Word of God is alive… It’s powerful. Jesus knew this. It’s why He quoted it in response to the attacks of Satan. And when we read the Word of God… When we study it… When we memorize it… It lives within us, changes us from the inside out, and gives us the help we need to resist the temptations we face every day. The Scriptures were a source of life to Jesus. And when we read them and internalize them, they become life, the very air we breathe in our very own life.

Here’s the thing, if we want change in our life… If we want change in our children’s lives… If we want change in our marriage… It starts and ends with Jesus and the powerful Word of God. Nothing more. Nothing less. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wasn’t full of excuses. And Jesus filled Himself with Scripture. This is the path to overcoming temptation and living a joy-filled life.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. – 1 Corinthians 10:13