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Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for our benefit. He was tempted in all things, just as we are.

His first temptation was to prove He was the Son of God by commanding stones to become bread.

The devil tries to get us to prove that we are children of God by proving that we have faith.

His second temptation was also to prove He was the Son of God, but this time the devil used Scripture to entice Him to prove He was the Son of God. He said, If You are the Son of God throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will give His angels charge concerning You”; and “On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.”

The devil tempts us to jump ahead of God and prove our faith by claiming promises. But we should consider Jesus who refused to prove Himself by claiming the promise “On their hands they willl bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.”

We are never to put God to the test; we are simply to wait on Him, and put our trust in Him.

“On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

His third temptation was to bow down and worship Satan in exchange for all the kingdoms of the world.

Jesus was hungry and weak during the time of these temptations, and the devil tried to get Him to just give up and worhip him, offering Him all the worldly kingdoms.

The devil tries to tempt us to give up also, and turn back to our sinful ways.

Jesus refused each of the three temptations, leaving us an example to follow.

And, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”

And finally, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only. ”

We should never attempt to prove ourselves by displaying our faith or or any other such thing. We are not to put God to the test by claiming a promise. As Jesus replied to the devil, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant