Afterward, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to experience the ordeal of testing by the accuser. And after fasting for forty days, Jesus was extremely hungry. Then the tempter came to him and said, “How can you possibly be the Son of God and go hungry? Just command these stones to be turned into loaves of bread.”
— Matthew 4:1-3 (TPT)
This is another example of Jesus’ humanness because God can not be tempted. Previously Jesus was baptized in the river by John. Then he was led into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and was tempted by the devil. That was a long time to fast and took a toll on his human body.
In his humanness, Jesus felt everything you and I feel when we have not had food for a long time. He felt weak from losing a lot of weight fasting. His body was craving food and I’m sure he didn’t have a lot of energy. Looking at him was probably disheartening. That’s most likely why the devil used this opportunity to question who he was by tempting him.
Some verses say “if” you are the Son of God. Here Satan says “how can you be . ..” because he wanted Jesus to doubt his identity. The devil was saying, “You sure don’t look like the Son of God. You are so weak and emaciated. Surely, you can’t be God’s Son. If you were, you wouldn’t be hungry.”
Jesus didn’t supernaturally overcome this temptation through his divine qualities. He left those divine abilities behind, gave them up. So he felt exactly what you and I would feel in that circumstance.
Circumstances and feelings can cause us to question the goodness of God and who we are in Him. Jesus had the choice, as we do, to give in to his feelings or remind himself of what God said. He chose to remember that when he came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit came upon him in the form of a dove and his Father said, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”.
He reflected back and remembered, yes, I am God’s Son and Jesus quoted the Word to the devil, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” (Verse 4)
Do you see from this event, how important it is to know what God says about who you are? The devil has not changed his tactics. He wants you to doubt God’s goodness and he wants you to doubt your new identity in Christ. If you don’t know who you are as a new creation, you will believe his lies. That is why Paul tells you to renew your mind when you get born again.
As a man, Jesus had a choice. He could give in to his feelings or he could remember and stand in his true identity. He remembered and showed us how to overcome the devil’s lies. What a Savior! He became one like you and me and overcame his flesh – the 5 senses.
You can do that, too. You have the same ability to overcome because you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. He has made you victorious but you have to choose as he did to believe God over your feelings and circumstances. Picture yourself in the same situation doing what Jesus did to overcome. Use your imagination and see yourself winning.
Seeing Jesus as fully human, suddenly makes all the promises within my reach!
“He entered my darkness as Everlasting Light.”
He Joined Us In Our Feelings