Fighting Temptation: Where we find our strength

Every year we remember Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. This year, I have spotted some things I had missed before. First, Luke's account for reference; then some notes: 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ² for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry. ³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”

⁵ The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. ⁷ If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”

⁸ Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”

⁹ He led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here, ¹⁰ for it is written,

‘He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;’

¹¹ and,

‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.’”

¹² Jesus answering, said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

¹³ When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.  (Luke 4:1-13)

Jesus was fasting. The devil came at a time of weakness. He watches and waits for us to be isolated from help, weakened in our resolve, in need or in distress. If he roams like a lion looking for those to devour, he looks for a moment when we are vulnerable. We can expect him. 

The first temptation is a temptation of human flesh.
Satan tempted Jesus to strengthen himself in the face of his human weakness: hunger.
Jesus deflected the temptation with the Word of God, and had strength enough. 
When we can resist the temptations of the flesh it is good, but we can expect more temptations to come. 

The second temptation is a temptation of human spirit. 
Satan tempted Jesus to gain authority and splendor in a corrupt way: by bowing to Satan. 

Jesus deflected the temptation again with the Word of God, and had authority enough to deny the prince of this world. It is a hopeful thought what kind of power we have through the Word of God, that we can deny the dark prince of this world. In the face of temptation, we can stand our ground. It must bother the evil one that there are people walking this world who do not answer to him, who hold fast against him. Enjoy that for a moment, take satisfaction that by knowing the Word of God, we can thwart the plans that evil has against us: and give glory to God. God's word continues to be our strength.
When we can resist the temptations of the human spirit it is good, but the devil is not quite done trying. 

The third temptation is a specifically religious temptation. 

Satan tempted Jesus to act rashly to prove his faith in his Father: here Satan used Scripture against him. Satan turned God's word, our strength, into a trap. Jesus deflected the temptation again with the Word of God: that Word is enough, understood rightly. And there is no need to worry that the Scriptures are too much for us to know and find the right word: Jesus fended off the evil one from a single book (Deuteronomy). When the adversary uses Scripture too, we must know more than the words: we must know God. When we set our course to honor God, the devil flees. 

The devil does return in our times of weakness. We know where to find our strength.