Ego Temptation

“Be clearheaded.   Keep alert.  Your accuser, the devil, is on the prowl like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”.  I Peter 5:8  CEB

Once Jesus had publicly determined to do His Father’s will Satan was after Him relentlessly.

Satan failed to shake Jesus’ grip on His commitment through the needs of the body, so he tried another tactic.   He attacked the needs of the ego.

After Jesus’ astonishing ministry of teaching, healing and miracles, the multitudes wanted to make Him king (John 6:15).  Here it was----the kingdom, the goal of the Father---handed to Him on a ‘silver platter’.

But Jesus recognized the snake behind it and turned down the offer.   He was strong enough to resist the appeal of popularity, the gratification of His ego.

Nothing turns the head so quickly or softens the will as much as the appeal and clamor of the crowd.   Jesus did not allow Satan to feed His ego, which would have led to catastrophe; rather, He submerged His ego in the Father’s will, which led to triumph!  That is how we must walk.

Our ego is more fragile than our body.   If Satan cannot break our will by tempting our body, he will try to break it by tempting our ego.

King David was deceived both ways; first through the sexual needs of the body, which resulted in adultery (II Sam. 11); and then through the cravings of pride, which resulted in taking a census of the people (II Sam. 24).   What sad, painful outcomes from both!

Jesus defeated the ego temptation by slipping away quietly and communing with His Father, where He strengthened Himself.   So must we, again and again as often as Satan baits us, for our will is strengthened only as we carefully cultivate it in the presence of our heavenly Father.

To “pray at all times in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18) is the way to “put on the full armor of God” and then be able “to stand firm against the schemes of the devil”. (Eph. 6:11)

“They won the victory over him because of the blood of the lamb
and the word of their testimony.
They didn’t love their life so much that they refused to give it up”. Rev. 12:11 GW