The War In The Wilderness

How Jesus wins the battles we're prone to lose.

The Journey of Lent

As those who follow Jesus, we are officially in the season of Lent—the six-week journey leading up to Easter. At its core, Lent is a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. It invites us to look deeply at Jesus—who He is, what He did, and how He walked toward the cross. But it also calls us to look honestly at ourselves—to name the ways we fall short of His example, and to allow God to meet us with His grace.

Lent positions us in the shadow of the cross because Jesus lived His life in the shadow of the cross. Every sermon He preached, every miracle He performed, every step He took—He did so in the shadow of what was to come. For three years, He lived, taught, healed, and served with the certainty of suffering ahead.

Throughout this season, we are well-served by the decision to look at key moments in Jesus’ ministry and listen for the ways He is calling us to return to Him.

Today, I want to begin with what I’m calling Jesus’ war in the wilderness.

A Battle in the Wilderness

Before we dive into Matthew 4:1–11, it’s important to set the stage.

At the end of Matthew 3, Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. As John lifts Him from the water, Matthew tells us that the heavens open, the Holy Spirit gently descends like a dove, and the Father’s voice is heard speaking a powerful affirmation over Jesus:

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”

It’s almost impossible to overemphasize the weight and significance of these words—Jesus’ identity is declared for all to hear.

And then?

Immediately, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1-2 says:

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”

Two points are important to note:

First, Matthew claims that Jesus was “led up by the Spirit…to be tempted by the devil.”

Pay attention to this so you don’t make the mistake of thinking the Spirit is responsible for tempting Jesus. God never tempts us to do anything He does not want us to do (James 1:13).

Second, we have to note the mention of “the devil.”

The concept of demons, particularly the devil, might seem superstitious to modern ears, belonging to less scientifically and intellectually inclined individuals. However, C.S. Lewis wisely observed in his great work, The Screwtape Letters, that people in the modern world are largely divided into two categories: those who are overly concerned with demonic powers and those who dismiss them as outdated superstition. Lewis argued that neither approach accurately represents reality.

I grew up in a religious environment that had a tendency to see a demon under every rock and around every corner. At times, it felt as though there was more discussion about Satan than about Jesus. That’s problematic. However, it’s equally problematic to deny the reality that Scripture reports and that we experience.

There are indeed dark and evil forces at work in this world (pop over to Facebook if you need some proof). Scripture says “the devil,” which means “accuser,” sits at the helm of this force. Here in Matthew 4 he comes to test Jesus.

And the battle begins.

The Three Tests of Jesus

Satan presents Jesus with three temptations, each targeting a common way you and I are prone to get tripped up.

Test #1: Will He Rely on the Father? (Matthew 4:3-4)

The devil starts by calling into question the very thing God has just declared at Jesus’ baptism. He says, “If you are the Son of God…” This is a direct attack on Jesus’ identity.

Then he jumps straight to the physical hunger Jesus was feeling after not eating for 40 days: “…tell these stones to become bread.”

Now, he’s questioning God’s heart. The devil is saying, “If God really loved you, surely He wouldn’t let you starve?”

This sounds so much like the Eden story of Genesis 3. The serpent sowed seeds of doubt in the minds of Adam and Eve, saying, “Did God really say…?” Then he calls into question God’s heart by telling them that God wasn’t protecting them but withholding from them. This is the same test placed before Jesus.

But Jesus, though weak in body, is strong in spirit. He replies with Deuteronomy 8:3:

“Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

He refuses to use His power to satisfy His own hunger. Instead, He trusts the Father’s provision.

Here’s a lesson for you and me: God sometimes withholds to teach trust. Comfort, power, and success will fail us—only God sustains.

Jesus knew this and passed the test. Not to be deterred, the devil brings a second test…

Test #2: Will He Trust the Father? (Matthew 4:5-7)

Next, the devil twists Scripture itself to plant doubt. He takes Jesus to the top of the temple and once again tempts Him to prove His identity:

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning you…’”

Satan quotes Psalm 91, manipulating its meaning to suggest: “If God truly loves you, He won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

But Jesus refuses to play that game. He responds with Deuteronomy 6:16:

“Do not test the Lord your God.”

This again echoes the Old Testament. Israel failed to trust God in the wilderness at Massah. Dying of thirst, they doubted God’s care. At times during their wilderness wandering, they specifically asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7). Jesus, however, understands that faith doesn’t require proof—it rests on trust. Even in suffering, He knows that the Father is near.

Here’s a sobering truth: Suffering whispers the lie that God has forgotten you and that you are alone in your pain. But Jesus reveals the truth—pain is not proof of God’s absence. He is closer than we can imagine, even in the most difficult moments. Jesus knew this and passed the second test.

However, the devil brings a third and final test…

Test #3: Will He Follow the Father? (Matthew 4:8-11)

In a final attempt, the devil offers Jesus a shortcut. In a visionary moment, he shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and says,

“All these kingdoms I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

The devil says Jesus can skip the cross, gain the glory, all with no suffering required. But Jesus sees the trap. He rejects the easy road and answers with Deuteronomy 6:13:

“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.”

This is the test we all face: Will we stay faithful when compromise looks easier? Jesus teaches us that the comfortable way isn’t always the best way.

We see this truth in nature itself.

When a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, it faces a fierce struggle. It has to push, twist, and fight its way out. Now, despite being difficult, the struggle isn’t pointless—in fact, it’s essential. The pressure forces fluid into the butterfly’s wings, strengthening them so it can fly. If someone intervenes, cutting the chrysalis open to make the process easier, the butterfly never develops strong wings. It remains weak and unable to fly.

Ease is enticing, but it often weakens us. Struggle is uncomfortable, but it shapes us. Jesus could have taken the easy way, but He chose the hard road—trusting the Father through suffering, refusing to worship anyone but Him—so He could accomplish something greater for us. N.T. Wright says, “When Jesus refused to go the way of the tempter, he was embracing the way of the cross.”

And with that, the war is won.

The True Point of This Story

This passage is often taught as a model for overcoming temptation—using Scripture to resist the enemy. While there are certainly lessons for us to learn on that front, I think that misses the true point of this story. The true point is this:

Jesus succeeds where all others fail.

• We chase material comfort; He chooses reliance on the Father.

• We demand proof of God’s presence; He trusts the Father is near.

• We seek shortcuts; He stays faithful to the Father’s way.

Where we fall, Jesus stands. Where we fail, Jesus prevails.

Where Do You Need to Return?

Lent is a season of repentance—an invitation to return to God.

So let me ask you:

• Where do you struggle to rely on God’s provision?

• Where do you doubt His presence in suffering?

• Where have you sought the easy road rather than trusting His way?

None of this is meant to shame you. It’s about responding to the Spirit’s leading and returning to the One who has already won the battle for us.

Jesus faced the war in the wilderness so we wouldn’t have to fight alone.

Let’s return to Him today.