Jesus was tested in the wilderness. It was a barren place and He was physically weakened from forty days of fasting. By contrast, Adam and Eve were in a perfect place; well-fed and comfortable. In both situations, each one faced Satan’s trickery, but only Jesus emerged victorious.

For Jesus, the first test was physical, but had spiritual implications. Jesus’ body was needing food. There was nothing inherently sinful about bread, but the Holy Spirit had led Jesus to abstain. The interaction went like this:

Satan: “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

Jesus: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”   – Matthew 4:3-4 NKJV

Food at that moment was not part of God’s plan. Jesus’ body was needing nourishment, so the suggestion to make bread would have been logical, but not of God. And whether it was teaching, performing miracles, taking journeys, or spending time in prayer, Jesus’ path always followed the Father’s will. Along the journey of faith, we too can face temptations that make “logical” sense. Natural appetites can be strong, but Jesus overcame them; and through Him we can too. Not by bread alone, but by every word…