When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, each time He overcame Satan with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. He never got into a discussion or an argument with Satan. To whatever Satan said, Jesus had only one answer: "It is written." In the three temptations, He quoted from only two chapters in the Old Testament. Deut.8:3 was the first: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." The other two quotations were from Deut.6:16, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." And Deut.6:13, "You must worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone.."
This shows us that Jesus had studied the Book of Deuteronomy. There is an answer in God's word to every temptation and every problem we can ever face in life, if we know where to find it. I have never come across a problem in my life that had no answer in God's Word. That's why I want to encourage every believer to be a student of God's Word. From your earliest youth study God's Word, and you will find that when you face mountains and rivers you can go past all of them and fulfill God's purposes. David says, "By my God I can leap over a wall" (Psa.18:29). There is no obstacle that can stand in our way. There is an answer in the Bible if you know where to find it. Jesus studied it intensely as a child and as a young man. So He had an answer for every temptation. He could not be deceived by Satan.
In Deut. 8:11-15, Moses warns them: "Beware lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His statutes, when you have eaten and are satisfied and have built good houses and lived in them and your herds and your flocks multiply and your silver and gold multiply, then your heart becomes proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt and led you through the great and terrible wilderness with fiery serpents and scorpions."
It is easier to think of God when we are in the wilderness or when we are struggling to obey God than when we are blessed and have become rich.
In the days when Noah was building the ark, he was so busy that he had no time to get drunk. But as soon as he came out triumphantly from the ark as the head of the only family on earth to survive the flood, he got drunk.
When David was running from cave to cave escaping from Saul, he wrote amazing psalms and was very close to God. But when he had plenty of ease and money and didn't have to go to battle himself, but could send others to do the fighting for him, and himself relax in the palace, that was when he sinned with Bathsheba. If he had gone to battle that day, he would not have seen Bathsheba (2 Sam.11:1).
Solomon sinned because he had plenty of ease, comfort and wealth.
When did Israel start worshipping idols? They never worshipped idols during the 40 years in the wilderness, after that one incident with the golden calf. But as soon as they landed in Canaan, they started worshipping idols very quickly.
When we have plenty, we are in danger. If you are struggling financially, thank God. That will help you live close to God. But that doesn't mean that we have to forget God when we have plenty. No. I am only saying that it is more difficult. Jesus said it was difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. He didn't say it was impossible. So don't envy the brother who has plenty. It is more difficult for him to be close to God. Be thankful if you have less than him. That can be your salvation. If you don't have as many changes of clothes as others, don't envy them. Actually, you are better off, if you could only see it. Don't envy the person who has a bigger house or who has more money than you. Such people are in far greater danger. Leave it to God to decide what He should give you. Be content with even a little. I have seen how many preachers have destroyed themselves through getting plenty. Take a warning from them. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.
