The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 12 January 2026 – Overcoming Temptations
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TOPIC: Overcoming Temptations
READ: Matthew 4:1-11 (NKJV)
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
THE MESSAGE:
In the first temptation of Jesus, the devil asked Him to turn stones into bread if He was the Son of God. Jesus refused. After taking Jesus to a high point of the temple, the devil requested Him to throw Himself down if He was the Son of God because angels would come to His rescue. Jesus used the Scripture that forbids any man to tempt God. Thereafter, the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. He promised to give them to Christ if He would bow down and worship him. Jesus responded that the Scripture says to worship and serve the Lord only.
Temptation comes to everybody. Whereas the first Adam failed, the last Adam, Christ, overcame. This victory over temptation is for all believers. As we boldly approach the throne of grace, we will find help whenever we are faced with temptation (Hebrews 4:14-16). The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life are of the world (1 John 2:16). The Lord Jesus was tempted but did not sin. This is because He delighted in the word of God. Reading, studying, meditating, memorising as well as obedience to God’s word, are the daily habits of faithful Christians. How do you cope with temptations?
PRAYER: Father, help me to study the Word and use it to overcome temptations.
