TESTED AND TRIED | THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.” Matthew 4:1-11 NLT Premise Testing is a crucial component to measure and evaluate someone's knowledge, skills, or abilities by providing a controlled environment to assess what they have learned and identify areas where they might need further development; essentially God allows us to be tested in order to demonstrate our understanding of a thing and pinpoint areas for improvement. Your purpose, assignment, and anointing is tied to your ability to pass the test. Scriptural Insight 1. Being led by God sometimes implies that where you are going is the place of your testing and not just your blessing. God leads us to and through TESTING. “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.” Matthew 4:1 NLT 2. The enemy strikes when he assumes you are weak and about to fold. Only YOU can pass the test by responding with the correct answer. THE WORD. “For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”” Matthew 4:2-4 NLT 3. It is after you have PASSED, that the TESTING is over. If you’re tired of going through the class/test…..Pass It.“Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.” Matthew 4:11 NLT