Matthew 4:1 - 11
Taken from the point of view of the devil, the temptations that Jesus faced all seemed reasonable, indeed could even be God honouring. The temptation to feed himself, to test God before he went into battle, to get power and glory without pain and suffering, can all be spun as a way of achieving God's purposes. Indeed, therein is the greatest deception of the devil. It's found in those temptations that are so obviously wrong, although still appealing. But more so in those things that it takes alot of pray, discernment and waiting on God, to identify the evil temptation.
For example, God wants his church to grow and prevail, isn't it right then, that I should do everything in my power to make the church grow? Wrong. That's the temptation of the devil. My part in God's church is to surrender to his will, to serve where I am called, to use his gifts in ways that honour him.
Abiding in scripture like Jesus did helps us identify what is of God, and what is of the devil, because temptation can all too often seem very appealing.
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