Matthew 4  After His baptism Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit.  There He fasts for 40 days and nights.  Following that, the tempter comes. Verse 1 tells us that the purpose of this event was for Him "to be tempted by the devil."  The devil, the diabolos - the traducer, leading in lies and accusations, is here assigned to the role of tempter - tester, assayer (perirazo - scrutinize, entice, discipline, examine, try). 4 times he is called "the devil", once "the tempter" and specifically addressed by Jesus once as "Satan"  the accuser.
There are 3 tests given
 1. The first test that the tempter uses is a physical test.  "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread".  We know Jesus has fasted for 40 days and nights and we are told He is hungry. This is a very real and personal test.

2. The 2nd test involves the devil taking Jesus up to the top of the pinnacle of the temple and daring Him to throw Himself off to prove that the angels will catch Him as scripture says.  This focus, to me, is a psychological test. The devil is trying to get Jesus to doubt or prove who He really is.

3. The last test involves the devil taking Jesus to the top of a high mountain and offering the world's kingdoms in exchange for worship.  This is a spiritual test

Jesus responds to each test with the Word.
Man must not live "on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
Man must not "put the Lord (your) God to the test"
Man must "worship the Lord (your) God and serve Him only".

We too, face these kinds of tests and temptations.  We have physical needs - we get hungry and thirsty, we get sick or injured, we are poor or suffer from financial problems.  The tempter would direct us to other means of fixing our needs besides trusting in Our Heavenly Father.  We can rationalize and make excuses, cheating or stealing, or lying to satisfy our need.  But Jesus shows us that what we really need to do is turn to the Word of God.  He tells us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread".  He tells us to not worry about what we eat or what we wear, but to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness and that He will provide the rest.  This is true life.

We have psychological needs.  We want to know ourselves, to be "someone".   We want to have confidence and security. We want to prove ourselves.  The tempter wants us to think that we can do whatever we want, we can think of ourselves as the most important person, that no matter what we do, we will be fine!  But, Jesus shows us that this is a lie.  This is testing God.  His way is submission and humility, not boasting and pride and self-centeredness. We must not test God, but trust Him.  We are His children, His servants, and His creations.   We have our identity in Him. We have security in Him.  Our lives are in His Hands and we need not test that, but simply believe it and live it.

We also have spiritual needs - we are made to worship, to look beyond the physical to God.  The tempter wants us to worship him and he disguises himself in many ways to trick us into that trap.
When we have any idol, any god, any one ( even ourselves)  or anything that gets our devotion, that is the devil at work.
Jesus shows us that only God is worthy of our worship and service.  We are called to honor and praise Him with all of our hearts and souls and strength.  Anything less than absolute surrender to and devotion towards the Lord our God brings us into the tempter's realm.

Jesus never yielded to the temptations and sent Satan away.   In Him we are given this victory also.  James tells us that if we "resist the devil.. he will flee from" us.  We also learn in  I Corinthians that
"No temptation has over taken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it." ( 10:13).  This is the GOOD NEWS that Jesus came to proclaim.  "The kingdom of heaven is at hand".  So repent, change your thinking, stop listening to the lies of the devil.  Listen and obey every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. This is real life.  This is all we need. And Jesus came to give it to us, abundantly!!!!

Thank you Father in Heaven!  O lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one!  So that we will give You all our worship, honoring Your Holy Name.  Let Your will be done. Let Your kingdom come in all its glory!  Amen and amen.