How Jesus Overcame Temptation (And How You Can Too)

Temptation is one of those topics we don’t always love talking about—but it’s something every single one of us faces.

Not sometimes.
Not “other people.”
All of us.

If you’re human, you’ve experienced temptation. And if you’ve ever wondered why it feels so convincing—or why it’s so hard to resist—you’re not alone.

That’s why I wanted to start a conversation around temptation by looking at how Jesus himself faced it. Because Scripture doesn’t shy away from the fact that Jesus was tempted. And when we pay attention to how He responded, we’re given tools we can actually use in real life.

The Marshmallow Problem

One of my favorite illustrations of temptation comes from the (hilarious) marshmallow experiment.

A child is left alone in a room with a marshmallow and told:
You can eat this now—or wait, and you’ll get two later.

The videos are painful and relatable.
Some kids stare at the marshmallow in agony.
Some lick it.
Some take tiny bites hoping no one notices.
And some shove the whole thing in their mouth the second the adult leaves the room.

And honestly? I relate to that last one more than I’d like to admit.

But here’s the thing: most of our temptations aren’t as innocent or fluffy as a marshmallow.

They usually follow a familiar pattern:

We see.
We want.
And then we take.

And often, what we’re tempted by feels reasonable… even justifiable.

When Temptation Feels Reasonable

A coworker gives you attention you’re craving.
Cutting corners feels fair because you’re exhausted.
A small compromise doesn’t seem like a big deal.
You tell yourself, I can handle this.

Most temptations don’t meet bad desires.
They meet legitimate needs in illegitimate ways.

That’s why they’re so convincing.

And it’s why the story of Jesus in the wilderness matters so much.

Jesus Was Actually Tempted

After Jesus is baptized—after the Spirit descends on Him and the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son”—Jesus is led into the wilderness.

He fasts for forty days.

He’s not mildly hungry.
He’s starving.

And that’s when Satan shows up and says:

“If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.”

Food is a legitimate need.
Hunger is real.
The relief would’ve been immediate.

But Jesus doesn’t give in.

Why?

Because God will never ask you to do the right thing the wrong way.

How Jesus Resisted

Jesus responds by quoting Scripture:

“Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

This moment tells us so much.

Jesus:

• Relied on the Spirit of truth

• Knew Scripture

• And chose to protect relationship

Not because He was afraid of getting in trouble—but because He wasn’t willing to meet His needs apart from the Father.

And that matters.

Because at its core, temptation is often about trying to fix something ourselves instead of trusting God with it.

Seeing Isn’t Sinning—Taking Is

This is one of the most important takeaways for me:

Jesus saw the bread.
Jesus likely wanted the bread.
But He did not take the bread.

Seeing isn’t failure.
Wanting isn’t failure.

Taking is where the line gets crossed.

And that should give us hope—because it means temptation itself isn’t proof that something is wrong with you.

It’s proof that you’re human.

Temptation and Relationship

One of the ways we talk about sin in our home is simple:

Sin hurts relationships.

Lying hurts trust.
Anger damages connection.
Unfaithfulness breaks intimacy.

When Jesus resisted temptation, He wasn’t just “following rules.”
He was protecting relationship—with the Father, with His purpose, and ultimately with us.

And the same is true for us.

Resisting temptation isn’t about being “strong enough.”
It’s about deciding which relationships you’re willing to protect.

The Same Tools Are Available to You

This part still amazes me.

The same Spirit that empowered Jesus lives in you when you’ve placed your faith in Him.
The same Scripture Jesus relied on is available to you.
The same promise still stands:

“When you are tempted, God will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

But we have to seek Him.

We have to pause.
Pray.
Ask for truth.
Step into the light instead of hiding in justification.

A Question to Sit With

So here’s what I want to leave you with:

• What are you trying to prove right now?

• What are you telling yourself you can “handle”?

• Where might you be cutting corners instead of protecting relationship?

You are not alone in this struggle.

And you are not without help.

Jesus overcame temptation—not so we’d feel ashamed when we struggle—but so we’d know it’s possible to choose differently.

We’ll keep walking through this together in the next few podcast episodes, looking at the other temptations Jesus faced—and what they reveal about our own hearts.

Until then, remember this:

You don’t have to do this by yourself.
You have the Spirit.
You have Scripture.
And you have a God who is faithful—even in the middle of temptation.