What would come to mind if asked what you need to live?

Your answer would likely depend on your greatest need at that moment.

A person without a home would say they need a home to live.

A person without food would indicate that food is needed.

A person without a job or money would insist they need work and finances to live.

A person feeling overworked might respond that a vacation is needed to live.

An overwhelmed mom may declare that a break from the kids is needed.

The fact is, our response to such a question is often shaped by what we feel our greatest need might be at that moment and time.

The enemy of our souls knows this to be true and often will attack us at our most vulnerable place in life at any given moment.  It is the way he attacked Jesus when Jesus was in the wilderness after being water-baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit at the Jordan.  The Holy Spirit had led Jesus into the wilderness, and Jesus had gone without food for forty days and forty nights.  The enemy knew Jesus would be greatly hungry, and His body would cry out for nourishment.

Matthew 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

Now, at this point, one might think it would be most practical and reasonable for Jesus to partake of something to eat because going forty days and forty nights without food would greatly weaken a person and put them on the brink of starvation.  There’s no doubt Jesus would have been hungry and desiring food.

It is also true that Jesus was the Son of God and had the power to turn stones into bread to satisfy such a deep longing in His flesh.  But the response Jesus gives is interesting.

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Jesus does not deny the need for food to live.  Jesus did not say that man does not need bread to live. He said man does not live by bread alone.  In other words, there’s much more to living than having enough to eat.  The way Jesus states this puts the Word of God as the primary source of life and everything else as secondary.

My point today is simple.  If Jesus emphasized the word of God in a time of great trial in His life, should we not also take seriously the importance of the word of God at all times?

For New Covenant believers, this truth about the word of God still stands.  We need the gospel truth working in our lives with great power.  His word should take priority in our lives because it fuels faith and promotes life in us.  We need to hear Him speak to us His word in season.  I encourage you today to get alone with your Father and allow Him to speak His word of life into you and your situation so that you can live and run in the strength of His word.