🛡️⚔️ BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP (DAILY)“A deeper bible study”Tuesday • September 29, 2026⚔️ IT IS WRITTENAnswering Temptation, Lies, and Deception With the Truth of God’s Word

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⚔️ IT IS WRITTEN

Answering Temptation, Lies, and Deception With the Truth of God’s Word

September Theme: Put On the Whole Armor of GodFinal Week: The Sword of the Spirit & Prayer

📖 TODAY’S THEME SCRIPTURE

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

☕ GOOD MORNING & HAPPY TUESDAY, BIBLE STUDY FAMILY!

Yesterday we talked about picking up the Sword of the Spirit, which Paul tells us is the Word of God.

But this morning I was thinking about something.

It’s one thing to own a sword.

It’s another thing to know how to use it.

And it’s one thing to own a Bible.

It’s another thing to know what it says, understand what it means, and know how to apply it when life gets difficult.

Because temptation doesn’t always arrive looking terrible.

Sometimes it sounds reasonable.

Sometimes a lie contains just enough truth to make us question what we know.

Sometimes our feelings become so strong that we begin treating them as facts.

And sometimes we hear something that sounds spiritual, inspirational, or even biblical—but when we open the Bible, we discover that God never actually said it.

That is why today we are going into the wilderness with Jesus.

Matthew chapter 4 shows us something powerful.

When temptation came, Jesus repeatedly answered:

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

Not—

“This is how I feel.”

Not—

“This is what everybody else thinks.”

Not—

“This is what culture says.”

Not—

“This is what I want to be true.”

Jesus went back to the Word of God.

And friend, we need to learn to do the same.

WHEN THE LIE COMES, KNOW THE TRUTH.

WHEN TEMPTATION COMES, REMEMBER THE WORD.

WHEN CONFUSION COMES, OPEN YOUR BIBLE.

📖 TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING

Take some time today to read:

• Matthew 4:1–11 — Jesus tempted in the wilderness• Deuteronomy 8:1–6 — The Scripture Jesus quoted in Matthew 4:4• Deuteronomy 6:13–18 — More Scripture Jesus used in the wilderness• Ephesians 6:10–18 — The whole armor of God• Psalm 119:9–16 — Hiding God’s Word in our hearts• 2 Timothy 2:15 — Rightly dividing the Word of Truth• 2 Timothy 3:14–17 — Scripture equips us• James 1:12–16 — Understanding temptation

🌵 1. JESUS FACED TEMPTATION

Matthew 4:1 tells us:

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights.

He was hungry.

And that is when the tempter came.

There is something worth noticing here.

Temptation often seems especially powerful when we are vulnerable.

When we’re tired.

When we’re lonely.

When we’re discouraged.

When we’re angry.

When we’re hurting.

When we feel rejected.

When we’re under pressure.

That doesn’t mean every struggle is a spiritual attack, but it does mean we should recognize that our judgment can be affected when we’re exhausted, emotional, or overwhelmed.

Sometimes one of the wisest things we can do is recognize:

“I AM NOT AT MY BEST RIGHT NOW.”

Maybe I need to pray before answering.

Maybe I need to rest before deciding.

Maybe I need to wait before sending that message.

Maybe I need to open my Bible before trusting what I’m feeling.

VULNERABILITY IS NOT FAILURE.

BUT IT IS A TIME TO STAY CLOSE TO GOD.

🍞 2. THE FIRST TEMPTATION — “PROVE IT”

Matthew 4:3 says:

“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

Jesus was hungry.

Bread itself wasn’t sinful.

But Jesus would not step outside the Father’s will to satisfy the demand placed before Him.

His response was:

“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3.

Think about that.

Jesus answered temptation with Scripture.

And sometimes temptation still whispers:

“If God really loves you…”

“If you really belong to Him…”

“If God were really with you…”

Friend, you do not need to prove God’s faithfulness by demanding that He perform according to your timetable.

God is still God when you’re waiting.

God is still good when you don’t understand.

God is still faithful when circumstances are difficult.

DON’T LET A DIFFICULT SEASON CONVINCE YOU TO QUESTION EVERYTHING GOD HAS ALREADY SHOWN YOU.

🏛️ 3. THE SECOND TEMPTATION — SCRIPTURE CAN BE MISUSED

This part is especially important.

In the next temptation, the devil actually quoted Scripture.

Matthew 4:6 says:

“…for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee…”

Did you catch that?

The tempter used words from Scripture.

That should teach us something very important:

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE QUOTES A BIBLE VERSE DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THEY ARE USING IT CORRECTLY.

Scripture can be pulled out of context.

A verse can be isolated from the passage around it.

Words can be used to support something the Bible does not actually teach.

That is why deeper Bible study matters.

Don’t only ask:

“Is that verse in the Bible?”

Ask:

“What does that verse mean in context?”

Who is speaking?

Who are they speaking to?

What comes before it?

What comes after it?

How does it fit with the rest of Scripture?

Jesus answered:

“It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”Matthew 4:7 (KJV)

Jesus responded to Scripture being misused with Scripture properly understood.

Friend, this is one reason we’re called Bible Study Fellowship — A Deeper Bible Study.

We don’t want to simply collect verses.

WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S WORD.

👑 4. THE THIRD TEMPTATION — THE SHORTCUT

Then the devil showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and offered them in exchange for worship.

Jesus responded:

“Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”Matthew 4:10 (KJV)

Again—

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

The temptation offered a shortcut.

And shortcuts can be tempting.

We want the result without the process.

Success without faithfulness.

Growth without discipline.

Forgiveness without repentance.

A strong marriage without communication.

Bible knowledge without studying.

Spiritual maturity without surrender.

But friend, shortcuts that require disobedience are never God’s best path.

If reaching the destination requires compromising what God has said, we need to stop.

OBEDIENCE MATTERS MORE THAN GETTING THERE QUICKLY.

⚔️ 5. JESUS KNEW THE WORD BEFORE THE TEMPTATION CAME

Here is something I don’t want us to miss.

Jesus didn’t stop during the temptation and say:

“Hold on while I find a verse.”

The Word was already known.

That connects beautifully with Psalm 119:11:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Friend, we need to put Scripture into our hearts before the crisis comes.

Learn Scripture when life is calm.

Study when things are going well.

Build spiritual habits before the difficult season arrives.

Because one day you may need that truth in the middle of a hospital room.

Or during a sleepless night.

Or during a difficult conversation.

Or when temptation comes.

Or when grief feels overwhelming.

Or when fear begins whispering.

You may suddenly remember:

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Or:

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”

Or:

“My grace is sufficient for thee…”

That Word you hid in your heart may become exactly what you need in that moment.

STORE THE WORD TODAY FOR THE BATTLES YOU HAVEN’T FACED YET.

🧠 6. LEARN TO ANSWER THE LIE WITH TRUTH

Let’s make this practical.

When the thought says:

“I AM COMPLETELY ALONE.”

Remember:

“…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”Hebrews 13:5

When fear says:

“I CAN’T HANDLE WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING.”

Remember:

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow…”Matthew 6:34

When shame says:

“YOUR PAST MEANS GOD COULD NEVER FORGIVE YOU.”

Remember:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins…”1 John 1:9

When weakness says:

“YOU’RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH.”

Remember:

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”2 Corinthians 12:9

When fear says:

“YOU HAVE TO CONTROL EVERYTHING.”

Remember:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”Proverbs 3:5

Friend—

DON’T JUST REHEARSE THE LIE.

ANSWER IT WITH TRUTH.

❤️ 7. OUR FEELINGS ARE REAL—BUT THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE GUIDES

I want to be careful here.

Feelings matter.

God created us with emotions.

Jesus experienced sorrow.

Jesus wept.

Jesus showed compassion.

The Bible never teaches us to pretend we don’t feel.

But emotions should not become our final authority.

You can feel forgotten without actually being forgotten.

You can feel hopeless while hope still exists.

You can feel unworthy while God’s grace is still available.

You can feel afraid while still choosing faith.

You can feel angry without allowing anger to control what you do next.

We acknowledge our emotions.

We bring them to God.

And then we ask:

“WHAT IS TRUE?”

📱 8. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING WITH A BIBLE VERSE ATTACHED TO IT

This is especially important today.

We see Christian posts everywhere.

Facebook.

Videos.

Memes.

Quotes.

Pictures.

Sometimes something gets shared thousands of times simply because it sounds good.

But before we say:

“Amen!”

Let’s open our Bibles.

Sometimes a quote attributed to Scripture isn’t Scripture at all.

Sometimes a verse is taken completely out of context.

Sometimes a teaching contains part of the truth but leaves out something important.

Second Timothy 2:15 says:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God… rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Friend, you don’t need to become suspicious of everybody.

But you should become a student of Scripture.

Even with these Bible studies—

OPEN YOUR BIBLE.

Read the passages yourself.

Check what is being taught.

Ask questions.

Study deeper.

Your faith should not depend entirely upon somebody else reading the Bible for you.

🌿 9. KNOWING SCRIPTURE AND OBEYING SCRIPTURE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS

Remember—the devil quoted Scripture in Matthew 4.

Simply knowing biblical words does not equal obedience to God.

James 1:22 says:

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…”

That means our goal cannot simply be:

“I know more Bible verses.”

The real question is:

Am I living what I know?

If I know Scripture teaches forgiveness—

Am I working toward forgiveness?

If I know Scripture warns against gossip—

Am I guarding my tongue?

If I know Scripture teaches generosity—

Am I generous?

If I know Scripture teaches prayer—

Am I praying?

If I know Scripture tells me to love—

Am I loving?

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IS NOT A DECORATION.

GOD’S WORD IS MEANT TO SHAPE OUR LIVES.

🙏 10. “IT IS WRITTEN” REQUIRES “I HAVE READ IT”

Here is today’s simple truth:

We cannot confidently say:

“IT IS WRITTEN”

if we never take time to discover what is written.

That means we need a relationship with our Bibles.

Not only on Sunday morning.

Not only when something goes wrong.

Not only when we need a verse for a Facebook post.

Daily.

Even if it’s only a small passage.

Read it.

Think about it.

Pray over it.

Ask questions.

Write something down.

And most importantly—

Apply it.

Five verses carefully studied and obeyed may change us more than five chapters quickly read and immediately forgotten.

QUALITY TIME IN GOD’S WORD MATTERS.

💜 TODAY’S REFLECTION QUESTIONS

When temptation comes, what do I usually turn to first?
Am I learning Scripture well enough to recognize when it is being misused?
Have I ever believed something was biblical simply because someone said it was?
Do I check the context of verses I read or share?
What lie have I been repeatedly telling myself?
What Scripture speaks truth into that situation?
Are my feelings determining my beliefs, or am I bringing my feelings before God’s truth?
What Scripture should I begin memorizing?
Am I only learning the Bible, or am I obeying what I learn?
What would “It is written” look like in one battle I’m facing today?

🙏 TODAY’S PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for another beautiful Tuesday.

Thank You for giving us Your Word.

Lord, help me become a faithful student of Scripture.

Give me wisdom to recognize truth from error.

Help me understand Your Word in its proper context.

Protect me from believing something simply because it sounds good, feels good, or is popular.

When temptation comes, bring Your Word to my remembrance.

When fear comes, remind me of Your promises.

When lies come, help me answer them with truth.

When my feelings become overwhelming, help me bring them honestly before You while allowing Your truth to guide me.

Father, hide Your Word deep within my heart.

And please forgive me for the times I have known what Your Word teaches but chosen my own way instead.

Give me a heart that doesn’t merely hear Your Word—

but obeys it.

Help me read it.

Study it.

Understand it.

Remember it.

And live it.

In Jesus’ precious name,

Amen.

⚔️ TODAY’S SWORD CHALLENGE

THE “IT IS WRITTEN” CHALLENGE

Take a piece of paper and write:

THE LIE:

What fear, temptation, accusation, or discouraging thought keeps returning?

Then write:

THE TRUTH:

Find a Scripture that speaks to that issue.

Then write in large letters:

“IT IS WRITTEN…”

and copy the Scripture underneath.

Finally write:

MY RESPONSE:

“Today I choose to believe what God has said rather than allowing this thought to control me.”

Keep it somewhere you can see it today.

When that thought returns—

Don’t just fight it with another thought.

OPEN THE WORD.

REMEMBER THE TRUTH.

LIFT YOUR SWORD.

📖 SCRIPTURE TO REMEMBER

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”Matthew 4:4 (KJV)

And:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”Psalm 119:11 (KJV)

🛡️ TODAY’S ARMOR CHECK

🛡️ BELT OF TRUTH: Do I know what God actually says?

❤️ BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: Am I choosing obedience?

👣 SHOES OF PEACE: Am I carrying the Gospel in the way I live?

🛡️ SHIELD OF FAITH: Am I trusting God’s truth when doubts come?

🪖 HELMET OF SALVATION: Am I guarding my thoughts with the hope of Christ?

⚔️ SWORD OF THE SPIRIT: Can I answer lies and temptation with God’s Word?

🌟 TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT

Friend, you do not need to know hundreds of verses by tomorrow.

Start with one.

One verse that speaks to something you’re facing.

Learn it.

Write it.

Pray it.

Study its context.

Carry it with you.

Then learn another.

And another.

Little by little, something beautiful begins happening.

The Word you once had to search for becomes the Word that comes to your mind when you need it.

That is why we keep studying.

Not so we can impress anyone.

Not so we can win arguments.

Not so we can prove how spiritual we are.

We study because we want to know God, recognize truth, follow Jesus, and live faithfully.

KNOW THE WORD.

KNOW THE TRUTH.

LIVE THE WORD.

🌻 CLOSING THOUGHT

I want to leave you with this today.

Jesus was in the wilderness.

He was hungry.

He was being tempted.

And three times His answer pointed back to Scripture:

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

What if we started doing that more often?

When fear speaks—

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

When temptation speaks—

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

When shame speaks—

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

When the world tells us something that contradicts God’s truth—

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

But let’s remember:

We cannot faithfully say “It is written” unless we are willing to open the Bible and learn what is actually written.

So today—

⚔️ PICK UP YOUR SWORD.

📖 OPEN YOUR BIBLE.

🧠 LEARN THE WORD.

❤️ HIDE IT IN YOUR HEART.

👣 LIVE WHAT IT TEACHES.

✝️ KEEP YOUR EYES ON JESUS.

📖 TOMORROW — WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

🙏 PRAYING ALWAYS — FULLY ARMORED

Standing Strong Through a Life of Prayer

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…”Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)

Tomorrow is the final day of our September Whole Armor of God study.

We’re going to put everything together and discover why Paul moves directly from the armor into prayer.

We’ll look back at every piece of armor, talk about praying through the battles of everyday life, praying for others, and what it means to stand fully armored with a heart continually turned toward God.

And then…

🍇🌿 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1

We begin our brand-new study:

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Growing in Grace • Rooted in Christ • Bearing Fruit for His Glory

Until tomorrow:

Know what is written.

Test what you hear.

Answer lies with truth.

Hide God’s Word in your heart.

Obey what He teaches.

And keep your Sword of the Spirit ready.

Have a beautifully blessed Tuesday, Bible Study Family! May God give us wisdom to understand His Word, courage to obey it, and a hunger to keep digging deeper into His truth. 💜⚔️📖✝️

Bible Study Fellowship (Daily)“A deeper bible study”

September 2026 — Put On the Whole Armor of GodStanding Strong in a Spiritual Battle

⚔️ IT IS WRITTEN

Answering Temptation, Lies, and Deception With the Truth of God’s Word

☕ GOOD MORNING & HAPPY TUESDAY, BIBLE STUDY FAMILY!

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

WHEN THE LIE COMES, KNOW THE TRUTH.

WHEN TEMPTATION COMES, REMEMBER THE WORD.

WHEN CONFUSION COMES, OPEN YOUR BIBLE.

📖 TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING

🌵 1. JESUS FACED TEMPTATION

VULNERABILITY IS NOT FAILURE.

BUT IT IS A TIME TO STAY CLOSE TO GOD.

🍞 2. THE FIRST TEMPTATION — “PROVE IT”

DON’T LET A DIFFICULT SEASON CONVINCE YOU TO QUESTION EVERYTHING GOD HAS ALREADY SHOWN YOU.

🏛️ 3. THE SECOND TEMPTATION — SCRIPTURE CAN BE MISUSED

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE QUOTES A BIBLE VERSE DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THEY ARE USING IT CORRECTLY.

WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S WORD.

👑 4. THE THIRD TEMPTATION — THE SHORTCUT

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

OBEDIENCE MATTERS MORE THAN GETTING THERE QUICKLY.

⚔️ 5. JESUS KNEW THE WORD BEFORE THE TEMPTATION CAME

STORE THE WORD TODAY FOR THE BATTLES YOU HAVEN’T FACED YET.

🧠 6. LEARN TO ANSWER THE LIE WITH TRUTH

DON’T JUST REHEARSE THE LIE.

ANSWER IT WITH TRUTH.

❤️ 7. OUR FEELINGS ARE REAL—BUT THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE GUIDES

“WHAT IS TRUE?”

📱 8. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING WITH A BIBLE VERSE ATTACHED TO IT

OPEN YOUR BIBLE.

🌿 9. KNOWING SCRIPTURE AND OBEYING SCRIPTURE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IS NOT A DECORATION.

GOD’S WORD IS MEANT TO SHAPE OUR LIVES.

🙏 10. “IT IS WRITTEN” REQUIRES “I HAVE READ IT”

“IT IS WRITTEN”

QUALITY TIME IN GOD’S WORD MATTERS.

💜 TODAY’S REFLECTION QUESTIONS

🙏 TODAY’S PRAYER

⚔️ TODAY’S SWORD CHALLENGE

THE “IT IS WRITTEN” CHALLENGE

THE LIE:

THE TRUTH:

“IT IS WRITTEN…”

MY RESPONSE:

OPEN THE WORD.

REMEMBER THE TRUTH.

LIFT YOUR SWORD.

📖 SCRIPTURE TO REMEMBER

🛡️ TODAY’S ARMOR CHECK

🌟 TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT

KNOW THE WORD.

KNOW THE TRUTH.

LIVE THE WORD.

🌻 CLOSING THOUGHT

“IT IS WRITTEN.”

📖 TOMORROW — WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

🙏 PRAYING ALWAYS — FULLY ARMORED

Standing Strong Through a Life of Prayer

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Growing in Grace • Rooted in Christ • Bearing Fruit for His Glory

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