Yes — familiarity with the Word of God is essential because it is how Jesus resisted Satan, and Les teaches it remains the believer's guard.
In Matthew 4, Jesus met Satan's temptations with "It is written," going back to the Word rather than relying on physical strength. Les Feldick teaches that believers today must stay in the Book to maintain their guard against the evil one, since Satan attacks from the blind side at our weakest moments.
Matthew 4:4 — Jesus directly answers the question by showing that true life depends not on physical bread but on every word that comes from God.
Matthew 4:10 — Jesus defeats Satan's offer of the world's kingdoms by quoting Scripture, demonstrating the Word's power in temptation.
Matthew 4 records that after Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights, the tempter came to Him. Jesus answered, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." When Satan then offered Him all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, Jesus replied, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The Bible also identifies three areas of temptation — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) — the same three categories Satan brought against Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Scripture promises that God will not permit believers to be tempted beyond what they can bear and will provide a way of escape in every temptation.
Les Feldick uses Jesus' temptations in Matthew 4 to show why believers must stay in the Word. He points out that Jesus, though God, was also man, and when He faced the tempter He answered "It is written" — He went back to the Word. For us, the way to maintain our guard against the evil one is the Book; we have to stay in the Book, because we are washed by the cleansing of the Word. Les warns that Satan always knows when to catch us. He catches us when we least expect it, hits us from the blind side, and takes us at our weakest moment. No believer, however mature, gets past that. The only thing we can do is come back to the Word and realize we have to be constantly on guard. He also teaches that taking God at His Word is faith — and faith is necessary not just for salvation but for the whole Christian walk.
In Matthew 4, Jesus answered each temptation with Scripture: "It is written." Les Feldick emphasizes that Jesus "goes back to the Word" when Satan attacks, and that is the pattern for believers. When Satan offered Him the kingdoms of the world, Jesus responded, "Get thee hence, Satan," and quoted the command to worship God only.
Les Feldick says Satan doesn't fight fairly — he catches us when we least expect it and hits us from our blind side at our weakest moment. In Eve's case it was the lust of the flesh; with Jesus it was physical hunger after fasting forty days. Les says every believer must be constantly on guard, because we never get past that vulnerability.
Les Feldick says the way to maintain our guard against the evil one is "the Book" — we have to stay in the Book. He connects this to faith: when you take heed of the Word and take God at His word, that is faith, and faith is necessary for both salvation and the Christian walk.
Scripture promises that God is faithful and will not allow believers to be tempted beyond their ability, and He always provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Les Feldick notes that this promise rests on the fact that Christ experienced every category of temptation that we face. The lesson from Jesus' confrontation is that when we resist the devil, he will flee.
Temptation's Three Entry Points
Les identifies the three categories of temptation — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — and shows that Jesus faced the same three circumstances.
Jesus Answered "It Is Written"
Les shows that Jesus met Satan by going back to the Word, and believers maintain their guard the same way — by staying in the Book.
Faith Is Taking God at His Word
Les teaches that taking heed of the Word is faith — and faith is necessary for salvation and for the daily Christian walk.
Resist the Devil and He Will Flee
Les applies Jesus' command to Satan as a lesson for believers: resist the devil, and he will flee.
The Ten Commandments Explained: Why "Love" Isn't Mentioned
Everything that God says it's best for us to do, Satan says, don't do it. Hey, the world isn't doing that. Why should you? And, I mean, it's almost amusing, and yet it is so true that everything God has told the human race that's for our own good, from the human side, we'll always find ourselves going the opposite direction. My, and you look at the heartache that's out there in the world today.
Satan Attacks From the Blind Side
Les warns that Satan catches believers at their weakest moment, from the blind side, and the only answer is to come back to the Word and stay on guard.
God Always Provides a Way of Escape
Les reminds listeners of God's promise that no temptation will exceed our ability to bear it, because Christ experienced every category of temptation we face.
The Scroll in God's Hand That No One Could Open — Revelation 5
Satan is the God of this world. Everything that mankind accomplishes, whether it's good, whether it's beautiful, whether it's ugly, or whether it's bad, who has prompted it? Satan has. God is not in the business of a material world. And so, the world is in the lap of the wicked one. Satan has total dominion. Let me show you an example. Go back to Matthew chapter 5.
Matthew 4:4: 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.
Jesus' first answer to Satan shows that spiritual life depends on every word that comes from God.
Matthew 4:10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus uses Scripture to reject Satan's offer and to declare that God alone is to be worshiped.
1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
This verse summarizes the three categories of temptation that Satan used against Eve and Jesus, and that believers still face.
1 Corinthians 10:13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
This promise assures believers that God will always make a way to escape temptation.
James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The scriptural promise that resisting the devil causes him to flee is applied by Les to Jesus' confrontation with Satan.
In Matthew 4, Jesus answered Satan with "It is written" each time. Les Feldick says Jesus went back to the Word, and believers are to do the same — staying in the Book is how we maintain our guard against the evil one.
Les teaches that Satan always knows when to catch us; he hits from the blind side and at our weakest moment. That is why believers must stay in the Word and be constantly on guard.
Les Feldick says faith is not only the necessity for salvation, it is necessary for the Christian walk — because how can you know how to walk if you cannot believe what God says? Taking God at His Word is faith.
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