Greatest Commandment Helps Believers: Part 2

The Torah (first five books of the Bible) contains 613 commandments for God’s people to follow. Rabbis would discuss which ones were most important. One of the scribes… asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! Yehovah our God is one Lord; and you shall love Yehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength’” (Mark 12:27-30). This portion of the commandment contains four elements with which we are to love God.

The heart refers to our emotions, the mind to our intellect, the soul to our eternal moral being and human psychological character and strength to our physical condition. We are not to give any portion of these aspects of our life to anyone or anything else. In obeying this commandment, we honor God and we benefit ourselves. They represent the four pillars by which we live the Christian life.

Satan attacks God’s people in each of these areas of life. When we are attacked in one area, we use another see us through the trial or temptation.

HEART: When we are suffering through trials, God promises to strengthen our hearts: “O Yehovah, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart” (Psalm 10:17). He does this as an act of His lovingkindness: “it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace” (Hebrews 13:9).

MIND: Jesus repeatedly used His knowledge of scripture to withstand satan’s temptations. Jesus’ strength was challenged by 40 days of fasting when satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread. His response was Deuteronomy 8:3: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Yehovah.” Jesus’ soul was tested when He was challenged to throw Himself off the temple and have angels save Him. His response was Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not put Yehovah your God to the test.” Jesus’ heart was tested by satan offering Him the kingdoms of this world in exchange for Jesus worshiping satan. Jesus response was “You shall worship Yehovah your God (Deuteronomy 6:13), and serve Him only (Deuteronomy 10:20). We must be diligent in studying the Bible so we can rightly handle it (2 Timothy 3:16) when satan comes against us.

SOUL: When are hearts are tempted God restores our souls (Psalm 23:3) to resist sinning. When facing eminent death David declared: “O Yehovah, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life” (Psalm 30:3).

STRENGTH: Paul’s heart was tempted to be prideful so God caused Him to suffer with a physical malady. However, God reminded Him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God responds to our loving Him with all the dimensions of our lives (heart, mind, soul and strength) by upholding us through trials and temptations. He strengthens the areas that we need to overcome satan.