‘Led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted’? That seems quite the opposite to what we presume today when we’re tempted, isn’t it? But we know not to question God for what He does. His timing of everything done by Jesus was perfectly ordained. No doubt, a very high point in the life of Jesus Christ, and in the relationship between He and His Father, was His baptism. Imagine Jesus being told by His Father at His baptism that He (Jesus) was the beloved Son in whom He (God) is well pleased! Don’t you know that this must have been an awesome boost for Jesus that would last a lifetime! Let’s see what encouragement lies ahead in this for us!

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-06-27
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 4:1-3
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1–2 From the moment of his baptism, Jesus was overflowing with the Holy Spirit. He was taken by the Spirit from the Jordan into the lonely wilderness of Judea to experience the ordeal of testing by the accuser for forty days. He ate no food during this time and ended his forty-day fast very hungry. 3 It was then the devil said to him, “If you are really the Son of God, command this stone to turn into a loaf of bread for you.”

APPLICATION: I’ve heard friends talk about the kind of challenging day they had, and they attributed that to their absence in the Word of God that day. I’ve also heard just the opposite – about the peace one may have had after an intimate time with God in prayer and in the Word. However, I believe the message in this Scripture for us today, will remind us of a few things:
1). Jesus was so pumped up after experiencing God in baptism in the Jordan river, that He willingly and obediently went into the wilderness, knowing that the same God who reassured Him of His love, would also be with Him through the most challenging times of life, and especially in the wilderness;
2). There is no respecter of persons in Satan’s world. If anything, Satan will make it a point to go after God’s chosen children, because the others are already his! But we are reminded in Scripture that ‘greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world’. Our part is to stay in fellowship with the One that we choose to follow, so that there is no doubt in our minds, or question of confidence in the power, protection and willingness of our Master.
Friends, I’m here to tell you and/or remind you, that there is no other god like my God, for He is the One that came down in the form of a dove, blessed and encouraged His Son, then strengthened, directed and protected Him in the wilderness, so that you and I might be reminded of the power of our God in all circumstances of life. The other lesson I see in this Scripture for our meditation is that temptation came upon Jesus when He was ready in His spirit, His mind, and in the current circumstances of His life. What about us? How prepared are we for the temptations of Satan? Can we truly lean upon and depend on a sound, totally committed relationship with God? Have we been consistently worshipping Him and depending on each word from His Book every day? Have we been consistently obeying His command to join in worship with other believers as often as they come together? If not, can we truly feel secure in His promises to even us? I can’t be sure about your situation, but when my spouse and I are at odds, or I have chosen to ignore God in my daily life, I am hesitant to approach God with my ‘wants’ list. God is not a puppet that we could hide in our pocket when we are ashamed to show Him off to our friends, but then the ‘King of all kings’ when we desperately need His help. In a honest and committed relationship with Jesus, we can do like Jesus did when He boldly walked into the Wilderness. We become confident in whom we serve, and in whom we could depend. How spiritually and mentally prepared are you for the temptations and challenges of your day? Do you have a support team standing beside and behind you, that includes a friend like our awesome and powerful Savior? Let me encourage you to read my Footnote and the associated links included, to see if God might have some additional decisions for you to make today? We know from Scripture that our God is able, can you test that today by surrendering your life to Him? I implore you do that today, my friend!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, it is evident that Satan is still very much alive today, just as he was in the Wilderness when he tempted and tried You. We carefully read from Your Word how You overcame the temptations of Satan, and we have reminded ourselves how this is still a BIG problem for us today. Having been given the answer to this dilemma, I pray that we will humble ourselves before You, seek your face, and surrender our lives before You. Please Lord, touch the hearts of my readers whose hearts are hardened to the things of Christ. Help them to understand that the answer to all of life’s challenges lie at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. May we surrender our all to you today, is my humble plea. AMEN!