1 Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry. After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time. 14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity. (Luke 4:1-2,13-14)
Temptation is a difficult thing. It often leads to devastating sin and broken hearts. Yet, there are some interesting details of this account that reveal aspects of temptation many don’t realize. First, God sometimes allows temptation. As a loving Father, you would think that God would want to protect us from every instance of temptation. Sometimes he does prevent temptation, and we are told to pray for Him to “deliver us from temptation.” However, there are times (like in this very story) where temptation is a part of God’s plan for us. God doesn’t tempt us, but He allows us to encounter temptation for our own good and His glory. Consider the text above, which says that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. The Spirit could have easily led Him in a different direction, but there were reasons for this. We shouldn’t carelessly place ourselves in positions where we will be tempted, but when we encounter them in the course of our Christian walk, we should see them as opportunities to grow and glorify the Father.
Second, we can resist temptation. You might think that Jesus was victorious because He is God. At some level, this is true, but Jesus faced these battles as a man. He used the very weapons of our warfare. He utilized the word of God, relied on the power of the Spirit, and leaned into His love for the Father and His glory. This encounter inaugurated his public ministry and demonstrated to us how we can also resist the temptations of the enemy. As believers, we are indwelled with the Spirit of God, and we have prayer and God’s word as our weapons. The power of the enemy in your life is the power of the lie. If he can convince you of his lies, then you give him power and control in your life. You fight the lies with the truth. Knowing the truth, memorizing the truth, and building your life on the truth is the key to victorious battles. We often see spiritual warfare as something to avoid at all cost, but it is the doorway to greater growth and seasons of fruitful ministry.
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