Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ~ Matthew 4:1-2
Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted… Woow, isn’t that interesting? And to think that this was after a very powerful baptism encounter (Matt 3:13-17).
The Holy Spirit or the anointing had descended on Him, and God had spoken out of Heaven on His behalf. He called Him “My beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Now that same Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness to be tempted.
(Think about it for moment; I’ll share just a couple of thoughts with you).
Thought 1: “We are most vulnerable and open to temptation after our heightened spiritual encounters or activities” ~ Rev Simon Ampofo.
You either finished a personal fast or your church’s fasting and prayer period OR you get back from a powerful camp, etc. The very next day you come across lustful videos and porn links across your social media. Or you get a call from the one person your flesh finds difficult to resist. OR you get faced with a lucrative but corrupt deal, etc… mercy!
- Dear Christian, know your weak moments and prepare for them. There is a day called the day of evil (Eph 6:13); a particular day when the attack/temptation is strong.
- How do you know and prepare for these? Example: Prepare for the aftermath of a great spiritual encounter/activity (Jesus was coming from a dramatic baptism encounter).
- Beloved, don’t just end your fast and plunge back into social media or your former routine.
- From your spiritual encounters, make new decisions, translate them to new actions, and incorporate them into your daily life as habits.
- Be sure they are well-established and rooted in the Word. This is what keeps us sustaining that encounter and keeps us from falling!
- Get a podcast playlist of sermons to soak in; establish a quiet time or devotional life; commit to reading a spiritual book, etc.
Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there. ~ Mark 1:35
And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples also followed Him. And when He came to the place, He said to them, Pray that you may not [at all] enter into temptation. ~ Luke 22:39-40
- Mute and block people if you have to; change your movie and music playlists (Sometimes I get sad when I see some believers who have had great encounters, plunge back into wordly songs/movies. It is an old routine that can rob you of that encounter you had).
- Go off social media or mute all your worldly friends there if you have to. Send a strong message to the ex-fornicating partner and end it.
"WATCH AND PRAY, that you do not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
Thought 2: Everyone led by the Spirit, has a wilderness period to endure.
- Dear friend, everyone of us will go through a wilderness / desert period. I mean unless you are not led by the Holy Spirit (then you’re exempt from this).
- The wilderness period is a period of struggle, temptation, and loneliness.
- Israel went through it for 40 years; Jesus went through it for 40 days; and you and I will go through it also.
- In Deuteronomy 8:2, the Israelites were reminded that God led them into the wilderness so that He could humble them, test them, and know what was in their hearts.
God does this same process in us in our wilderness seasons. The wilderness is where our humility, and the true nature of our hearts is revealed. Stay the course. Seek God (this is why Jesus decided to fast). If you don’t give up, you will walk out on the other side ready for what God has promised you.
- We will have to end here for today but can I leave you with an encouraging word?
- The hunger Jesus felt, and how weak He became (to the point of needing strengthening – v11), shows us that Jesus went through this temptation as 100% man.
- He felt exactly like a man would feel after fasting. He didn’t use supernatural powers to defeat the enemy!
- That gives me hope that you and I can overcome our temptations and wilderness periods also. God will not abandon you! His Word and Spirit will instruct you. God will sustain you!
Nehemiah 9:19-21
“19 Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.
20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst.
21 For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen."
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