Christian Living
About 3 weeks ago, shortly after I published The Greater One in Us something interesting jumped out to me from Matthew 4:1. This blogpost is birthed by that thought.
Matthew 4:1 says;
“Then Jesus was LED by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” AMP.
Three weeks ago is a long time! Interestingly, just this night, one of my pastors talked around tests & greatness. Then I said to myself; ‘this blogpost has to get out tonight’.
The temptation of Jesus covered 3 main areas of human needs and desires; Bread, Power & Wealth. Ultimately, the devil was testing Jesus’ belief.
We read in Matthew 1:4 that; “Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness….”
Question: Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted?
Here is something I’ve learnt working with God for sometime now; God operates by principles.
The principle we see in Matthew 4:1 is that of ‘a test to be passed on the way to greatness‘. …. if you like, a certification preceding greatness.
Before God entrusts anyone with a big vision or a great heavenly task, there are tests that must be passed.
God prepared the promised land for the Israelites, but for 40 years they kept failing God’s tests and so wandered some more years, until a good number of them died from unbelief and disobedience. They could not conceive and accept the possibility of a land flowing with milk and honor. And if they couldn’t see it, they will not be able to operate in it.
“For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord —to whom the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Joshua 5:6 NKJV
May we not fail our tests.
I know the times when I’ve failed my tests only to realize later that Grace, you just missed that one. The good news working with God is He wants us to climb the next rung of the ladder, so He always sends us another chance. He chose us to fulfil specific roles in life and we must pass our tests to move forward.
This means that we must be sensitive to recognize our tests. If we don’t recognize our tests, we’re unlikely to pass them.
We must be fully built up and made ready to stand in all kinds of situations and circumstances.
Jesus’ test didn’t mean to destroy Him. They meant to build Him up and help Him conquer and triumph. After overcoming all 3 temptations, Jesus proceeded with His ministry.
I personally believe that Jesus could so easily overcome the 3 temptations because He was just coming out from a period of intense prayer. A period of fasting and prayer is a time of separation from earthly distractions, of self-deprivation, of total focus on God, of clarity of purpose and direction, of power and grace.
Let me show you someone that didn’t see Satan coming….
“Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it. ”
1 Chronicles 21:1-2 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1ch.21.1-2.NKJV
When David fell right into Satan’s hands, he chose to have God’s punishment instead of any other’s (verse 13). Believe me, I know that feeling .
Our tests are not traps, they are preparations for the great job ahead.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
James 1:12 NKJV
Father, please help me see my tests and help me pass them ❤. More importantly Father, make me thoroughly fit for purpose.
