Ministered by Angels

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. Matthew 4:11 (See also Mark 1:13)

            There is one more lesson we learn from Jesus’ time in the wilderness, and that is that God does not leave us unattended. At the end of His testing, hungry and exhausted, God sent angels to take care of Him.

            We who have the Spirit of God living in us never need to face the tempter alone – Jesus’ victorious spirit empowers, encourages, and directs us if we seek it. And through it all we are attended by angelic assistance. It may come in the form of heavenly messengers giving us words of comfort or support; or in the form of unexpected acts of mercy or grace given to us by friends or even strangers; a kind word, an unexpected smile or hug… there is no telling where or when, but if you are watchful, you will discover it, most likely just when you need it the most.

            Don’t miss the ministration of angels in your life.  Look for it, remember it, and then pass it on.

Let’s Do Something About It

·      Think back on times in your life when at just the right time someone encouraged you. Jot down your memory. Recall the details and how it made you feel. Spend a few moments thanking God that we need never face hard times or times of testing alone.

·      If you are going through a difficult time right now, or facing a time of testing, begin to look for God’s Hand of Grace in your life. Often we miss His “ministering angels” because we are so focused on our own problems. Look for them; take notice of them, thank God for them.

·      Consider the people around you. Is there someone in your life who needs an extra act of grace today? Consider how you might be an “angel” – a messenger of God’s love – to them.

Looking for Opportunity

And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. Luke 4:13

            Unable to distract, discourage, or defeat Jesus the devil gave up … for now. We miss an important lesson if we miss the detail that though he was overcome for now, the devil would nonetheless be on the lookout for another opportunity to strike again. 1Peter 5:8 tells us that, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”  Successfully coming through a time of testing is not guarantee that the testing is over. We need to be on the lookout and prepared – continually testing our passions, perspective, and priorities ourselves, lest we fall prey to the devil’s wiles.

Let’s Do Something About It

Jesus responded to the devils tests with the proper use of scripture – how capable are you to respond appropriately to the enemy with God’s Word? One way to be armed and prepared for Satan’s attacks and tests is by constantly examining your passions, perspective, and priorities in the light of scripture. To do that, it is necessary to continually be reading, studying, discussing, and meditating on the Word of God. Prayerfully consider,

·      How regularly and in how many different ways are you exposing yourself to God’s Word? Ask God to show you ways can you fortify your understanding and application of scripture in your life.

·      Ask the Holy Spirit to show you ways to make studying the scriptures new and fresh. If you study the Bible regularly consider changing translations or methods for a while.