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. 

Pass or Fail?

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

            Three temptations, three tests. The devil was determined to test Jesus, to see if He really was the Beloved, the Son of God. Three tests of character, three tests we all face at one time or another if we truly want to serve God.

1.     The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” Luke 4:3-4

The test of passion – are our desires for things of earth or heaven? Do we rely on earthly products, or is our primarily reliance on the resources of Heaven?

2.     And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Luke 4:5-8

The test of perspective – do we entertain illusions of grandeur or are we committed to worship God as servants? Do we strive for position, power, and prestige, or are we committed to devotion in worship and humbleness in service?

3.     And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and  “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Luke 4:9-13

The test of priority – do we attempt to use our faith as a tool to empower our own agenda, or is our faith simply and purely born out of devotion for God?

We will face temptations and tests everyday, but through His testing, Jesus has shown us the way of victory. Follow Him closely, and we will be victorious too.

Let’s Do Something About It

·      Prayerfully consider if there is a particular area that you are weak in, or that may be open to the devil’s temptations.

·      Ask the Holy Spirit to show you steps you can take to protect your heart and mind in times of testing, and to steps to keep you strong and attentive at all times. 

Sensational Entitlement

And [the devil] took [Jesus] to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

             “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and

             “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Luke 4:9-12

            

The devil took Jesus to the Holy City, to the Holy Temple, to the highest position in the temple, and tempted Him with sensation. “Perform a marvelous feat! Show God’s power by putting it on display! Exploit the miraculous!” Think of the tickets you could sell!

            Once again, Jesus reply reveals the true motive of the devil’s test: to “prove” God.  If God is real, if you are the beloved, then He will be obligated to perform according to our interpretation and/or manipulation of His Word. Jesus’ response denied the devil’s attempt to exploit God’s power.

            When the expression of our faith becomes an avenue for the sensational. When our prayer life becomes demand instead worship. When we begin to believe that we are entitled to specify God’s performance according to our own interpretation of His Word, then we have lost sight of true faith. We do not test God, we trust God. We do not demand that the Almighty “back our play,” we humbly submit to His Will. We must beware of the danger of entitlement thinking, of believing that God is somehow obligated to respond the way we have decided or concocted. We must guard against the creeping idea that God serves us.

Let’s Do Something About It           

·      Ask the Holy Spirit to examine your motives and goals. Are you seeking sensational or humbleness in your faith?

·      Honestly consider, who is calling the shots in your faith life? Are you expecting God to respond to your agenda, plans, or expectations, or are you submitting to His agenda, plans, and will? Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into an attitude of worship.

            

True Power

And the devil took [Jesus] up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

             “‘You shall worship the Lord your God,

                        and him only shall you serve.’” Luke 4:5-8

            The temptation of power. Humans crave it. It was the root of the original sin. Satan tempted Eve with the prospect of “becoming like God” (see Genesis 3:5).  Power is addicting. When our goal is to become powerful, our power becomes the object of our worship – our focus, our primary agenda, our priority, and the consumption of our resources, energy, and time. 

            Jesus cut through the image of Satan’s words and went to the heart. Worship and serve God alone. Our greatest calling, our embodiment of God’s image-in-us, is not how great we become, but how well we serve. To follow Christ is not to aspire to greatness, but to be compelled to service. Jesus told his followers,

“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:42-45

Seeking earthly power is the exact opposite of the attitude of Christ. Beware of seeking earthly power, for it is not far from the enemy’s domain. 

Let’s Do Something About It

·      Prayerfully consider if there is an area of your life where you are demanding authority over others. Ask God to show you how you might turn that area of your life around to being a place of serving others instead.

·      Meditate on Philippians 2:4-11. Consider journaling any insights or questions you may have.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,

      though he was in the form of God,

did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

      but made himself nothing,

      taking the form of a servant,

      being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form,

      he humbled himself

      by becoming obedient to the point of death,

      even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him

      and bestowed on him the name

      that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

      every knee should bow,

      in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

 and every tongue confess

       that Jesus Christ is Lord,

      to the glory of God the Father. 

Necessity or Accessory?

 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Luke 4:1-3

            The enemy tempted Jesus to prove His identity by using His powers to turn something of no value into something supposedly essential. The true nature of the devil’s temptations are revealed in Jesus’ responses. The enemy assumed that bread was essential – but Jesus counters, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4). Jesus is quoting from the book of Deuteronomy, when God addresses the Jews after forty years of desert wandering,

You shall remember … that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:2-3

The point of fasting is to test the heart. Can we rely on God alone and for a time, forgo physical gratification? God fed the Israelites with a substance they had never experienced before, manna. It was totally different from what they were used to, from what they believed was essential, and from what was “normal.” It showed them that not only is God’s provision enough, but that there is a much more important realm we live in than our physical desires; we are spiritual beings that require the spiritual nourishment that comes from God’s Word alone.

            Jesus would not waste using His power to turn a worthless stone into a mere physical commodity. He knew that what is truly essential only comes from God.

Let’s Do Something About It

·      Take a few moments today to consider your priorities. How much of your “power” (financially, physically, emotionally, intellectually…) is spent converting things of no true value into “essentials” in your life or lifestyle? Consider if it is time for some “house-cleaning” and a restructuring of you priorities regarding the “things” in your life.

·      Consider if it is time for you to “fast” for a season from certain items or practices that you consider “necessities” but are really just physical accessories to your life.

Who Are You Listening To?

 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God…”           Luke 4:1-3

            The devil waited until the end of Jesus' forty day fast, when He was weak and hungry. Then he came to tempt and challenge Jesus.  

            It is in times of testing, or crisis; in periods of desperation and desolation; it is when we are facing disappointment or transition; when we are at our weakest, our emptiest, at the end of our rope, or have come to a blind curve in the road of our life and have no idea what lies ahead; that is when the enemy comes to prey on our self-identity, to challenge the nature of our calling, or to tempt us with false promises.

“If you are…” he chides.

“If you were really loved, then these things wouldn’t be happening.”

“If you really believed you wouldn’t have fear or doubt.”

“ Who are you really? Prove it!”

In our times of stress, that inner voice of doubt challenges what we profess to be true about our most inward, secret self.  It is in these times that we must be oh so careful to whom we are listening.

Let’s Do Something About It

·      If you are at a crisis or transitional point in your life right now, schedule significant periods of time for prayer and fasting to help you identify and rely on God’s voice, direction, and provision for you at this time. Consider getting a prayer partner for this season to help you discern God’s presence in your life.

·      If you are questioning the nature of your calling or the direction of your life, consider spending time with a trusted friend or confidante to help you discern the path you are on and to partner with you in prayer.

·      If you are on firm ground right now, spend some time journaling or recording the nature of your calling and the affirmation and confirmations that God has given you, so that, when a time of questioning arises, you have a record of God’s directive.

From/To

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. Luke 4:1-2

From the Jordan to the wilderness

From presentation to preparation

From affirmation to testing

From the crowd, to isolation

From fullness to hunger

From “You are” to “If you are”

And finally, from wild animals to angels (See Mark 1:13)

The way of Christ is the way of movement. From high to low; from low to high. With little plateau in between. God does not call us without preparing us to face the challenges we will encounter; and the enemy will always defy our calling and affirmation (unless of course we offer no threat to his attempts to overthrow the Kingdom of God.) It is a cycle of contrasts. It is important for us to note the movement of cycles in our life – to record growth and progress in our preparation times, to draw encouragement and inspiration in our plateaus, and to prevent the distraction of pridefulness in our fruitfulness.

Let’s Do Something About It           

Where are you in the cycle of contrasts? Prayerfully consider your spiritual journey over the last year. What have been your contrasts? What do they tell you about the path God has you on right now?