The 40-day wilderness experience that Jesus underwent immediately after His baptism is a story rich in lessons for us today. This is the topic of the current 6-part series, "The Wilderness Experience", appearing in the Saturday editions of The Nugget. If you miss any of these Nuggets, you will find previously-published lessons on-line at: www.scripturalnuggets.org/Folder5/the_wilderness_experience.htm .
The Wilderness Experience, Part 6:
The Aftermath
In last week's devotional, The Wilderness Experience,
Part 5, we discovered that everything in life can, potentially, be a false
god, if we make it our focal point.
This was the last of Jesus' temptations, but there are still three major
lessons to be learned from this experience. The first is this: How did Jesus
resisted each temptation when we fail so miserably?
1 Peter 5 gives us some important insight into how to resist the devil, and
if you look at Jesus' life, you will see that He rigidly followed each of
these suggestions:
1) "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand . . ." (1
Peter 5:6). Despite the fact that He IS God, Jesus spent His entire ministry
doing just this. When questioned about His power, He said: "I tell you
the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees
his Father doing . . ." (John 5:19-20 NIV)
2) "Cast all your anxiety on him . . ." (1 Peter 5:7) Even in the
final hours before His crucifixion, we find Jesus in the Garden, nearly
overcome with anxiety. Yet His prayer goes like this: ". . .not my will,
but yours be done." (Luke 22:42-43 NIV)
3) "Be self-controlled and alert." (1 Peter 5:8) Jesus always knew
what God was up to, and He was always ready to do His part. How? Prayer!
Jesus often got up early in the morning to pray (see Mark 1:35), and
sometimes He spent entire nights in prayer.
4) "Resist him, standing firm in the faith . . ." (1 Peter 5:9) Note
that each time Jesus was tempted, He responded to the devil with a direct
quote from God's Word: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth of God." (Deut. 8:3); "Do not put the
Lord your God to the test." (Deut. 6:16); and "Worship the Lord your
God, and serve him only." (Deut. 6:13) Jesus resisted the devil by
standing firmly upon God's Word!
One more thing that helped Jesus withstand temptation is this: One of the
primary reasons that we, as humans, succumb so easily to temptation is that
we are dissatisfied. We are seeking something more than what we have. Jesus,
on the other hand, was NOT dissatisfied! He stood firmly on God's love. He
knew who He was in God, and He knew God personally. He was rooted and
grounded upon a strong foundation, and nothing could shake Him. When we also
root ourselves upon the firm foundation of Christ, we, too, will never be
shaken: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them
into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matt
7:24-25 NIV)
If it seems hard to follow this winning formula, don't feel bad; it IS hard!
But take heart. God will never ask us to do anything that He will not
personally assist us in doing. Remember: "I can do everything
through him who gives me strength." (Phil 4:13 NIV). Also remember that
our weakness work to bring about the power of Christ! "He said to me, 'My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"
(2 Cor 12:9 NIV)
The second lesson to be learned from Jesus' wilderness experience can be
found in Matt 4:11: "Then the devil left him . . ."
Doesn't it always seem like trials and temptations come at you all at once?
It's never just one temptation; it's more like feeling bombarded! The next
time you feel this way, take courage! Jesus knows how you feel! After
fasting for 40 days in the wilderness He was subjected to every temptation
known to man ("For we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in
every way . . ." Heb. 4:15) And remember: Jesus received them all at
once!
So often we do stand firm. We are strong. But then that one last temptation
comes along, and we just feel like we can't be strong any long! Whenever
this happens, friends, pray that God will remind you of Jesus' wilderness
experience. He withstood ALL temptations known to man, all at once! Then
remind yourself of what the Bible records at the end of the temptations:
"Then the devil left him . . ."!
Take courage! The battle will NOT last forever! God will never allow you to
be tempted beyond what you can bear, with His help: "No temptation has
seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not
let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." (1 Cor 10:13 NIV); and
"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
(James 4:7-8 NASB).
This brings us to the last lesson to be learned. When the battle was finally
over, the Bible records one last thing: "and angels came and attended
him." (Matt. 4:11)
When we've been involved in Spiritual warfare, it leaves us feeling all beat
up, like our world has literally fallen apart. You have piles of bills and
no money, for example, but you stand firm. You resist the temptation to
worry. You claim God's promises, and He comes through for you. How do you
feel? Elated, yes, but also tired! You withstood, but you sure hope there
isn't another battle around the corner!
Take heart, friends! When it's all over, God doesn't leave you, beaten and
torn, on the side of the road! He will send His angels to attend to you! Our
part is to simply sit back and watch where God is at work to bring us
comfort and peace!
Enough to ponder, but do ponder this: We can resist temptation by following
Jesus' example, ever knowing that the battle won't last forever. And when it
is over, we can rest assured that God is there to comfort, sustain,
strengthen and prepare us for the battles that lie ahead!
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Mother of two
teens, Speech-Language Pathologist, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a
tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to
Christian devotionals and inspirational poems,
www.scripturalnuggets.org
, with Answers2Prayer Ministries,
www.Answers2Prayer.org .